I've gotten lice from the kids (twice), the flu (many times) and strep. Being around and caring for sick kids is part of the job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adults do not usually contract HFM, and those who have had chicken pox are even less likely.

If you have a healthy immune system and good hygiene habits, you have every reason to suspect that you will weather this just fine. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be a nanny anyway. This is not the field for anyone with immune deficiency or hygiene issues.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease IS a big deal and I disagree that just because someone does not want to be exposed to it, then they should not work in the Nanny profession.
Flawed logic here.

If HFM is seriously no big deal -
Then tell me why Carey Hart (P!nk’s husband) is being heavily criticized for exposing his sick child to other people.

No one should be around a sick + contagious disease.
Period.
And to expect someone to be exposed to ANY disease as part of the job is absolutely outrageous thinking.

Nannies deserve better.

Because no responsible adult knowingly takes a sick child out in public without warning my other parents/caregivers!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adults do not usually contract HFM, and those who have had chicken pox are even less likely.

If you have a healthy immune system and good hygiene habits, you have every reason to suspect that you will weather this just fine. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be a nanny anyway. This is not the field for anyone with immune deficiency or hygiene issues.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease IS a big deal and I disagree that just because someone does not want to be exposed to it, then they should not work in the Nanny profession.
Flawed logic here.

If HFM is seriously no big deal -
Then tell me why Carey Hart (P!nk’s husband) is being heavily criticized for exposing his sick child to other people.

No one should be around a sick + contagious disease.


Period.
And to expect someone to be exposed to ANY disease as part of the job is absolutely outrageous thinking.

Nannies deserve better.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Adults do not usually contract HFM, and those who have had chicken pox are even less likely.

If you have a healthy immune system and good hygiene habits, you have every reason to suspect that you will weather this just fine. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be a nanny anyway. This is not the field for anyone with immune deficiency or hygiene issues.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease IS a big deal and I disagree that just because someone does not want to be exposed to it, then they should not work in the Nanny profession.
Flawed logic here.

If HFM is seriously no big deal -
Then tell me why Carey Hart (P!nk’s husband) is being heavily criticized for exposing his sick child to other people.

No one should be around a sick + contagious disease.
Period.
And to expect someone to be exposed to ANY disease as part of the job is absolutely outrageous thinking.

Nannies deserve better.

The issue of whether mom should have come home is more about what your sick child policy is than about HFM specifically--it is true that by the time the rash is there, you've already been exposed, and it lingers in stool for weeks afterwards too. But agreed that parents should care for kids when they are sick, whatever the illness--just depends on what your arrangement is about this.

FWIW, HFM is caused by the Coxsackie virus, not by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Past exposure to different strains of Coxsackie helps with immunity/resistance to new strains, but whether or not you had chickenpox has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Anonymous wrote:Many personal experiences of adults who have suffered from a bout of Hand/Foot/Mouth disease have claimed it is absolutely miserable to endure.

High fever, body sores, finger + toenails coming off, etc.
It can last a week which if you are a Nanny - would not bode well for you since many Nannies would not be able to take off an entire workweek off since they likely do not earn very much in the first place plus not all Nanny jobs offer PTO or paid sick days either.

Nannies should not be expected to work around young children who have any illness since no one knows exactly how she will react to the illness.

Plus, when a child has a high fever + a painful, itchy rash (including mouth sores), etc. then they really should be cared for by their own parent vs. their caregiver.

I watched a young child who may have been exposed to Hepatitis a few years back.
Thankfully he (nor I) ever contracted it, but the Mother told me I was likely exposed already and that if I did contract it-
Not to worry because the majority of cases are easily treated by antibiotics so it was not a big deal.
Plus she hired a nannie so she didn’t have to worry about losing work days when her son was contagious or ill.

Nannies-
There is no mandate that you are to care for a sick child.
None exists because it is up to each and every Nannie to decide what she is comfortable with.

Everyone reacts to illness in a unique manner.
To err on the side of caution dictates that no one should be exposed to any disease or illness.
Ever.
What may be nothing to one individual can be mortal to another.

Many personal experiences of adults who have suffered from a bout of Hand/Foot/Mouth disease have claimed it is absolutely miserable to endure.

High fever, body sores, finger + toenails coming off, etc.
It can last a week which if you are a Nanny - would not bode well for you since many Nannies would not be able to take off an entire workweek off since they likely do not earn very much in the first place plus not all Nanny jobs offer PTO or paid sick days either.

Nannies should not be expected to work around young children who have any illness since no one knows exactly how she will react to the illness.

Plus, when a child has a high fever + a painful, itchy rash (including mouth sores), etc. then they really should be cared for by their own parent vs. their caregiver.

I was a summer nanny several years ago, and the 2 year old got HFM. Interestingly, the 4 year old did not get it, nor did the parents. I got it, however, despite thinking I couldnt get it. I had chicken pox as a kid. I think I got it because I already had a cold at the time. I did not have an otherwise compromised immune system. I had a high fever the first day, followed by some sores all over my body and some especially painful sores in my mouth. That being said, you've already been exposed to it once you realize it, so I wouldn't have told the parents to come home for it. I agree sickness is something you have to deal with if you are a nanny.

Anonymous wrote:I am a career nanny and therefore have been around various illnesses and other gross and contagious things. That’s part of the job and would never react the way you did. We recently had an outbreak in the town I’m in and my two got it as well. I worked as usual.

+1. Nanny here and I feel the same. This is part of my job. Thrice my charges have had HFM and I never got it. But I have gotten colds and stomach viruses from my charges - it happens.