Kids getting sick at daycare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

Runny nose is sometimes a symptom, so people should probably keep their kids home when they have one.

For how long?

Until it's better or you get a negative covid test result back.

Is this really required at your daycare for a runny nose?

No (although it is for a cough, which honestly happens as often as runny noses for my kids)... but even when it's not technically required, it's still important to us to do the right thing, rather than assume "oh it's probably nothing" and run the risk of knowing that we got others sick/hospitalized/killed rather than go through the slight hassle of being tested just to make sure. Covid tests are free and results are coming back in less than 2 days lately... the inconvenience of taking a couple sick days is worth knowing that we're being responsible, cautious citizens trying to keep this pandemic under control as much as possible.

(We actually did this a couple weeks ago, not for runny nose but a similar second-tier symptom where we knew it was almost certainly going to be negative but got the child tested and kept them home until results were back just in case.)

Similar situation here. My kid is missing his first day of preschool tomorrow because he came down with a low grade fever the other day. Technically I could have just waited until 48 hours after the fever was gone (which would be tomorrow), especially because the fever never even went over 99.5 and was gone quickly. But we decided to get the COVID test done to be safe, which means we are now waiting until the result comes back. I will be shocked if the test is positive. But at least this way we know we aren't potentially bringing COVID to a school right at the beginning of the year.

COVID can be so mild in kids that no one can really say that a runny nose, slight fever, belly pain, etc. is not COVID without getting a test. I am not someone who is freaking out about COVID. But when one of my kids shows any signs of illness I am taking it very seriously for the sake of the greater good. This year is going to be terribly inconvenient for working parents. We're going to be paying a lot of money only for our kids to be home on and off while waiting for test results. I am telling myself this is still better than last spring where we were home 100% of the time and paying a ton of money.

This is exactly what we did too. Kid got a runny nose and we got him tested bc it's a common COVID symptom in kids. This was early July and results took almost a week at that time and by then he was better (test was negative), but we didn't want to risk it and infect anyone else. School didn't ask us to leave, but this came about over the weekend so I don't know how they would have reacted. It was a bit of a pain to have the kids out of daycare for a week but we jumped right back into the schedule we had in the Spring; we're lucky we have the flexibility at work to do that. We need to do our best to protect other people as much as we need to protect ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

Runny nose is sometimes a symptom, so people should probably keep their kids home when they have one.

For how long?

Until it's better or you get a negative covid test result back.

Is this really required at your daycare for a runny nose?

No (although it is for a cough, which honestly happens as often as runny noses for my kids)... but even when it's not technically required, it's still important to us to do the right thing, rather than assume "oh it's probably nothing" and run the risk of knowing that we got others sick/hospitalized/killed rather than go through the slight hassle of being tested just to make sure. Covid tests are free and results are coming back in less than 2 days lately... the inconvenience of taking a couple sick days is worth knowing that we're being responsible, cautious citizens trying to keep this pandemic under control as much as possible.

(We actually did this a couple weeks ago, not for runny nose but a similar second-tier symptom where we knew it was almost certainly going to be negative but got the child tested and kept them home until results were back just in case.)

Similar situation here. My kid is missing his first day of preschool tomorrow because he came down with a low grade fever the other day. Technically I could have just waited until 48 hours after the fever was gone (which would be tomorrow), especially because the fever never even went over 99.5 and was gone quickly. But we decided to get the COVID test done to be safe, which means we are now waiting until the result comes back. I will be shocked if the test is positive. But at least this way we know we aren't potentially bringing COVID to a school right at the beginning of the year.

COVID can be so mild in kids that no one can really say that a runny nose, slight fever, belly pain, etc. is not COVID without getting a test. I am not someone who is freaking out about COVID. But when one of my kids shows any signs of illness I am taking it very seriously for the sake of the greater good. This year is going to be terribly inconvenient for working parents. We're going to be paying a lot of money only for our kids to be home on and off while waiting for test results. I am telling myself this is still better than last spring where we were home 100% of the time and paying a ton of money.

This is exactly what we did too. Kid got a runny nose and we got him tested bc it's a common COVID symptom in kids. This was early July and results took almost a week at that time and by then he was better (test was negative), but we didn't want to risk it and infect anyone else. School didn't ask us to leave, but this came about over the weekend so I don't know how they would have reacted. It was a bit of a pain to have the kids out of daycare for a week but we jumped right back into the schedule we had in the Spring; we're lucky we have the flexibility at work to do that. We need to do our best to protect other people as much as we need to protect ourselves.

