conjunctivitis - stay or go?

[bec123]

Hi, i've got a little boy in my care today (16 months old) who arrived with a bloodshot eye. He's under the weather - has got nasty cough & cold. He's only had 30 mins sleep and when he woke up, his eye was all gunky and watering. He keeps on rubbing it - I've got a feeling it might be conjunctivitis- he keeps crying and is very miserable. His dad is at home 2day - should i send him home?

[Pipsqueak]

If he is miserable then yes I would give dad a call

if it is conjunctivitus - whilst there is no official exclusion i would think carefully about advising the dad what your official line is

[bec123]

.... isnt' conjuncitivitis contagious? I thought it was - I've got 2 other little ones in my care today - don't particularly want anyone else to catch it

[Pipsqueak]

is it contagious and its up to you whether you exclude.
quiet often people will say that 24hrs from the start of treatment - but many doctors do not prescribe for cream now saying it goes on its own.

[little chickee]

I have a little one this week with the same - i'm happy to have her as she is not particularly unwell. Her doctor would not presribe anything as she is 13 months and he said she was too young for any treatments. Just being careful about hygiene etc.

If your mindee is unwell with it i would possible send home because of that and then say oh btw i think she may have conjunctivitis.

[Mouse]

My 16mth old mindee had conjunctivitis recently. His mum asked if it was OK for him still to come & I said it was, as long as he was happy in himself. He was off his food a bit, but was fine apart from that.

He did come & I just made sure I wiped his eye if it got too yukky and tried to steer him more towards toys that could be easily wiped as we went along (ie no dressing up clothes, soft toys, dolls clothes etc). If he rubbed his eye, I wiped his hands & whatever toy he was playing with. It didn't happen often though.

No one else got it and it cleared up after a week.

[sandy64]

i would ring up as if its conjunctivitus its very infectious and hes at the age where hand eye mouth toys etc so will spread fast id say until drops/cream have started to work better at home plus they need there parents if poorly.

[Bushpig]

With 3/4 under 3s on any given day.. if one of them comes out with suspected conjunctivitus I phone for collection immed. Highly contagious and easily spread btwn them.. and on toys et al.

[mrsbish01]

I had a mindee come with this a few weeks ago, mum 'apparantly' hadn't noticed LOs eye was stuck together
I kept her on with instruction to get eye drops as there was no recommendations to exclude altho highly contagious and it soon spread to the other two children including my own ds. the two mindees had it for a matter of days, my son had it for almost two weeks, i just couldnt clear it
Im glad i didnt exclude tho as it would mean closing whilst my son had it... and i cant afford to loose that money.

[Nicky]

I do exclude, it is highly contagious and looking after all under 5's I do not want it spread through toys etc. I have had 3 children get it over a period of time and all parents have been more than happy to keep them off and fully understood my reasons for excluding.

[miffy]

I exclude for conjunctivitis because it is so easily spread and it can be so painful if you catch it.

Miffy xx