Sick Days

DEA31

So today we took our first sick day my fourth day back to work. I think I may have overreacted being a first-time mom. Managed to snag an appointment this morning but turned out to a be a simple cold. Her coughing just made me so nervous! So anyways my question is aside from a fever when do you decide that you need to take a sick day and that it's not appropriate for your child to go to childcare? Also how do you decide if you should take your little one to the doctors or just treat them at home?

JustGoWithIt

When they are this little I'd probably take him in for doc more than I would for my 4YO. And, even w/ my 4YO, even tho I know they can't treat many colds, I tend to take him in when things don't seem to be getting better with home treatment, because he is prone to breathing problems & ear infections when he gets sick which both need to be treated & I can't diagnose them myself.

honeybee434

I just plan on asking the nurse at our pediatrician office for when I should bring LO in. Like I called today because she also has a cough that's been getting worse this week, she's congested and is having some eye discharge. I asked the nurse when I should start to worry and she said to go ahead and being her in tomorrow. I would rather be over cautions when she is this little.

Sick days I don't have to deal with as much because either DH or my SIL has her during my work hours. If I need to be with her one of the two days when she would be at SIL's house all day, I can work from home or just leave a little early as two days she just covers the 1 1/2-2 hour gap between DH leaving and when I get home.

EllaSmella

When they are this little it's good to take them in regardless. As your LO gets older, you'll start to be able to notice when they are just "off" and have a good feel for when they are really sick and when they are just under the weather.

With DS, I kept him home if he was vomiting (obviously) or if he had a fever over 100 degrees. General cold symptoms I didn't keep him home unless he seemed really miserable.

Unfortunately, they're sick a lot during the first year at daycare and if you keep them home when they just have a cold or something mild, you'll burn through your sick time really quickly.

jnnfrrose6

DS is only home when school wouldn't take him (usually a fever).  Coughing and runny nose just come with the territory in DC and the teachers are used to dealing with it (IMO).  Then again, DS was a very easy going baby so that may have had more to do with it.  DD starts in 2 weeks and she's already had a cold at home that DS brought home from school.  Comes with the territory, but it gets better.