I'm the PP. My kid's test came back pretty quickly (went out to LabCorp Friday evening, results in my email by 11 am Monday) and it was negative. I'm not surprised as his fever never went over 99.3 and it was gone quickly. We went to PM Pediatrics for the test. They seem more willing to do tests than pediatrician's offices. Our ped wanted to watch and wait... that doesn't really work for working parents if the school/childcare doesn't want kids back until a negative COVID test is presented. We had to pay a $50 copay but it was worth it.

[Anonymous]

Depending on your state but in MD here are the requirements

For the purposes of this guidance, COVID-19-LIKE ILLNESS is defined as: Any one of the
following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell OR At least
2 of the following: fever of 100.4o or higher (measured or subjective), chills or shaking chills,
muscle aches, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and congestion or
runny nose.

Centers are excluding based on this guidance. It is not up to us, but these rules were sent to us by the government. If a child it excluded because they have symptoms, it's not because we don't like the child, want to make your life harder, or because it's easier without your child. It is because we have to follow these rules so that all the other children don't get sick.

If you want to know why (in general) there are so many sick kids in daycare it's because there are many selfish parents who will knowingly drop off a sick child. They always blame allergies or teething. Because there are selfish parents, during COVID we must be very strict with exclusions and when kids can come back. "It's Allergies" can easily be COVID, that is why these rules exist. (I know this does not apply to any parent reading this because none of you would ever drop a sick kid off).

[Anonymous]

Parents who have no other options will drop their sick kids off at daycare and hope for the best, as usual. If your child is in daycare, it's a risk you are taking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depending on your state but in MD here are the requirements

For the purposes of this guidance, COVID-19-LIKE ILLNESS is defined as: Any one of the
following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell OR At least
2 of the following: fever of 100.4o or higher (measured or subjective), chills or shaking chills,
muscle aches, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and congestion or
runny nose.

Centers are excluding based on this guidance. It is not up to us, but these rules were sent to us by the government. If a child it excluded because they have symptoms, it's not because we don't like the child, want to make your life harder, or because it's easier without your child. It is because we have to follow these rules so that all the other children don't get sick.

If you want to know why (in general) there are so many sick kids in daycare it's because there are many selfish parents who will knowingly drop off a sick child. They always blame allergies or teething. Because there are selfish parents, during COVID we must be very strict with exclusions and when kids can come back. "It's Allergies" can easily be COVID, that is why these rules exist. (I know this does not apply to any parent reading this because none of you would ever drop a sick kid off).

So our center only included the bolded in their reopening plan, NOT the second part. This is news to me and it sounds like they should have.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depending on your state but in MD here are the requirements

For the purposes of this guidance, COVID-19-LIKE ILLNESS is defined as: Any one of the
following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell OR At least
2 of the following: fever of 100.4o or higher (measured or subjective), chills or shaking chills,
muscle aches, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and congestion or
runny nose.

Centers are excluding based on this guidance. It is not up to us, but these rules were sent to us by the government. If a child it excluded because they have symptoms, it's not because we don't like the child, want to make your life harder, or because it's easier without your child. It is because we have to follow these rules so that all the other children don't get sick.

If you want to know why (in general) there are so many sick kids in daycare it's because there are many selfish parents who will knowingly drop off a sick child. They always blame allergies or teething. Because there are selfish parents, during COVID we must be very strict with exclusions and when kids can come back. "It's Allergies" can easily be COVID, that is why these rules exist. (I know this does not apply to any parent reading this because none of you would ever drop a sick kid off).

So our center only included the bolded in their reopening plan, NOT the second part. This is news to me and it sounds like they should have.....

To be fair, this information is changing nearly on a weekly or biweekly basis so their guidance may have come out before this guidance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

Runny nose is sometimes a symptom, so people should probably keep their kids home when they have one.

For how long?

Until it's better or you get a negative covid test result back.

Is this really required at your daycare for a runny nose?

No (although it is for a cough, which honestly happens as often as runny noses for my kids)... but even when it's not technically required, it's still important to us to do the right thing, rather than assume "oh it's probably nothing" and run the risk of knowing that we got others sick/hospitalized/killed rather than go through the slight hassle of being tested just to make sure. Covid tests are free and results are coming back in less than 2 days lately... the inconvenience of taking a couple sick days is worth knowing that we're being responsible, cautious citizens trying to keep this pandemic under control as much as possible.

(We actually did this a couple weeks ago, not for runny nose but a similar second-tier symptom where we knew it was almost certainly going to be negative but got the child tested and kept them home until results were back just in case.)

