Would you refuse care

[Tatjana]

for a child that has conjunctivitis?

One of my mindees has some kind of eye infection going on, she has gunk coming out of her eye...am concerned my own children, other mindee (and me) don't get it...is it contagious?

xx

[Tink]

Yes it is. I've had it myself it's horrible and very contagious. Child needs to seek medical advice from a Dr and see how many days it will take to clear up.
It spreads like wild fire, they tell you not to touch your eye with your hand but try telling a child not to do it

[helenlc]

I think its down to your own personal choice.

Apparently a child is ok to come if they have started treatment for it.

I had a LO who had this a few months ago. Mum took her to the Dr that evening and she came back the next day.

But like I say, its up to you.

[Pipsqueak]

officially there is no exclusion for conjunctivitis BUT yes I think I would ask for a 24hr exclusion AFTER treatment has been started.

[solly]

I had a txt from a mum of a mindee on sunday he dd is 10mths old and mum said she has had it since last thursday and has drops but eyes still very gunky she was ok in herself so could i have her........

My answer to her question was NO i cant have her until her eyes were clear, i have taken children in the past and it has gone from one child to another and just been a nightmare to clear as it just goes round in a vicious circle despite all the extra precautions that i took.

As said id up to the individual minder but i wont take children with it

[jelly15]

officially there is no exclusion for conjunctivitis BUT yes I think I would ask for a 24hr exclusion AFTER treatment has been started.

I would do the same.

[margimum]

I think, if there is not official exclusion when treatment has started, parents can insist on you looking after child or having fees refunded, as it is you not making yourself available!
I would only refund if parents insisted though!

[The Juggler]

I didn't exclude once - as schools don't but me, ds and dd all ended up with it on our holiday in menorca and couldn't go in the pool for 2 days cos we didn't want it to spread!

[tashaleee]

I would, and do, refuse care for this.

I have a policy for this and make sure before any child starts the parents are aware of it. I exclude for all pre-school aged children and only accept school aged at my discretion.

It is, unfortunately, highly contagious and passed so easily - I had major problems when I caught it in the past and am allergic to the usual antibiotics (plus wear contact lenses) so my policy is in place to 'risk assess' that I do not catch it again if at all possible.

[TheBTeam]

The health protection agency guidance says not to exclude, but as this is only a guidance and i know how contagious conjunctivitus is then i with mine say they must have had treatment for 24 hours and be showing a visible improvement.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Definately, the parent needs to get cream and antibiotics if required.

[balloon]

I exclude til clear and charge, parents are made aware of this when they sign contracts so can choose to go elsewhere if it bothers them (dont mean that to sound narky). I am also allergic to chloramphenicols.

[francinejayne]

if you look on nhs direct they say that for the majority of cases you don't actually need antibiotics, and most cases will clear within a week just with bathing with cooled boiled water. and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that is the case with my little one (20 months) cos we're snowed in at the moment and have no chance of getting to the drs, and the chemist won't treat him without a prescription cos he is under 2!!!

[Tatjana]

I mentioned it to mum at pick up and she thought it was a cold coming on I said no, it's conjuntivitis. She asked if she could get anything at the chemist, I suggested she speak to the pharmacist....I find them really helpful when I can't get a drs app't.

I will see how her eye is tomorrow I think, as I don't have any policy on this I feel bad to turn her away.

xx

[miffy]

Hope mum got something from the chemist - it may clear quickly if it's not too bad.

I would have excluded though as it's so easily spread

Miffy xx