What is standard practice for daycares and sick kids?

[Anonymous]

My four month old has been in daycare a few days a week for a month. He's come home with a fever twice. Each time, he isn't going the next day (he goes on Mondays and Thursdays) so I haven't told the daycare about his fevers and by the time he is going back later in the week his fever is long gone, but I'm wondering if a) I should mention this to the director - not in a accusatory way, just in a sharing information way and 2) do daycares generally tell parents if kids have gone home sick so families can monitor their kids? The daycare handbook has no guidance on this, just that children need 24 hours ilness/fever free before returning.

[Anonymous]

Standard viral fever crap, no. Garden variety ear infection, no.

But strep or hand foot and mouth or norovirus, let them know. These are highly contagious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Standard viral fever crap, no. Garden variety ear infection, no.

But strep or hand foot and mouth or norovirus, let them know. These are highly contagious.

This.

Plus, don't bring your child in if he had a fever the day before (so in your case, Sunday or Wednesday).

[Anonymous]

The two daycares and the one preschool that we've used maintain the rule that a child will need to leave for a temperature 100 degrees and over. Children cannot return until the are fever-free for 24 hours without medication. Also, colored discharge from noses is treated the same way. Clear discharge, e.g. standard snotty child, is not a problem.

[Anonymous]

I would mention the fever to the teachers in the room because it's always useful to know if something is going around.

[Anonymous]

does your kid get fevers at home or just after day care? how long does the fever last?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The two daycares and the one preschool that we've used maintain the rule that a child will need to leave for a temperature 100 degrees and over. Children cannot return until the are fever-free for 24 hours without medication. Also, colored discharge from noses is treated the same way. Clear discharge, e.g. standard snotty child, is not a problem.

I want to work at one of these centers. The center I work at has a policy where we can essentially only send kids home with a 101 fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink eye. I am always getting sick from the kids who are in the 100s. We do call their parents and let them know, but at least 75% of them just say to call back when it reaches 101.

[Anonymous]

Best reference ever. Guidelines from AAP.

http://ebooks.aappublications.org/content/managing-infectious-diseases-in-child-care-and-schools-3rd-edition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best reference ever. Guidelines from AAP.

http://ebooks.aappublications.org/content/managing-infectious-diseases-in-child-care-and-schools-3rd-edition

YES! I'm a daycare director and use this all the time. At times, however, DC's regulations overrule the AAP. They do state that a fever is a temperature of 101, but don't dictate exclusion unless the fever is accompanied by other symptoms.