Child sickness policy

**emile1973** · 27-01-2009, 02:08 PM

Hi there
I have a full timer who is 15mths and for the previous 7 wks I have been sending her home regularly with diarrhea and sickness.

The parents keep her at home and they she's back. My sickness policy says 48hrs if vomiting and diarrhea had occured before bringing a child back but they haven't been to the GP etc and it keeps reoccuring . According to the parents she is ok at home. Does everyone go by the 48 hr rule as schools etc near me do.?

This is what I have done so far...

talked to parents about GP, suggesting food intolerance etc
copy of sickness policy issued to all ....again
send her home if it is extreme (and often is)
record everything for myself and them and what their reaction is
washed everything (all the time)

This is really getting me down now as I have been ill 2 times in two wks and I do not want my family and other mindees to get this if it is a bug/rotavirus

I talked to my childminding support officer and she said carry on what I am doing and continue to send her home

Any tips welcommed please
Emma (upto elbows in nasty nappies)lol

**DudleyChildmind** · 27-01-2009, 02:28 PM

I think the parents are very shelfish and it's not fair on the little ones or you. It's hard to turn them away when they are knocking the door but you need to keep making it clear to them that you cannot look after sick children.

Good luck

**Minstrel** · 27-01-2009, 03:43 PM

If i were you i would strongly urge them to visit the doctor. Babies can easily become dehyrated and this is excessive. Go from the angle that you are concerned for baby and they might see you point.

Tell them to ask about a possible 'Toddler Diarrhoea'. Very possible if it happening so often and baby is still seeming well in herself. Unfortunatly if it is this then she's not ill and will just have to let it pass. Not nice to clear up as it is very smelly but at least you will know it is not catching.

Hope you get it resolved soon x

**kellyg** · 28-01-2009, 02:27 PM

Im in a similar boat so sympathise, I have 2 brothers and had to send the older toddler home on Thus due to the trotts and due to other complications with the family and the notice I have given I allowed him back Fri as they said that he was fine at home. Yesterday I had to send the baby home as he had an explosive nappy and again I allowed him back today only to get the following:

"I cant keep coming home from work because my kids have poo's", to which I replied they were not normal poo's and I am sticking by my polocies that say they will be sent home.

Do most people have a 48 hour period or do some have 24? I dont know what to state in my policy update - in the mean time I am going to keep trying to be patient with the family

**emile1973** · 31-01-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by kellyg

Im in a similar boat so sympathise, I have 2 brothers and had to send the older toddler home on Thus due to the trotts and due to other complications with the family and the notice I have given I allowed him back Fri as they said that he was fine at home. Yesterday I had to send the baby home as he had an explosive nappy and again I allowed him back today only to get the following:

"I cant keep coming home from work because my kids have poo's", to which I replied they were not normal poo's and I am sticking by my polocies that say they will be sent home.

Do most people have a 48 hour period or do some have 24? I dont know what to state in my policy update - in the mean time I am going to keep trying to be patient with the family

Thankyou to everyone for their advice, it has been very helpful and reassuring this week!!!

I know how you feel too Kelly. I am at my wits end with the family that I have this problem with. They still haven't taken the little girl to the GP and said the health visitor said that because she has no temperature that she is not ill

But what if she is and passes this on to my other children and my family!!!
have checked with my childminding support officer and she is adament I should be doing the 48 hr period and sticking to my guns, plus keep detailed diary of everything they say etc etc

So, the parents are meant to be taking 2 seperate samples to their GP and my query now is....do I tell them they cannot come back until they get results or do I say come back. They told me that while she has been off this week the diarrhea has only occured once or twice...mmmm I'm stuck now as to what to do !!
Thanks everyone Emma

**DudleyChildmind** · 31-01-2009, 07:53 PM

My son had this problem when he was a toddler and it turned out to be salmonella which is a notifiable disease. In the end, all 4 of us had got it and the environmental health stopped me from childminding for 3 months until all 4 of us had 3 negative samples each.

