Need advice about sick policy

[33 Daiseys]

Just curious where you got this info from? Yellow or green represents the presence of infection and in no way indicates whether it is the last few days of infection or the first few. Also, runny nose is actually not a symptom of flu contrary to belief. In many cases a person has the flu with absolutely no cold symptoms and vice versa.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I not exclude for cold. Live in Canada which is cold climate and people get cold. I think it unreasonable to exclude. But if child have other symptoms like fever, that different maybe sign something else going on.

This just part of job.

I do have clause that child must be well enough for full participate so if child laying around and clearly fell unwell, then I can send home.

[hockey mom]

My policy stipulates that children with coughs and colds may attend provided that there is no fever, nasal secretions are clear, coughs are not persistent and they can participate cheerfully in normal daycare activities. If yellow or green goop is pouring out of their nose or they are constantly hacking, they should be at home recuperating for the child's comfort and the health of the group. I added this clause after I had one child that often got colds so bad, green snot would literally hang from his nose to the floor when he sneezed and the parents continued to bring him. Clearly the child felt quite crappy and miserable, but the parents didn't want to be inconvenienced.

[Sladji]

It's exactly what I'm experiencing now. The child came really sick and got me sick too. I don't want to offend the parents, but this is the first time in two years that I had to close (3 x in two months), because she got me sick too
I'm not sure how to tell the mom without offending her.

[mickyc]

I also am under the understanding yellow or green indicates infection. That being said the one girl I have right now only ever gets yellow/green snot every single time she has a cold. For her it has never been clear ever! It is the strangest thing. I just watch for fever but she never gets one, plays fine and is in a good mood. I have never sent her home

[lemondrop]

"You might have heard that yellow or green mucus is a clear sign that you have an infection, but despite that common misperception, the yellow or green hue isn't due to bacteria.
When you have a cold, your immune system sends white blood cells called neutrophils rushing to the area. These cells contain a greenish-colored enzyme, and in large numbers they can turn the mucus the same color."

From here: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/featu...t-mucus?page=2

[ebhappydc]

Oddly, I notice my guys get the green yellow at tail end of bad cold too without fever. Lots of wiping but fine to be here.

[33 Daiseys]

Oddly, I notice my guys get the green yellow at tail end of bad cold too without fever. Lots of wiping but fine to be here.

It may be that as they are getting better the sinus arn't as congested, and hats ehy their noses are super runny.

[bright sparks]

"You might have heard that yellow or green mucus is a clear sign that you have an infection, but despite that common misperception, the yellow or green hue isn't due to bacteria.
When you have a cold, your immune system sends white blood cells called neutrophils rushing to the area. These cells contain a greenish-colored enzyme, and in large numbers they can turn the mucus the same color."

From here: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/featu...t-mucus?page=2

Yes the yellow or green mucus is as a result of the enzyme not bacteria, but the high amount present is as a result of infection, bacterial or viral. So it is in fact still true that the presence of yellow or green mucus is a sign of infection because it is only when infection is present that the high levels of enzyme are present. No infection, low levels of enzyme = clear mucus.