Parent Called To Say Child Has MRSA

[Unregistered]

About a month ago a previous dcb age 2 3/4 yr old came to daycare with what looked like boils on his butt. Mom was consulted and she said "oh it's just a boil but will keep an eye on it" one week later boil hasn't disappeared and another had formed.

I said "I think a trip to the doctors will be needed". She informs me that the boil is sore and she will give him a nice long bath that night.

Upon arriving at daycare with both boys she said after his bath the night before, she lanced the boil and he is quite comfortable now. I didn't feel comfortable about this and asked her to make an appointment for the doctors since this is going on the second week.

The end of the week she pulls both kids and I didn't resist since they have been such a handful with the older being ADD and bouncing off the wall every chance he gets both parents do not see the sign and are in denial about his ADD.

So off to the new provider they go. It is now the second week at the new provider/original before I and she "MADE" the mom bring the child to the doctors or she would term the children. As I said, this is the same provider that had the children before I got them.

Long story short I just got a phone call saying the boils were really MRSA and she called because she thought I should know. So I'm not only pissed but worried that I'm now infected. I called my doctor's office and they informed me unless I'm showing any signs the prob I'm not infected. Being overly cautious I insisted on a full check up so off to the doctors I go tomorrow.

Does this child's mom think I GAVE the child MRSA? Not any of my other children have it and as far as changing the child I follow every precaution while putting this child on the potty. I have an ample supply of hand soap, hand sanitizer, towels are not shared, we use paper towels. Water and Clorox is used to sanitize the changing mat and cleaning the toilet seat as well as washing the floor since I have little boys is done regularly. BTW the father who takes care of the boys at night is not very cautious about child's toileting. He has shown up with awful rashes that I've had to medicate out of his neglect. I'm pissed! (Sorry, am I allowed to say that? Sorry in advance if I can't)

What are your thoughts? My emotions are going wild right now between feeling betrayed by this parent to feeling mad because she would not listen to me and take him to the doctors.

[Live and Learn]

Too bad that parent didn't take their child to the doc right away.

[jen]

I'm sorry thats awful. Did you document? She may not really feel it's your fault, she probably feels guilty and didn't know how to approach you. Hopefully she was concerend about YOUR well being, not trying to point the finger.

[TBird]

When I had a corporate job, my daycare provider's word was the GOSPEL!!! Hey...I trusted her with my MOST precious gift...think I'd better pay attention when she said something, SHEESH!!!

[momofsix]

I wouldn't worry too much about it if you followed normal diaper changing procedures no one else will get it. I had two kids w/ MRSA (brothers), the parents both got it too, but no one here did. The Dr thinks they all got it from sharing the bathtub. MRSA in the diaper area is actualy quite common now and usuually responds quickly to antibiotics.
You have every right when you suspect something to insist a child be seen by a Dr and cleared before they come back. What amazes me is that she "lanced" it herself...that is something I have never done myself!

[jen]

I wouldn't worry too much about it if you followed normal diaper changing procedures no one else will get it. I had two kids w/ MRSA (brothers), the parents both got it too, but no one here did. The Dr thinks they all got it from sharing the bathtub. MRSA in the diaper area is actualy quite common now and usuually responds quickly to antibiotics.
You have every right when you suspect something to insist a child be seen by a Dr and cleared before they come back. What amazes me is that she "lanced" it herself...that is something I have never done myself!

I was thinking that too...but then again, I have seen some crazy things. I had one parent who told me that their child was constipated so her husband and mother held her down while they decompacted her. YIKES!

[lil angels]

what is MSRA?

[DCMomOf3]

what is MSRA?

staff infection.

[SilverSabre25]

what is MSRA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

In layman's terms, a staph infection that is highly resistant to antibiotics. It's getting very widespread and can be picked up LOTS of places.

[momofsix]

what is MSRA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or more commonly, A staph infection on the skin. It looks like a boil and can be very painful.
There has been a lot of misinformation about MRSA...it is NOT the flesh-eating disease, which I have heard said.
The mom I referred to earlier was ostracized at work b/c of her MRSA, people stopped using the copier after her, stopped eating lunch with her...very hurtful things-and she even brought in info from her Dr for them, but they didn't care.
It's very common in people that have been hospitalized, those who participate in contact sports and DAYCARE settings.

sorry-others posted while I was SLOWLY finishing mine!

[Cat Herder]

This is becoming very, very common here.

The public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, gyms, YMCA etc.....are seeing it almost daily, now.

Anywhere with groups of people in close quarters...

[DCMomOf3]

This is becoming very, very common here.

The public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, gyms, YMCA etc.....are seeing it almost daily, now.

Anywhere with groups of people in close quarters...

Which, to me, is a sign that people aren't practicing good hygiene.

[Cat Herder]

To some extent it is hygeine...it is a humidity thing as well.

[broncomom1973]

Here is a good explanation of what MRSA is:

"Garden-variety staph are common bacteria that can live on our bodies. Plenty of healthy people carry staph without being infected by it. In fact, 25%-30% of us have staph bacteria in our noses.

But staph can be a problem if it manages to get into the body, often through a cut. Once there, it can cause an infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections in the U.S. Usually, these are minor and don't need special treatment. Less often, staph can cause serious problems like infected wounds or pneumonia.

Staph can usually be treated with antibiotics. But over the decades, some strains of staph -- like MRSA -- have become resistant to antibiotics that once destroyed it. MRSA was first discovered in 1961. It's now resistant to methicillin, penicillin, oxacillin, and many other antibiotics, thus the name- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus


While some antibiotics still work, MRSA is constantly adapting. Researchers developing new antibiotics are having a tough time keeping up.

Who Gets MRSA?

MRSA is spread by contact. So you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried, or "colonized," by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected."

-It sounds like you have taken every precaution necessary to protect yourself and the children in your care from being "exposed" to this childs MRSA. I also agree that unless you have an open sore that has come into contact with the MRSA, there is little risk with all the handwashing and sanitizing you have done. I would also like to mention that it is possible that this little boy's mother lansing the boil could have introduced the MRSA. Alot of wound cultures come back as staph, but are not MRSA (a drug resistant strain of staph), which means that there is a wider array of antibiotics to treat them. My former job was as a lab nurse at a family practice clinic, I saw multiple wound culture reports daily- some were MRSA, some were staph. That mother should never have lansed that boil- that's a great way to introduce bacteria into the wound. Good luck at your appointment. I am sure you will check out fine.

[TBird]

This is becoming very, very common here.

The public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, gyms, YMCA etc.....are seeing it almost daily, now.

Anywhere with groups of people in close quarters...

Don't forget the nail salon foot tub...saw that one on the news.