CHILD WITH POSSIBLE MENINGITUS

[Kel04]

Hi
Was due to have lo at 8.30am this morning but mum phoned to say lo poorly so going to Dr but if everything ok would drop mindee off at 12. By 1.30pm had not heard anything so contact parent who called back to say lo may have possible meningitis :eek: and she was having tests done.

Mum asked about fees and I told her that full fees were still charged for sickness but would look in to it as it is serious condition.

Just after some advice from fellow minders as to what to do re fees (I don't want to appear heartless).

[tigger]

Sorry to hear that you must be feeling really sad. I think it's a personal choice and also can you afford not to charge? If the child was at nursery then the fees would be applicable aswell regardless. I had a lo who was ill for a month and I decided not to charge. In hindsight I'm glad I did. I know others who have charged both a reduced fee and full fee. Go with your gut instinct as it's usually the right one. Also hang back a bit and see what unfolds. I hope the lo gets better soon.

[Kel04]

Thanks Tigger...I will hang back I think and see what the outcome is. LO only been with me a couple of weeks; very worried for her and her parents :(

[haribo]

oh poor thing hope its not that and she gets better soon. id wait a bit too ad find out more before deciding how to charge x

[Pipsqueak]

oh goodness, I hope the LO is ok, how worrying for the family and you

hope they make a speedy and full recovery.

as to the fees, I think you are right in hanging on for a bit. I know it seems harsh under circumstances like this but at the end of the day you have a family to feed as well.

[Tink]

Oh no I hope the Lo doesn't have it, how awful.

Let us know if you hear anymore x

[FizzysFriends]

I would hold out too to see what happens.

As a parent though fees wouldn't be even be entering my head if my child might have meningitis

[Blackhorse]

I would hold out too to see what happens.

As a parent though fees wouldn't be even be entering my head if my child might have meningitis

that is what i would have said!!
if my child is sick the last thing I would care about are my cm's fees to be honest....(I would pay them dont get me wrong...but wouldnt care about it)

I would also not refer to them as wages!! might give the parents wrong ideas!

Hope the lo is ok!!

[Kel04]

Feel really awkward now ... mum just text to ask how much fee is going to be so her partner can work it out....I was going to take advice you all given and wait to see what the outcome of lo is before answering but mum has asked now. Have charged full but feel guilty :( She has asked partner to drop money round but I've told her not to worry about that until lo is better and I am minding her again :(

[Kel04]

that is what i would have said!!
if my child is sick the last thing I would care about are my cm's fees to be honest....(I would pay them dont get me wrong...but wouldnt care about it)

I would also not refer to them as wages!! might give the parents wrong ideas!

Hope the lo is ok!!



Thought that too about parent worrying about charges...I don't think I've referred to them as wages ... parent has just mentioned the word 'fees'. Hopefully hear about lo soon ... bless her :(

[The Juggler]

listen hon, she may just want to pay you what she owes you so as you are not paid late in all the upset. she probaly wants to get it out of the way so she can just concentrate on the lo. reducing the fees may not have even crossed her mind.

i decided not to charge a mum on a snow day for 1/2 day for her school age two boys. she kept asking what she owed but there is one pm I never have the one boy after school (he does a club) and there's been heaps of times she's picked the baby up early so i said don't worry about it. in the end she just worked it out and put the money in my bag!

I wouldn't worry.
x

[Kel04]

Really playing on my mind so have just sent message to mum to say I will only charge half fee on this occasion for this week as it's such a worrying time for them all. She sent message to say she really appreciates that and it's one less thing to worry about. Feel much better now...just want mum to concentrate on lo getting better. :)

[Carpet Monkeys]

Poor wee mite, has it been confirmed?

[Kel04]

No confirmation as yet....mum said she would keep me informed

[Alibali]

Hope all is well. Also agree with previous posters - who would even think about fees if their child was that ill?!

[francinejayne]

Really playing on my mind so have just sent message to mum to say I will only charge half fee on this occasion for this week as it's such a worrying time for them all. She sent message to say she really appreciates that and it's one less thing to worry about. Feel much better now...just want mum to concentrate on lo getting better. :)

Ah bless you, I'm sure you've handled the horrible situation well. Fingers crossed the LO will be better soon.

[Kel04]

Hi
Following up on this thread. Wondered if anyone has had a case of a child with meningitis.
Had a call from HPU on Wednesday to say I had to be treated with antibiotics as I had been in close contact with lo. I had been texting parent of lo to find out how she was but not heard anything until the call from HPU...that's the first time that I knew for sure lo had it (parent had only told me on Monday that it was a possibility; she had been feeling poorly on the Sunday so they took her to Dr's). I then had call from my doctor to say that it would be best if my DD was treated too :( As you can imagine I am so worried now what with worrying about DD being in contact, worrying about lo, not knowing if I will be caring for lo in future (I only have her and one other on my books who I only have a few hours per week so my income is very low); worrying about charging parent while lo is so sick and feeling guilty for thinking about fees!) :panic:
Also I don't know whether I have to report the meningitis to Ofsted (the lo wasn't in my care when she started showing symptoms). I found the following on the internet but am not sure if it also means 'two or more people with meningitis.

• any food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on the premises, meningitis or other notifiable disease

Please please please can anyone help me...I'm so worried and stressed out at the moment :(

[mama2three]

meningitis is on the list of notifiable diseases (http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Notifiable-Diseases.htm ) , so i would give ofsted a ring - the standard says providers should act on any advice given by hpu , and inform ofsted of any action taken.