Similar situation here. My kid is missing his first day of preschool tomorrow because he came down with a low grade fever the other day. Technically I could have just waited until 48 hours after the fever was gone (which would be tomorrow), especially because the fever never even went over 99.5 and was gone quickly. But we decided to get the COVID test done to be safe, which means we are now waiting until the result comes back. I will be shocked if the test is positive. But at least this way we know we aren't potentially bringing COVID to a school right at the beginning of the year.

COVID can be so mild in kids that no one can really say that a runny nose, slight fever, belly pain, etc. is not COVID without getting a test. I am not someone who is freaking out about COVID. But when one of my kids shows any signs of illness I am taking it very seriously for the sake of the greater good. This year is going to be terribly inconvenient for working parents. We're going to be paying a lot of money only for our kids to be home on and off while waiting for test results. I am telling myself this is still better than last spring where we were home 100% of the time and paying a ton of money.

I wish every parent was approaching this the way you do.

I worry for parents whose jobs don't allow them to approach it the way you do.

If you're going to keep your child home for every runny nose, why re-enroll in daycare at all? I'm asking seriously, because my child has never had a runny nose that only lasted two days. A cold usually takes at least a week to run its course, and I remember that his first year at daycare he pretty much went from one cold to the next with a short break between.

Not planning on keeping kids home the whole time they have cold symptoms-- planning on getting them a test ASAP as soon as symptoms arise and keeping them home a couple days until the results come back negative. (Also hoping that this winter will be at least a little better than usual when it comes to catching daycare colds and other illnesses, between the masks and other COVID precautions, and hopefully a good share of parents being responsible like me and others on this thread and keeping their kids home the first couple days while waiting for test results, which also tends to be the time colds are most contagious anyway.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

Runny nose is sometimes a symptom, so people should probably keep their kids home when they have one.

For how long?

Until it's better or you get a negative covid test result back.

Is this really required at your daycare for a runny nose?

No (although it is for a cough, which honestly happens as often as runny noses for my kids)... but even when it's not technically required, it's still important to us to do the right thing, rather than assume "oh it's probably nothing" and run the risk of knowing that we got others sick/hospitalized/killed rather than go through the slight hassle of being tested just to make sure. Covid tests are free and results are coming back in less than 2 days lately... the inconvenience of taking a couple sick days is worth knowing that we're being responsible, cautious citizens trying to keep this pandemic under control as much as possible.

(We actually did this a couple weeks ago, not for runny nose but a similar second-tier symptom where we knew it was almost certainly going to be negative but got the child tested and kept them home until results were back just in case.)

Similar situation here. My kid is missing his first day of preschool tomorrow because he came down with a low grade fever the other day. Technically I could have just waited until 48 hours after the fever was gone (which would be tomorrow), especially because the fever never even went over 99.5 and was gone quickly. But we decided to get the COVID test done to be safe, which means we are now waiting until the result comes back. I will be shocked if the test is positive. But at least this way we know we aren't potentially bringing COVID to a school right at the beginning of the year.

COVID can be so mild in kids that no one can really say that a runny nose, slight fever, belly pain, etc. is not COVID without getting a test. I am not someone who is freaking out about COVID. But when one of my kids shows any signs of illness I am taking it very seriously for the sake of the greater good. This year is going to be terribly inconvenient for working parents. We're going to be paying a lot of money only for our kids to be home on and off while waiting for test results. I am telling myself this is still better than last spring where we were home 100% of the time and paying a ton of money.

I wish every parent was approaching this the way you do.

I worry for parents whose jobs don't allow them to approach it the way you do.

If you're going to keep your child home for every runny nose, why re-enroll in daycare at all? I'm asking seriously, because my child has never had a runny nose that only lasted two days. A cold usually takes at least a week to run its course, and I remember that his first year at daycare he pretty much went from one cold to the next with a short break between.

Not planning on keeping kids home the whole time they have cold symptoms-- planning on getting them a test ASAP as soon as symptoms arise and keeping them home a couple days until the results come back negative. (Also hoping that this winter will be at least a little better than usual when it comes to catching daycare colds and other illnesses, between the masks and other COVID precautions, and hopefully a good share of parents being responsible like me and others on this thread and keeping their kids home the first couple days while waiting for test results, which also tends to be the time colds are most contagious anyway.)

DP- lets hope the rapid tests become more accurate and widely available. Would make dealing with colds a lot easier, that’s for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are a former daycare family and would love to go back, but have been hesitant due to COVID risk. Most of our friends' kids are back in daycare and they are all coming home sick now, with stomach bugs, colds, the typical daycare viruses that we were used to getting when DC was enrolled. If these viruses are being spread, despite all the "precautions" -- what makes people think that the risk of COVID is reduced? It seems inevitable that if a family gets COVID, the kids in that room will also be exposed.

