WWYD - Playdate Shows up With Pinkeye

[Anonymous]

My son frequently gets what most people think is pink eye, but it's really a result of allergies.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure it was pinkeye? My dd gets eye sty's if her bangs get too long and poke her bottom lid. It looks kind of like pink eye but it's not. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son frequently gets what most people think is pink eye, but it's really a result of allergies.

+1

Not every red eye is contagious pink eye. Could be something else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son frequently gets what most people think is pink eye, but it's really a result of allergies.

+1

Not every red eye is contagious pink eye. Could be something else.

OP, Well, it followed a long cold (I know this because we spent many days setting up and cancelling dates due to illness). Both eyes were very red and goopy. And the other mom complained about how hard it was to wake her baby up from the nap b/c her eyes were so crusted over, and she hates washcloths. I always try to give the benefit of the doubt. However, there is really no doubt here!

Thank you for your suggestions. It sounds like about 1/3 of you don't even think pinkeye is a big deal. Interesting as daycare definitely advises kids with pinkeye stay home.

[Anonymous]

Pink eye (the real pink eye, with gloppy green discharge) always visits hand in hand with strep throat in our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son frequently gets what most people think is pink eye, but it's really a result of allergies.

+1

Not every red eye is contagious pink eye. Could be something else.

But in this case, don't you tell the other playdate parent "I know his eyes are pink, but we've been to the dr and it's just allergies" rather than "pinkeye is no big deal."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son frequently gets what most people think is pink eye, but it's really a result of allergies.

+1

Not every red eye is contagious pink eye. Could be something else.

OP, Well, it followed a long cold (I know this because we spent many days setting up and cancelling dates due to illness). Both eyes were very red and goopy. And the other mom complained about how hard it was to wake her baby up from the nap b/c her eyes were so crusted over, and she hates washcloths. I always try to give the benefit of the doubt. However, there is really no doubt here!

Thank you for your suggestions. It sounds like about 1/3 of you don't even think pinkeye is a big deal. Interesting as daycare definitely advises kids with pinkeye stay home.

I think it's a big deal for that very reason. If my child gets pinkeye, I have to keep her home, take her to the doctor's, and miss at least a day's work. Plus, she's uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. For what it is worth, I probably would have done the same thing. Then I would have stressed over the whole blasted situation.

It is really tacky of the other mom to have put you in that situation. Sure, pinkeye isn't a huge deal in the scheme of things, but it is an illness and no one wants to get sick, do they? It is inconvenient: you have to go the doctor, your child has to be quarantined for 24 hours (or at least that's what responsible parents do), you have to wash the sheets, etc., wipe down surfaces in the house. It's a pain in the rear.

I don't have a great suggestion on how to avoid this in the future, but I would be hesitant to do more with this other mom. Here's why: she shows poor judgement and demonstrates she has little respect for others or her own child. Sounds like her child probably feels pretty miserable -- the kids eyes were so crusty she had a hard time getting the kid up? That's horrible!

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP. I would have felt really on the spot and not said anything but probably would have been really peeved. People do have different standards for what counts as "sick" and I think the debates about what's "too sick" for being around other kids usually devolve into one side calling the other paranoid germaphobes and the other side calling those parents inconsiderate. I'm in the germaphobe category myself for all the reasons others have said - illness is disruptive, usually makes the rounds, and makes kids miserable. Of course you can't prevent it always, but I'm all for avoiding it when you do know there's a heightened risk. In this case, I wouldn't make plans with them again or if it does happen again, just say something along the lines of "I'm sorry, most likely you're right that it wouldn't be a problem, but little Jimmy just gets such a bad case of it and we've missed a lot of work this season with everything going around. Can we reschedule for another time? I know the boys love to play with each other."

[Anonymous]

For crying out loud. Why can't parents be responsible and step up and take responsibility? Anything catchy - staph, lice, strep, and yes, pick eye - to name a few; should be given proper attention and parenting. This is including but not limited to staying home from school, birthday parties and playdates. I stay away from parents like that, OP. All I ask is a little consideration and a little less laziness on their part. Call me crazy.

[Anonymous]

This is what happened last time my kid had pinkeye: Kid recovered fine but gave DH pinkeye and the cold that caused pinkeye. Of course, DH's cold was a lot worse. So bad that he coughed so hard he fractured three ribs: Found out he fractured the ribs after 2 CAT scans and 2 x-rays, spending all day in the emergency room, had to go see the opthalmologist and another day, 6 hour at our internist's office - (mainly waiting for the CAT scan and x-ray taken in the emergency room which had to be redone).

The reason we went to the emergency room was b/c DH thought he was having a heart attack. Fractured ribs were over his heart. DH missed nearly a wk of work and is on major pain killers. Had to cancel all of his business trips, etc.

So as crazy as it sounds, pink eye can be a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear you we're put in that situation, OP. I think the other mom was inconsiderate to all involved, even if unintentional.

There are a few parents in my wide circle (family, friends, neighbors, parents of preschool classmates) that I have realized have very different views on playdates and other gatherings when their child is clearly ill. I tend to avoid scheduling things with them as a result because it's just easier. (For whatever reason, there are some other issues with discipline and boundaries with these particular parents so perhaps all of it together was too much for me.)

[Anonymous]

It's pink eye. What is the big deal? It's not the bubonic plague.

If your kids go to school together, then it's probably going around and you're going to catch it anyway.

[Anonymous]

It's pink eye, not the bubonic plaque. Buy some eye drops and get over it.

Do you also not let your children play with other kids with runny noses? Is that too much of a risk? Kids are germy little creatures and oh well.

[Anonymous]

you can get drops called in at the pharmacy by your ped if they are under age 2.

besides, if the mother specifically stated that is was not pink eye, it probably wasn't. pink eye is often misdiagnosed because people freak out about it.

really people, your kid can get pink eye and much worse from the grocery store cart, and no, sanitizing it does not kill most of what you can pick up from most public places - that last Australian intestinal virus to name a nasty one.