Parents and Doctors

[Baby Beluga]

Why are parents so put off by having to take their children to the doctor?

I have two children in my care who have wet coughs.

Child A has had the cough for 6 days now (including weekend). Cough sounds wet and chesty and is disrupting child's nap time here. When DCK's nose is blown, her chest rattles but nothing comes out. Told DCP that if cough is still present at the end of the week I will be requiring a doctor note before DCK returns. Dad says "well we took DCK to the doc about a week and a half ago and she was cleared for strep." Well, that's great. But she is still coughing. I am not a doctor and neither are you. Take your kid to the doc.

Child B: Noticed cough yesterday. Was worse today. Cough also sounds wet and chesty and is disrupting child's nap time here. Child has also been snoring the past few days during nap time. Mentioned cough to DCP at pick up. DCP says "oh yeah, I noticed that too. DCK seems to cough when waking up too." I mention that perhaps a doctor visit is in order and DCP says he can't take DCK tonight because "it's just him and the kids." (btw, at no point in time did I say go today or I will need a note tomorrow. I mentioned going to the doc because your child is presenting abnormal symptoms and neither myself nor the DCP's are doctors..)

Both parents said "well, maybe it's allergies..."

I live in the SW. It is warm and everything is already in bloom so it is possible that it's allergies. But guess what - they make allergy medicine for kids!! Take your child to a doctor, confirm that it is allergies and give them an allergy medicine. But don't let them just cough all day and night. How fair is that to the kids?

[Thriftylady]

I agree with you it isn't fair to the kiddos, and even if it is allergies they should be seen. I have to wonder though if the cost of going to the doctor is the issue. Our copay to our regular family doctor is $40, and sometimes that is a problem for us. It isn't so bad for say a 3 or 6 month check of medications that I know is coming. Some weeks it is an issue if something else pops up. Like when I had another bout with what I know now is eczema, and had 5 visits in a little over a month.

Either way that doesn't make it right, you gotta do what you gotta do for your kids. Just wondering is all.

[midaycare]

My dcf's are the opposite. They take the kids when they don't need to go. One single cough and it's doctor time!

[Leigh]

I have a little boy who is on Medicaid-I've told both of his parents for months that he needs to be seen. He appears to have a nasty sinus infection. He's been coughing for 2-3 months and has scratches all around his eyes (he digs on them in his sleep). Runny nose off and on for a while, but the cough never goes away. He LOOKS like he has sinus infection (redness around the eyes, puffy). I just don't get why a parent won't take their kid in for a FREE appointment to help them feel better!

[lovemydaycare0912]

I have a little boy who is on Medicaid-I've told both of his parents for months that he needs to be seen. He appears to have a nasty sinus infection. He's been coughing for 2-3 months and has scratches all around his eyes (he digs on them in his sleep). Runny nose off and on for a while, but the cough never goes away. He LOOKS like he has sinus infection (redness around the eyes, puffy). I just don't get why a parent won't take their kid in for a FREE appointment to help them feel better!

smh pure laziness

[Thriftylady]

I have a little boy who is on Medicaid-I've told both of his parents for months that he needs to be seen. He appears to have a nasty sinus infection. He's been coughing for 2-3 months and has scratches all around his eyes (he digs on them in his sleep). Runny nose off and on for a while, but the cough never goes away. He LOOKS like he has sinus infection (redness around the eyes, puffy). I just don't get why a parent won't take their kid in for a FREE appointment to help them feel better!

In that case where it has been months, especially when you know they have good medical coverage, I may have to consider making a call for neglect.

[Blackcat31]

I think I have parents that are both. Some see the Dr for everything while others rarely even mention the word Dr when discussing anything medical. :confused:

I guess I don't pay too much attention to it as I have my own method of addressing illness so their general parenting choices/approaches in this subject have no bearing on my policies.

For example, if I have a child that has a cold that over the following few days gets worse and begins to effect their day at daycare, I will send them home but I send them home WITH a medical statement.

They cannot return to care without the completed form.
Form must be completed by an actual Dr.

Rinse and repeat.

It solves any issues for me in cases where a parent maybe wouldn't bring them into the clinic and it eliminates the "hinting" game that a lot of providers do when they want a child to be seen by a Dr.

[Baby Beluga]

I agree with you it isn't fair to the kiddos, and even if it is allergies they should be seen. I have to wonder though if the cost of going to the doctor is the issue. Our copay to our regular family doctor is $40, and sometimes that is a problem for us. It isn't so bad for say a 3 or 6 month check of medications that I know is coming. Some weeks it is an issue if something else pops up. Like when I had another bout with what I know now is eczema, and had 5 visits in a little over a month.