It also seems like the classes/schools are NOT shutting down when a child gets sick with congestion/fever/gastro issues, unless there is a positive test. But since testing is so poor, and not really enforced, how is this supposed to help?

I think if rates of infection in the DC area stay low, this is less of an issue, but is anyone else concerned about this? Or am I being crazy?

My 4 year old is showing signs of a cold (runny nose, no fever). I was wondering how he has these symptoms after 4 days back in daycare and the kids are supposed to be wearing masks all day. I suspect that the 4 year olds are not keeping the masks on properly for the 7-10 hours they are there. The center is open 11 hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that if your kid is still catching other bugs while at daycare them yes that probably means that the precautions are not all that strong in that particular daycare. Other places seem to be handling things well but not all programs are equal.

Or that cloth masks don’t offer a such protection as we’ve been sold. It doesn’t surprise me, only does so much when they’re all together 8+ hours.

Plus the kids take off their masks for morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. A parent sent in cupcakes for his kid. I wish they HAD NOT. It just increases risk with another snack time when kids don't have their masks on. It's hard enough to properly enforce little kids at daycare to keep on their masks properly all day long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a former daycare family and would love to go back, but have been hesitant due to COVID risk. Most of our friends' kids are back in daycare and they are all coming home sick now, with stomach bugs, colds, the typical daycare viruses that we were used to getting when DC was enrolled. If these viruses are being spread, despite all the "precautions" -- what makes people think that the risk of COVID is reduced? It seems inevitable that if a family gets COVID, the kids in that room will also be exposed.

It also seems like the classes/schools are NOT shutting down when a child gets sick with congestion/fever/gastro issues, unless there is a positive test. But since testing is so poor, and not really enforced, how is this supposed to help?

I think if rates of infection in the DC area stay low, this is less of an issue, but is anyone else concerned about this? Or am I being crazy?

My 4 year old is showing signs of a cold (runny nose, no fever). I was wondering how he has these symptoms after 4 days back in daycare and the kids are supposed to be wearing masks all day. I suspect that the 4 year olds are not keeping the masks on properly for the 7-10 hours they are there. The center is open 11 hours a day.

Ours came home with the same thing in early August after 3 days back. We got tested and all were negative. It lasted maybe 3-4 days. He hasn’t been sick since. Of course little kids aren’t keeping the masks on all day. It’s a lot to ask of a preschool age kid.

[Anonymous]

People who are desperate enough to send their kids to daycare right now are not going to keep them at home if they know they are asymptomatic carriers. C'mon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a former daycare family and would love to go back, but have been hesitant due to COVID risk. Most of our friends' kids are back in daycare and they are all coming home sick now, with stomach bugs, colds, the typical daycare viruses that we were used to getting when DC was enrolled. If these viruses are being spread, despite all the "precautions" -- what makes people think that the risk of COVID is reduced? It seems inevitable that if a family gets COVID, the kids in that room will also be exposed.

It also seems like the classes/schools are NOT shutting down when a child gets sick with congestion/fever/gastro issues, unless there is a positive test. But since testing is so poor, and not really enforced, how is this supposed to help?

I think if rates of infection in the DC area stay low, this is less of an issue, but is anyone else concerned about this? Or am I being crazy?

My 4 year old is showing signs of a cold (runny nose, no fever). I was wondering how he has these symptoms after 4 days back in daycare and the kids are supposed to be wearing masks all day. I suspect that the 4 year olds are not keeping the masks on properly for the 7-10 hours they are there. The center is open 11 hours a day.

Masks are not 100% and depending on the mask they offer little protection. 4 year olds touch everything and share.

[Anonymous]

We have never stopped going and my kids have not brought any illnesses since March. Maybe OP’s friends ‘ kids are going to places that are not following protocols as they should?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that if your kid is still catching other bugs while at daycare them yes that probably means that the precautions are not all that strong in that particular daycare. Other places seem to be handling things well but not all programs are equal.

Or that cloth masks don’t offer a such protection as we’ve been sold. It doesn’t surprise me, only does so much when they’re all together 8+ hours.

Plus the kids take off their masks for morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. A parent sent in cupcakes for his kid. I wish they HAD NOT. It just increases risk with another snack time when kids don't have their masks on. It's hard enough to properly enforce little kids at daycare to keep on their masks properly all day long.

It was pretty shitty of the center to accept the cupcakes. Ours would have sent them home (for one thing, we're a nut free facility and no one is allowed to share food).