Recently Collleen asked the question via email, so I thought I would post it here as well: How sick is too sick to send a child to daycare/school, and when do we call his or her bluff? The first issue seems pretty clear but we all know that when the morning arrives and your little one is complaining "I don't feeeeel goooood", it can become a moment of indecision. Vomitting seems like a no-brainer, as does diarrhea, but what about a runny nose? A slight fever? Understandable tiredness after a late night? A rash? A few months ago, I thought a rash was a reason to keep a child quarantined but now my baby is going on week 4 of a rash. After three visits to the doctor, he still says she's fine and it will go away soon and to go on with our lives.
The second issue is, I believe, harder to deal with as a parents and as Colleen has attested, more guilt-inducing: when you don't believe that your child is really sick, but he or she is complaining of illness and wants to stay home. My first reaction is to say, "I don't want to go either but we have to. Get up, get dressed and let's go!" But what if he really is sick and you've just made him push himself and feel more miserable and get even sicker? Of course if you let him stay home, what kind of message are you sending? Here's where the guilt comes in.
Please comment on one or both topics. We'd love advice from teachers and daycare providers as well as all those mothers who have been there, done that. Thanks ladies!
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I can answer this one with my years of experience, because Drew has been in PT daycare since he was 3 months old. Even when I decided to stay home full time, I had him and Colin going at least 2 half days a week to get "work" done.
The rule I always follow is that if they have anything 101* or higher... they can't go to school/daycare. If they have a runny nose or cough, but are acting just fine, then they go. If they are out of sorts, lathargic, not active, then that is when I get concerned and usually have them stay home. I know that it's a hard thing to do sometimes to send your child into a group setting with a cough and a running nose when you KNOW they are going to need assistance with blowing it or covering their mouths, but unfortunately that is the lesson that they have to learn the hard way.
The thing that I can't stand is when parents send their child in anyway - even if they know they aren't feeling well (not themselves), has a fever or other symptoms. Or even worse, if the care providers sees that the child took a turn for the worse and keeps them there without calling the parent to come and pick up their child, and subjects the healthy children to their sickness.
The cold season and child group settings are hard. It's pretty much inevitable to NOT have your children sick with a cough or runny nose at least once a month this time a year, just because of the nature of the setting. But, knowing that you are doing your best to keep your children healthy (washing their hands as soon as they get back home is KEY!!!) and not spreading it (keeping them home when they are visably sick).
As far as my kids playing sick, so they don't have to go to school/daycare... I, fortunately have never had that happen, yet! I'll be curious to see what you all have to say, so I can be prepared for that one!
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