Either way that doesn't make it right, you gotta do what you gotta do for your kids. Just wondering is all.

It's a good point to ponder. Without going into details, I know that both of these families are very well off.

[Cat Herder]

I have to put off going to the doctor, myself, because I have private insurance. In order to keep my family plan affordable I had to raise my deductible to the point I really can't afford to go unless I truly cannot function.

I also had to drop my prescription med last year. Hopefully I can continue to manage my condition by diet and avoiding heat/stress.

My friends and family think I am well off.

[Thriftylady]

It's a good point to ponder. Without going into details, I know that both of these families are very well off.

I have known some people who seem well off but aren't. Sometimes the people who are (or should be) well off are the worst with their money. I remember my DD a couple of years ago saying "they must have a lot of money" about a neighbor family. I told her "no they have a lot of debt". These were the people who go all out for every birthday party for the kids, I know the oldest has three different gaming systems in his room (DD has been there they are loose knit friends), get new vehicles every three or four years, the whole nine yards. While they do make good money, I know they are living above their means.

[Blackcat31]

In my experience, those that "appear" to be well off are the ones that have crappy or little to no insurance.

The ones that are low income get fantastic coverage.

In my state there are tons of free or rapid clinics that see children for little or next to nothing because they are kids.

[Thriftylady]

In my experience, those that "appear" to be well off are the ones that have crappy or little to no insurance.

The ones that are low income get fantastic coverage.

In my state there are tons of free or rapid clinics that see children for little or next to nothing because they are kids.

That depends. We are low income, DD still get medicaid. But DH and I don't qualify. DD has great coverage. DH and I not so much. We have high co pays, and have to pay for all labs and such at 100% until we each hit our $5000 deductible. Hopefully we won't touch that. The new structure with the government, if you can't afford much you are almost paying for nothing. We used to have a free clinic in our area, but it was hard to get into you had to wait outside in a line for hours some days. But they closed it down when Obamacare passed, because they said since everyone is insured now it was no longer needed.

[Baby Beluga]

I think I have parents that are both. Some see the Dr for everything while others rarely even mention the word Dr when discussing anything medical. :confused:

I guess I don't pay too much attention to it as I have my own method of addressing illness so their general parenting choices/approaches in this subject have no bearing on my policies.

For example, if I have a child that has a cold that over the following few days gets worse and begins to effect their day at daycare, I will send them home but I send them home WITH a medical statement.

They cannot return to care without the completed form.
Form must be completed by an actual Dr.

Rinse and repeat.

It solves any issues for me in cases where a parent maybe wouldn't bring them into the clinic and it eliminates the "hinting" game that a lot of providers do when they want a child to be seen by a Dr.

Would you mind PM'ing me this form please?

I have in my illness policy that after 5 days of coughing children will be excluded until seen by their doctor and can return when a diagnoses and treatment plan is in place.

I do understand children get allergies and allergies here can get bad. BUT I know from experience that when you "get" allergies here they make you feel like you have the flu. I also know from experience that allergies can cause sinus and other infections. I however am not a doc, nor do I claim to be one But since I spend 10 hours a day with these children, I know what is normal for here at least and what is not. I don't think parents always realize that.

[Thriftylady]

Would you mind PM'ing me this form please?

I have in my illness policy that after 5 days of coughing children will be excluded until seen by their doctor and can return when a diagnoses and treatment plan is in place.

I do understand children get allergies and allergies here can get bad. BUT I know from experience that when you "get" allergies here they make you feel like you have the flu. I also know from experience that allergies can cause sinus and other infections. I however am not a doc, nor do I claim to be one But since I spend 10 hours a day with these children, I know what is normal for here at least and what is not. I don't think parents always realize that.

DD and I both suffer from severe allergies. You are right, it can cause things like ear infections and such. When it gets bad and our normal stuff isn't working (DD is on one OTC med and one prescription med), we go to the doctor. There is so much they can do now.

[Ariana]

I'm in Canada so it's 'free' for everyone and we still get this behavior. I am like BlackCat in that I exclude for symptoms and a wet cough that is keeping them awake is grounds for exclusion. i also don't allow back until a note from the DR confirms it is not contagious and is being treated.

I have a dcg who is constantly stuffed up. Doesn't breath out of her nose at all. Unfortunately none of this is in my contract as an exclusion and she functions fine with the stuffiness. I have mentioned it to mom several times but I am always met with the classic blank stare.