Hope the little one is ok x

[Trouble]

yes this is reportable

big hugs sweetie xxxxx

[It's a small world]

:group hug:sending hugs what an awful situation to be in. Im sure everyone on here is thinking of you and give waht advice we can..I would call Ofsted and advise. hope you ok? :group hug:

[Kel04]

Thanks everyone...it's nice to know I've got people to talk to...I'm so worried at the moment. I have spoken to Ofsted now and they were so nice; took all the details down, told me not to worry I've done all the right things. Feel a little destressed now. :) Wish I knew how lo was though :(

[mama2three]

e-mail the parents , saying just to let you know im thinking of you. that way youre not intruding but once they are at the stage where they are checking e-mails etc it might just give them a nudge to let you know how she is.
or if you have grandma or someone on your emergency phone numbers you could maybe ring her , explain you didnt want to intrude and contact mum and dad at this time , but you wondered how the little one was and could she pass on your best wishes?
it will put your mind at rest at least. hope you and your family are all ok x x

[haribo]

sending hugs xxx do you know if its viral or bacterial meningitis ? x

[Kel04]

e-mail the parents , saying just to let you know im thinking of you. that way youre not intruding but once they are at the stage where they are checking e-mails etc it might just give them a nudge to let you know how she is.
or if you have grandma or someone on your emergency phone numbers you could maybe ring her , explain you didnt want to intrude and contact mum and dad at this time , but you wondered how the little one was and could she pass on your best wishes?
it will put your mind at rest at least. hope you and your family are all ok x x

Unfortunately I don't have an email address for them and only both parents contact numbers. Don't want to keep texting them at this time...hopefully will hear from them soon. Hoping to bump in to mum's cousin as she picks DD up from same school as my own DD goes to; maybe she can let me know how lo is.

[TheBTeam]

I would send a text to both mum and dad, saying you had heard about the meningitus and wanted to let them know you were thinking of them and if they felt they could would they please let you know how little one is.

If I was the parents i would appreciate this kind of text and be happy to reply, i would be more upset if i did not hear anything from my childminder.

[katickles]

Yeah hun - a quick call to ofsted.

Don't worry about being treated (I know that easier said than done), it will purely be a precausionary (SP!!) measure.

I hope the lo recovers soon x x x x

[LittleAcorns]

Very stressful time for you all I can imagine, I hope the little one is ok and makes a full speedy recovery, have you managed to get any more info? xx

[Kel04]

Just heard from mum to say hopefully lo to be discharged today and all will be back to normal on Monday. Now I'm worried it seems so soon to be coming back and also that lo will be with other mindee and my DD. :panic:

[Kel04]

Waiting to hear from Health Protection Agency with advice on whether it would be safe to have lo around children so soon.

[Mouse]

If you are still worried about you & your family being in contact with the mindee,or want advice, I would recommend you phone the Meningitis Trust.

My husband had viral meningitis a few years ago and, as it's not as serious as bacterial meningitis, the doctors weren't really that concerned about anyone who he'd been in contact with etc. Our daughter was less than a year old at the time & I had a year old mindee whose mum was frantic with worry (no concern for my husband, but that's another story :rolleyes: ).

We phoned the meningitis trust & they were fantastic. They gave us a lot of info & were very reassuring about how minimal the risk was to anyone else. We also phoned them again when DH started to get the headaches back and again, they were very helpful & reassuring.

I'm sure they could give you all the info you need on whether or not you should have mindee back so soon. I think you would need to know what type of meningitis it is though.

[Kel04]

Thanks for your response Mouse...glad you're husband is fit and well. :)

Apparantly it was the worse strain of Meningitis but I've been advised by the Health Protection Agency that as everyone concerned have been treated it is fine to have lo again. To be honest I am a little scared about caring for her so soon; she is such a fragile little thing and I know there can be after effects but I'm sure her mum will advise me as to what I should know.

Thanks again Mouse and to everyone who has given me advice...it has been greatly appreciated :clapping:

[Polly2]

Hi just catching up with this thread.

My son had meningitis at 7mths old so I know how scary it can be. Hope little one recovers well.

My ds has had no effects and is perfectly fine btw

hope you ok

[Kel04]

Just a quick update on lo. She out of hospital and came back to me on Monday, thankfully she didn't have full-blown meningitis but the beginnings of blood poisoning and has pulled through. Unfortunately as her mum had just started her new job and was still training her new employees have told her she has not fulfilled her training and they cannot offer her a job :(

Everything's up in the air at the moment; mum looking for another job but wants to keep place open for lo and I only have one part-timer a few hours a week. I hope and pray mum finds new job; I don't seem to be getting any enquiries at all :eek:

Why is it when there is a sunny outcome it's always followed by a big cloud :(

[The Juggler]

Just a quick update on lo. She out of hospital and came back to me on Monday, thankfully she didn't have full-blown meningitis but the beginnings of blood poisoning and has pulled through. Unfortunately as her mum had just started her new job and was still training her new employees have told her she has not fulfilled her training and they cannot offer her a job :(

Everything's up in the air at the moment; mum looking for another job but wants to keep place open for lo and I only have one part-timer a few hours a week. I hope and pray mum finds new job; I don't seem to be getting any enquiries at all :eek:

Why is it when there is a sunny outcome it's always followed by a big cloud :(


glad little one is better. what sort of employers are they - child in life-threatening illness and no second chance to fulfil the training day:panic: