how would you handle (daycare issue)...

vtmezzo

Okay, so I got a call from DS' daycare director yesterday at 11:30 saying that he had diarrhea twice that AM (isn't all baby poop pretty runny?) and that I needed to pick him up. I met DH over there and DH took him home for the day. No fever, no more poop, ate fine, slept fine, happy little guy, etc. He had eaten peaches for the first time the night before (and I told the daycare folks this) so I think that is what caused the messy poop.

So this morning,  I wake the little guy up at the crack of dawn, go through the whole morning routine, make the crappy drive in traffic, and arrive at daycare only to have his teacher turn us away at the door and say he can't come back until 11:30 because that's when I picked him up yesterday and they have a 24 hour policy. So I have to get a sub to cover my classroom last minute and drive all the way back home here to wait until 11:30 to take him back. WTF?

I understand having the policy in place because I certainly wouldn't want sick kids there, but he WASN'T sick. No fever, no cough, no rash, etc. It was a little bit of runny poop, which again, is pretty normal for babies, especially when they are trying new foods. I just really wish somebody had told me when I picked him up yesterday that I can't bring him back until 24 hours have passed and I could have saved myself 2 hours of trouble. (and arranged a sub, etc.) 

Is this normal policy? I'm going to speak to the director about communicating policies, but it seems that if they send kids home every time their poop consistency changes, I'm going to need more sick leave than I have. Especially as he's starting new foods! WWYD?

HikerBride07

I'm not sure about the 24 hour policy but I think it's ridiculous that she wouldn't take your word for it that he wasn't sick.  It's nice that she's cautious about sick kids but I would think she'd have the sense to check for more than just one symptom before ruling him sick.  As you said, the consistency of poop changes and doesn't necessarily indicate sickness.

Hey Jellisy

I would talk to the director.  Tell her your disappointment in not explaining the policy fully.  Explain also that you are introducing solids and that changes in the bowel movements is to be expected at this time and does not indicate sickness.  My provider has a criteria for illness, fever X level, etc.  If there's is having 2 poopy diapers in one morning, my DD would never be there.  BTW, Just wait till you introduce prunes, I've never seen a diaper like that before. 

tracy042206

We don't use a center so I can't speak about policies but I thought that was in relation to a fever (don't bring back until the fever is gone for 24 hours).  Also peaches are one of the foods that can make poop runny, so in the absence of a fever or any other symptoms (lethargy, not eating, vomiting), I would have been a little ticked too. 

My in-home daycare wouldn't have even called if there were no other symptoms - just told me at the end of the day about the change if it was drastic. 

Ana0927

I agree, I would talk to the director.  I am not at a center (home daycare) and the policy there is 24 hours for a fever. The poop issue seems a little overkill especially since you are introducing him to new foods and you made them aware of it.

 

femmeftle9

DD was sick over the weekend & yesterday. I asked the pedi about the best time to take her back to daycare & she did say 24 hours since the last episode of vomiting or diarhea. So I'm keeping her home an extra day, though DCP would probably take her anyway.

My only grievance is that the DC did not inform you of this policy yesterday when you picked DS up.

lhartman

That is normal to wait 24 hours after diarrhea or a fever. There were plenty of times when my DD was young and she either had a fever or diarrhea and had to stay home the next day even though she was fine.

It's for the benefit of the children and if the roles were reversed and some other kid had diarrhea or a quick virus, I would want them away from my child for 24 hours as well.

Germs fly so quickly through daycares no matter how clean the place is and it's their job to set policies that enforce this.

it's annoying since you have to take a day off but I think it's a fair policy.

 And, if you don't already know, at the beginning when they first get into daycare, you baby will get a lot of random colds and viruses and you will get a lot of calls too. It's just par for the course but after about 1 or so, it tapers off since their immune system is much better. I was warned of that as well and it definately did come true.

- LH

lhartman

Do you have a handbook of policies? That rule is pretty standard so I'm sure it's documented somewhere.

- LH

zeptattoo

Its annoying, yes, but lesson learned.  If you don't know their policies or are unclear about them, then learn them.  Unless they told you one thing and then another, you have no real backbone to your arguement.

That being said, what if you were on the other end?  Your baby was in a daycare where a kid got sick, then came back b/c the mother thought he was fine even though not enough time had passed.  You would be livid that the daycare let them return prematurely because of germs and the risk to your kid.

Artslvr

Agree with pp's - that's a pretty standard policy.  As for them not communicating it to you, that's something to take issue with.

I find that it is a good practice to err on the side of caution - if they thought baby was sick, and you disagree, if you have the leave time, just keep baby out the next day (or next morning until 11:30) once in a while.  I'm not saying give in every time, but...  I have had this same disagreement with my in-home lady maybe a few times - where she thinks kiddo is sick and I don't.  But to maintain a good relationship with her and to honor her attempt to by hyper-vigilant about germs, I've kept a baby home once in a while to show her I respect her vigilance.  Daycare is VERY give and take, and your relationship with your providers is very delicate.

Look at it this way, next time they do this, you can say "well, you know, last time I kept baby out for 24 hours but baby wasn't sick, so this time I'm going to say it's definitely the (fill in the name of food here) that baby ate last night." 

vtmezzo

Thanks for all the advice! I don't take issue with their policy - sick kids belong at home - I am just frustrated that there isn't a specific policy defining sick v. not sick. I didn't realize that one messy diaper = sick.  I'll just have to stand my ground if it happens again, especially if I know it's from a certain food!

lhartman

One more thing, in terms of standing your ground. I would have to say that their policies are their policies and if you choose  not to adhere to them especially since it's part of their regular standards, then you shouldn't agree to go there.

If they listened to every parent that said their child wasn't sick, no child would be at home. Trust me, there were many times I thought of ways to sneak my daughter's fever or diarrhea by them and just felt bad doing it.

If you know their policies when you signed up, it's not fair that they vary them per child.

just my 2 cents.

- LH

frogdogny

"I didn't realize that one messy diaper = sick."

In your original post you said he had 2 diarreah diapers. It is standard practice for both the centers we've attended that after 2 diarreah diapers, the kid has to be sent home and can't return for 24 hours. Keep in mind that this is a precaution. It is very hard to tell when little ones are truly sick w/a virus or just reacting to something they ate, so they err on the side of caution to protect the other children. Is it a PITA sometimes - yes! But think about how you'd feel if it were some other kid and it turned out they had Rotovirus or something. You'd be VERY glad they were forced to stay home.

Now, the provider should have reminded you when you picked up your kid that you couldn't return for 24 hours so yes, I'd fault them for that. But I agree with PPs that the policy is probably in your parent handbook. At any rate, you now know for next time.