Diarrhea Question

[Unregistered]

I'm registered user

I have a child that I had to send home 2 weeks ago for having 3 bouts of diarrhea in a matter of an hr, the child went home and returned on Monday having a great weekend (diarrhea free)... last week I had to send the same child home for having diarrhea again (4 bouts of diarrhea in 45 mins).... talked to the parents and the child has been diarrhea free all weekend. In my contract it says that it's 3 diarrhea's and the child has to go home and be diarrhea free for 24 hrs without meds. Now, no other child has gotten diarrhea in my care.

If the child has diarrhea this week... what would you do??

I told the parents that sense I've had to send home 2 weeks in a row for diarrhea that if the child has 1 diarrhea the child must go home (they completely understand and are really great parents). I don't have it in my contract so I'm not sure if I can do this but I want to require a doc note if the child has diarrhea this week. Can I do that?

Oh, and NO other child has gotten diarrhea at my house... just this child.

[littlemissmuffet]

Funny that this kid is only diarrhea free on the weekends...

I send home after 2, can return after 24 hours symptom free. If they get it again upon return, I send home after 1. If It happens AGAIN upon returning they are sent home and told not to return until poops are SOLID and I recommend a doctor's visit.

My handbook says I send home after 2, can return after 24 hours symptom free. BUT, if it's an ongoing issue, I play it by ear (not written in my handbook, just how it is - if parents don't like it they can find somewhere else to bring their diarrhea-ridden kiddo).

[Scout]

Could it be a nervous type thing? This happened to my son when he was about 3. One day before i left the sitters he told me his belly hurt. i took him to the pot & yep diarrhea so i took him home. No other instances that day. Since I took him home he thought if he told me his belly hurt every day, i would take hime home! This went on for weeks. he also has vomited over there & once i get him home he is fine! it was a seperation anxiety thing. Maybe this kid is going thru something similar. He could be nervous which is causing the loose stools only at your house & he knows he will get sent home to be with mommy & daddy. just a thought!

[littlemissmuffet]

I don't have it in my contract so I'm not sure if I can do this but I want to require a doc note if the child has diarrhea this week. Can I do that?

Oh, and NO other child has gotten diarrhea at my house... just this child.

I don't see why not. It's your business. And if a parent isn't being proactive enough to wonder why their child has constant diarrhea, it's your responsibility as that kid's caregiver to at least encourage a doctor's visit.
I require doctor notes with DIAGNOSES and TREATMENT PLANS (none of this "child may return to daycare" crap) any time I have concerns.

Good luck!

[Unregistered]

Could it be a nervous type thing? This happened to my son when he was about 3. One day before i left the sitters he told me his belly hurt. i took him to the pot & yep diarrhea so i took him home. No other instances that day. Since I took him home he thought if he told me his belly hurt every day, i would take hime home! This went on for weeks. he also has vomited over there & once i get him home he is fine! it was a seperation anxiety thing. Maybe this kid is going thru something similar. He could be nervous which is causing the loose stools only at your house & he knows he will get sent home to be with mommy & daddy. just a thought!

Well, but the child is having diarrhea at home after being sent home... through the day and into the next day. So... I'm not sure if it's nerves. The child had pooped more solid the day before at my house and was fine. The child has no fever and is eating fine and is happy. If the child was only have 1 or 2 bouts of diarrhea in a day I would keep the child but the child is going in their pants (wears underwear) and having 3 bouts or 4 bouts in a hour is a LOT to clean up.

[Unregistered]

I don't see why not. It's your business. And if a parent isn't being proactive enough to wonder why their child has constant diarrhea, it's your responsibility as that kid's caregiver to at least encourage a doctor's visit.
I require doctor notes with DIAGNOSES and TREATMENT PLANS (none of this "child may return to daycare" crap) any time I have concerns.

Good luck!

I suggested to both parents that maybe because it's been 2 weeks in a row that they should take the child in and see what's going on. But, I'm not sure they did that. This child was fully potty trained for months until the diarrhea came on and now the parent told me that this weekend the child told the parents "child is afraid of the potty" and now won't use the potty? So, after months of being toilet trained the child has been in diapers all weekend. But, the parent was fine with the child coming in underwear here tomorrow

[LittleCrawfishCC]

He needs to be checked for c-diff! Has he been on antibiotics lately?

[cheerfuldom]

Sounds like a doctors visit is in order. He is probably afraid of the potty because having that much diarrhea is painful and he is associating all that with the potty. You cant be cleaning all that up and constantly sending home....two weeks is a pattern so mom and dad need to get this addressed permanently.

[itlw8]

maybe it is because I raised a child with allergies but to me it seems an allergiy or sensitivity Is there anything new in the diet? or more of something that has ben served before.

Ds does that with pork fat even now as an adult. milk was also a problem as a child.

Imodium AD went with him on every campout when he was a scout.

[Lilbutterflie]

I think that you have every right to require a doctor's note if he has diarrhea again. I have in my contract that I have the right to require a doctor's note for return to daycare at my own discretion. Even if you don't have that clause, you can still require it.

It's obviously become enough of a problem that the child is now associating the potty with pain from the diarrhea.

[Oneluckymom]

It sounds like he needs to be tested for a food allergy. Two weeks is a long time with bouts of diarrhea. He may have another medical issue going on too and he def needs to see a dr.

As far as excluding him with only one episode...thats your call. Just tell mom that with the history of the last two weeks with episodes of diarrhea, that until he's able to see a dr and you receive a drs note that this is what you feel is best for the group and for her DC child.

Good luck.

[Unregistered]

constipation?

My child had severe diarrhea, doctor's work up returned normal. She kept being sent home from preschool, got her in with a new doctor for a second opinion and an abdominal x-ray showed her intestines were packed full of stool. The diarrhea was masking the constipation. Took two months to get regulated and healthy-not to mention relearning BM potty training again.