Dose and Drops...UGH!

[Second Home]

I had one this morning .
The dcm said the dcg is only a little sick with a cough so I gave her cough and cold meds .
I told her that is not to be done again , if the child is sick enought to need medication then she must stay home .

[Blackcat31]

Just wondering how you all enforce the "without meds" part of the 24/48 hour exclusion policy. If they deny giving meds what can one really do? I am seriously asking.

This is where the trust factor comes in for BOTH parties.

The parents have to trust that I have that policy for THEIR benefit as much as mine and the other kids and I need to trust that my parents are honest.

Lucky for me, I am only able to have 3 kids under 2yrs of age and all the others can talk, plus I know my DCK's (and families) pretty well and it really isn't that hard to tell if someone is lying...kwim?

I know what is and isn't normal behavior for a child and a lot of my families choose me because I am SO strict about illnesses, medications and immunizations. (most my families have the same parenting styles and philosophies)

Also if a kid is running a fever, 9 out of 10 times, there is a decline in overall health and behaviors prior to the fever so I don't think being sick is always "sudden" and unexpected.

[Cat Herder]

A pale kid with a 94* body temp is a pretty good indicator of fever reducing meds.

The classics are 4-6-8 hour after drop-off, on the dot, spike in temp.

Many kids will simply tell you. ::

[LadyPearl]

It's easy to prove when the kid starts running a temp at the 4 hour mark...

Also, I would term immediately too if someone doped their kid and dropped them off but one of the best ways to curb that possibility is having the 24/48 hour exclusion rule.

If a parent chooses to keep their sick child home, then the child must remain out of care until 24 hours AFTER all symptoms have subsided.

If a child is sent home from daycare sick, the child must remain out of care until 48 hours AFTER all symptoms have subsided.

Having that rule really makes parents have to step up and evaluate their child's health on their own. It makes them take responsibility in making that call. They can either err on the side of caution and only miss one day of work or they can send their child to care and risk having to miss 2 days of work.

I learned this from Cat Herder (lovethis) and other than a few tips and tricks I 've learned from Nan, there is NO other rule in regards to daycare that works so wonderfully well.

I didn't really think it would work when I first heard it but I can honestly say that since implementing the 24/48 hour rule, I have had NO incidences of illness here. None in almost 2 years now.

I really like the idea of the 24/48 hr rule. It seems like it would keep the questionable kids at home!

[CraftyMom]

I had a situation not too long ago that I SWEAR was dope and drop, fever right after nap, texted mom and she came IMMEDIATELY, seriously before I even read her response. She promised she didn't give meds, and that he didn't have a fever in the morning. My policy is termination for this but I really couldn't prove other than mom's guilty behavior and timing of fever. What do you say to parents when you suspect they gave child meds?

[Blackcat31]

I had a situation not too long ago that I SWEAR was dope and drop, fever right after nap, texted mom and she came IMMEDIATELY, seriously before I even read her response. She promised she didn't give meds, and that he didn't have a fever in the morning. My policy is termination for this but I really couldn't prove other than mom's guilty behavior and timing of fever. What do you say to parents when you suspect they gave child meds?

In that scenario, it would be impossible to prove anything but I sure would let mom know that I suspect. kwim?

I might say something like "Wow, in all my years of providing care, I have never ever seen a situation like this where the child wasn't given meds before drop off. I'll have to make sure I keep a really good eye on your son since he obviously gets sick really quickly with no warnings. I do want to point out though that my 48 hour rule still applies because he is being sent home from care."

That would let the mom know you ARE onto her and that you ARE suspicious of her actions and that you WILL be watching closely. More than likely she will not try to pull a fast one again. (IF she was in the first place.)

Sometimes just letting parents know you DO suspect or will be watching closely from now on does the trick.

[MsLaura529]

I don't have any experience with the obvious dose and drops, but I'm glad I'm not the only one dealing with a parent who uses tylenol or motrin for a stuffy nose and/or cough .... I'm so baffled by this thinking.

[Babyluver21]

It's easy to prove when the kid starts running a temp at the 4 hour mark...

Also, I would term immediately too if someone doped their kid and dropped them off but one of the best ways to curb that possibility is having the 24/48 hour exclusion rule.

If a parent chooses to keep their sick child home, then the child must remain out of care until 24 hours AFTER all symptoms have subsided.

If a child is sent home from daycare sick, the child must remain out of care until 48 hours AFTER all symptoms have subsided.

Having that rule really makes parents have to step up and evaluate their child's health on their own. It makes them take responsibility in making that call. They can either err on the side of caution and only miss one day of work or they can send their child to care and risk having to miss 2 days of work.

I learned this from Cat Herder (lovethis) and other than a few tips and tricks I 've learned from Nan, there is NO other rule in regards to daycare that works so wonderfully well.

I didn't really think it would work when I first heard it but I can honestly say that since implementing the 24/48 hour rule, I have had NO incidences of illness here. None in almost 2 years now.

This here.Also, I always let them know I'm an RN in training. So I KNOW.

[nannyde]

In that scenario, it would be impossible to prove anything but I sure would let mom know that I suspect. kwim?

I might say something like "Wow, in all my years of providing care, I have never ever seen a situation like this where the child wasn't given meds before drop off. I'll have to make sure I keep a really good eye on your son since he obviously gets sick really quickly with no warnings. I do want to point out though that my 48 hour rule still applies because he is being sent home from care."

That would let the mom know you ARE onto her and that you ARE suspicious of her actions and that you WILL be watching closely. More than likely she will not try to pull a fast one again. (IF she was in the first place.)

Sometimes just letting parents know you DO suspect or will be watching closely from now on does the trick.

I can see the 24/48 working Monday thru Wednesday but it wouldn't be a deterrent on Thursday or Friday.

[Blackcat31]

I can see the 24/48 working Monday thru Wednesday but it wouldn't be a deterrent on Thursday or Friday.

True, but I would think that if a child repeatedly got sick on a Thursday or Friday...one would catch on pretty quickly.

I think that is one of the biggest things that parents either forget about or overlook completely....we spend the MAJORITY of waking hours with their child and when their child exhibits behaviors that are "off" or not really normal for them, we know.

We aren't as dumb as some parents think we are.

[TwinKristi]

We aren't as dumb as some parents think we are.

Haha! Or as dumb as they are!!
One DCM gave me every excuse in the book!! Teething, allergies, the heat was on high in the car that AM, it was hot outside, he's just getting over 1 virus and you can't get 2 at once... And the funniest part is she was also a nursing student!! I knew more about that stuff than she did! Funny how our home heater wasn't any different than in heat in her car or the temp outside didn't give anyone else a fever! And big shock! The next week the other kids all got the SAME thing!?