Exclusions

[GirlMomma]

Do you exclude for a cough and runny nose? I have a Foster Child in my daycare that’s being passed around from house to house and then coming to mine for daycare... long story.

Anyways, he comes in with a runny nose & a bad cough. A few days later, ALL of my DCK have runny noses.

How would you handle this?

[Cat Herder]

I'd exclude based on my illness policy.

It is allergy season here. If it was a new or wet cough, accompanied by a clear or colored running nose, in a child that does not have a known history of allergies, I'd exclude.

If it was one of the kids with known seasonal allergies, in allergy season, with a clear running nose/itchy eyes, dry upper cough, with no other symptoms, I'd allow attendance.

[Cat Herder]

I do require documentation of allergies from the pediatrician with the first round of it. If it is colored, thick and the cough is wet, I would exclude, for sure. Also, I did not actually edit your original post, I just added a tag to your thread to make search easier for members later. I have not figured out how to add tags without using the edit button.

[Michael]

Editing the original post seems to be the only way to adding tags. Bummer

[Cat Herder]

Ok. Thank you for the update. At least it can still be done.

[Valerie928]

From my personal experience, it's almost NEVER allergies or the famous teething. 99% of the time it's a virus. I now exclude for symptoms. If a parent tries to tell me it's allergies, I tell them I need a doctor's note stating so.

[Springvalley]

If child doesn't have a fever or feels otherwise sick, we allow them to come as long as they can participate in the day to day activities. If they start running a fever, then we send them home for 24 hours per our policy.

[Cat Herder]

So many parents use fever reducing medication to dope and drop these days that lack of fever is not even one of considerations for me.

[Jupadia]

We are still under covid lockdowns here.

So yes I still exclude for everything, expessially a cough right now.

Under normal times a slight cough is OK, anything that aound barking or from the lungs or is ongoing then I exclude for.

[Snowmom]

With Covid, any cough stays home. If they have allergies, AND IT'S DOCUMENTED with an allergy plan and/or meds, it still has to be a sporadic cough- we (providers) usually KNOW when it's an allergy cough and when it's not. I make it clear that I always reserve the right to make a judgement call on illnesses. I act in the best interest of the group and sometimes erring on the side of caution is what's best for them.

[Gemma]

Do you exclude for a cough and runny nose? I have a Foster Child in my daycare that’s being passed around from house to house and then coming to mine for daycare... long story.

Anyways, he comes in with a runny nose & a bad cough. A few days later, ALL of my DCK have runny noses.

How would you handle this?

I do exclude for runny nose if the discharge is cloudy, and for cough if it is persistent. I have a child with allergies, but cough has never been one of her symptoms

[GirlMomma]

Thank you everyone! FM did take DCB to the doctor, the pediatrician prescribed allergy medicine and it is helping.

[Jo123abc]

Ugh! I just got into a bit of a power struggle with a parent today because of a runny nose. I typically let a child attend with mild cold symptoms BUT
1. We just FINALLY hopefully had the stomach flu run through 3/4ths of my dck.
2. I had to close for 3 days last week to get my own kids through it.
3. The power struggle parent is the one who brought it in and knowingly brought dck at the very tail end of it but still not well because she didn't want to keep her home after an entire WEEK of vomiting and diarrhea
4. I have 2 families with either a newborn or very near delivery
5. I had to cancel my kids bday once already
6. I don't want to resanitize everything I just sanitized 7. I don't want to chase snot noses after just chasing vomit and poop for 2 weeks

so... She can keep her damn sick kid home. She brought up allergies too. I said if she brings a signed Dr note stating that they are 💯 certain this is NOT a contagious virus she can come. Pft... Allergies... Teething.... Yeah right.

[Jo123abc]

Oh and 8. This child is constantly sticking her hands and toys in her mouth.

[GirlMomma]

Since posting this, ALLLLLLL of my DCKs have runny noses and coughs. I am sending home letters that read:

Dear Parents, my contract states I can exclude children with runny noses and persistent coughs. I try to be very understanding and not exclude for these issues, as it’s completely normal for a child to have these symptoms.

However, every child attending my daycare has a cough or runny nose. As you can imagine, cleaning six different runny noses and sanitizing every time can be very time consuming. If these symptoms aren’t treated and improved by Monday, 5/24 - your child will be sent home until symptoms have cleared up.

Regardless as to whether or not it’s allergies or teething, I exclude for specific symptoms.

Thanks!