Pipsqueak · 31-01-2009, 08:37 PM

The HSE states 48hr exclusion from the last episode - its not from when you send them home.

I would start recording every time this happens, what the parents say, what you have noticed etc. There might be a pattern. Put in your notes that you have suggested to the parents that child needs to see doctor but they appear resistant to the idea.

Let them know you are recording all of this (just to see if there is a pattern

and it covers you) might gee them up a bit to see HV/GP.

I would speak to a health professional and get some general advice observing strict confidentiality of course. You might want to mention to the parents that you are seeking further advice, without naming the child or parents or identifying details.

You cannot have you and yours getting ill all the time - its not fair.

**emile1973** · 31-01-2009, 11:33 PM

My dilema now is do I take the little girl back without the test results. One of my other parents is really worried it is a rotavirus!

I myself think it is toddler diarrhea or a food intolerance but noone can be 100% until results come back and the parrents hadnt even given them in the other day.

Dreading Monday when they are due back but I feel they are breaking their contract by bringing her like this to me all the time

**DudleyChildmind** · 01-02-2009, 05:19 AM

Why don't you give mum a ring today and see how things are and ask her when the last incident happened and take it from there. It's very awkward I know but doing it over the phone might be easier for you than face to face.

Good luck

**singlewiththree** · 01-02-2009, 07:59 AM

Just a thought but could she have "toddler diarrhoea" my niece has everyday 5 sloppy poos sometimes so bad it just dribbles (sorry if your eating).

She is now 2yrs and it was only after the birth of her next child that she thought it was odd that his are "normal" her DD is now going for tests at the hospital but it looks like she has toddler diarrhoea and basically she has to keep off juice, citrus foods and lots more. Here is the link about it.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23069041/

Sorry if I'm completely wrong and it is just the runs. I don't know what my sister would have done if my niece was at childcare, just perhaps it would have been spotted sooner. Apparently they just grow out of it but she is worried what will happen when she starts pre-school in Sept as she is finding it hard to toilet train her due to this problem.

**PixiesDen** · 01-02-2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by emile1973

Thankyou to everyone for their advice, it has been very helpful and reassuring this week!!!

I know how you feel too Kelly. I am at my wits end with the family that I have this problem with. They still haven't taken the little girl to the GP and said the health visitor said that because she has no temperature that she is not ill

But what if she is and passes this on to my other children and my family!!!
have checked with my childminding support officer and she is adament I should be doing the 48 hr period and sticking to my guns, plus keep detailed diary of everything they say etc etc

So, the parents are meant to be taking 2 seperate samples to their GP and my query now is....do I tell them they cannot come back until they get results or do I say come back. They told me that while she has been off this week the diarrhea has only occured once or twice...mmmm I'm stuck now as to what to do !!
Thanks everyone Emma

If your sick child worked in a kitchen preparing food or a bread shop or the like, I think the Law would say that they must remain away from work until they have clear samples confirmedby the G.P.
I know thats slightly different but could give some indication of how serious this is comsidered to be when it can easily be spread to others * like your other minded children.
DO you have a local nursery? what would their policy be in such a case?

**emile1973** · 01-02-2009, 10:19 AM

I really do think this is toddler diarrhea too but until I know for sure when these tests come back I do not know what to do. The Mum and Dad do not answer their phones but they do text so I will do that and ask them when the next episode was and have they got the results back. I think they have in the past just told me it was days ago she last had a very loose nappy just to get her back to me.

I have new littleones starting this week and obviously my 11 yr old is here but they discount him totally!

Have just called a friend whose daughter is in a day nursery, she is digging out her policy. I'm pretty sure a nursery would not take her.

Would you guys take her back before the sample result are back!?

**emile1973** · 02-02-2009, 10:33 PM

Well, after all that worry about how to deal with the sick littleone's parents they didn't come in cos of snow!!!

mmmm...they are apparently runny nappy free! and coming in tomorrow so we will see!

Thankyou for all yr advice and support
Emma x