Sick @ Daycare ?

Karla CS

We have successfully completed two weeks of daycare.

During the first week, on Thursday, she came home with green poop and her bum was irritated, but we didn't think anything about it. On Friday when we picked her up, they let us know that she had full on diarrhea, but they didn't call to have us pick her up early or anything. (Not too worried since there was nothing we could do for her that they couldn't.)

Last Friday, she came home with a runny nose, and today, it's a little worse, runny nose, a bit congested, coughing, but overall, pretty not happy. According to the center guidelines, any TWO symptoms of a cold should be kept home. I'm pretty sure if she picked up at daycare, and for the amount we pay, I'm tempted to send her anyways. 

We've got her 4 month appointment at the doctor today, so she'd be headed in late regardless, but I'm thinking I'll just get the doctor's opinion.

What would you do? Am I a terrible person for wanting to send her? I feel like we pay SO MUCH MONEY and that it's daycare that's gotten her sick in the first place. If she had a fever, vomiting, or was miserable, I would definitely keep her home, but this is so mild, I'm not sure where the line gets drawn.

(Other random question.. wth is diarrhea so dang hard to spell!)

LoCarb

I can't take off every time my kid has a cold especially the first yr as LO is building up his/her immunities. Diarrhea is often a symptom for multiple things-new food, teething, stress,etc... Again, my kids would be in DC.

Unless the symptoms you described were accompanied with a high fever or contagious (ie: stomach flu) my kids would be in attendance.

ETA: you can refer to it as 'rhea, I'll KWYM

aglenn

The two cold symptom rule sounds really over the top.  If I kept my kids home every time they had a runny nose and cough I literally would not have been able to work since 2009.  Our center's policy is that fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea (defined as that which cannot be contained in a diaper) have to be absent for 24 hours before they can attend.  From what I've heard our policy is a pretty standard one.  I would have your doctor write a note if necessary, since you're going anyway, but I would absolutely not keep a kid home for a mild cold.

*sparky*

aglenn:

The two cold symptom rule sounds really over the top.  If I kept my kids home every time they had a runny nose and cough I literally would not have been able to work since 2009.  Our center's policy is that fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea (defined as that which cannot be contained in a diaper) have to be absent for 24 hours before they can attend.  From what I've heard our policy is a pretty standard one.  I would have your doctor write a note if necessary, since you're going anyway, but I would absolutely not keep a kid home for a mild cold.

I agree w/this.  DS had a runny nose and cough constantly when in DC.

opaque1997

I could see - two symptoms if it was fever / cough or diarehha and runny nose.

 

Our rules (Pretty standard in wa state) are Fever within 24 hours (over 100.2), 3 bouts of diarehha in 24 hours, throwing up (period unless explained by gagging or some other random occurance).

In general the rule is - no fever and able to participate in daily activities.  IF I kept her home every time she had a runny nose and a cough we'd never work.  Its called daycare crud and most babies in daycare have it for 2 years.

Please don't feel guilty - I actually find my LO does sooo much better with the routine of daycare then if I keep her home - and I often find when I pick her up and was all worried about sending her she's happier and has done much better then I Would have thought.  Routine is comforting.. now when they are relaly sick - fever - congested - just want to lay on you all day - you'll know and you'll keep them home! 

Karla CS

I knew I wasn't crazy! Thanks ladies, sometimes I just need my decision reaffirmed.

AsOctoberFalls

opaque1997:

Our rules (Pretty standard in wa state) are Fever within 24 hours (over 100.2), 3 bouts of diarehha in 24 hours, throwing up (period unless explained by gagging or some other random occurance).

Our rules are the same, except the fever cutoff is 100.  The diarrhea thing is a bummer because DS gets it often, even when he's not sick.  If I had to keep him home every time he had 2 cold symptoms, he'd never be in daycare! We basically always send him unless he can't go according to the center's rules.

preggersin2011

I follow our handbook- if LO is allowed to be at day care, then she's going. Sick baby home all day with mommy= unhappy mommy. Plus you are already paying for your child to be there.