Parents Magazine October Issue

[Judy Trickett]

Pediatrics fount that 57% of sick children were sent home from childcare unnecessarily.

Okay, so what does that really mean? Because seriously, I could totally see a ped saying there is nothing "wrong" with a kid sent home because they were screaming their head off all day because they were in pain from teething. Sorry, but if the child can not participate and is in PAIN then, yes, they are not "well enough" to be in care.

Heck, I have heard of peds (through the parents, of course) stating that child with chicken pox is fine to return to care under the premise that they were contagious before they presented with spots. Really?? Because even though they are not contagious is it NOT sanitary to have some kid oozing juices from their "spots" and otherwise just cranky and feeling like crap in care.

Or, what about the kid who was vaccinated two hours ago and is said to be "fine" to return to care? It's ALL fine and dandy if one, that kid does not shed his new live vaccine onto his friends. Or, two, it's all fine UNTIL that kid has an adverse reaction, spikes a fever and DIES in the daycare playpen over the course of the two hour nap period. Nothing is "fine" then.

Once again - it all goes back to GROUP care. This is not nanny care, not one-on-one care, it's GROUP care. So, if a child needs special care for ANY reason that takes time away from the other kids while a provider tends to one child. It doesn't work that way.

I think what people need to realize is that even on the BEST of days when we open our doors we are accepting tremendous risk and liability. To further allow sick children in our care, or worse yet - kids medicated secretly - heightens that risk. It is a risk to the child himself, the other children in our care and our livelyhood.