DC and sending kids home...

Hmm this is bothering me - both my kids quite often had/have temps while teething, which the doc has never been able to explain other than possibly teething.

Well DC rang today (missed the calls and didn't check my phone - funny that I was working!) as Ava had a 38.1-38.4 temp, and anything over 38 they have to be sent home. They have also changed their policy that they can't give pamol for more than 2 days at a time, which means we can't do what the doctor initially said, just keep her drugged up until the next tooth cuts.

i can't miss work - I don't get sick days (relieving) and we aren't even making ends meet until my next pay comes through. What do I do? I can get MIL to cover for one day if need be, but it's not a long term solution. Also, carseats - how exactly could she be picked up unless I gave someone the carseat?

I love their DC and their carers but this sort of bureacracy is pushing me towards in home where they are more leniant.

Ideas from working mums? (Oh and I had her checked at the doc on Tues, all was fine except for teething and reflux, but am taking her back tomorrow arvo just to be sure).

Can you ask the daycare if you get a letter from the doc stating its ok to give your kids pamol would that be sufficient?

Our dc has carseats that they lend to people who come to pick up the kids who are not their "normal" pick up people.

I cant help on the temp thing, ours will only send them home if they have another symptom as well as a temp, if its just a temp they call to let you know so if you want to get them you can, otherwise they ask if you want them to administer pamol and how much you want them to have.

I guess youd just have to bite the bullet and take time off .. if dc wont let them stay, you cant do much else.

Our daycare won't give medication unless it's on a sign in sheet, including pamol. So I can only have it on backup at daycare if I sign it in every single day - I can't leave it in their backpacks. So not worth the effort, lol!

You could try giving ibuprofen in the morning before daycare, and then they can give pamol on top of that. If that doesn't control the fever, then maybe she really should be at home.

i learnt early on to get two bottles of pamol every time I go to doctors....one for home and a special one for daycare....they require a scripted medicine and we sign it in and sign what time it is to be given - they will not give pamol more than once a day!!! they will do it for days in a row but usually ask if it goes on...I leave ours in the fridge at DC as a just in case (and cause i suck at remembering to bring any medicine home - esp on a friday!)

have to say tho - once she hit the middle room at 18 months she didnt get nearly as sick (ignoring the chicken pox outbreak that hit the room and my child got scarlet fever at the same time - instead of the pox!)...truly her immune system seems a LOT better now (*knocks on wood*)

have to add - we dont have extra car seats at our DC either...and none of the ones around us do ( i looked at them all) - maybe that is out of auckland???

maybe talk to the owner / manager and remind them that they need to wait 30 mins before calling you and only after putting child in the bath (ours does this) and retaking it...if still up then call - if not then it is likely to be a random temp thing they all do!

it can be too easy for them to call and if you agree then they go home...I often have said I cant come you will have to keep her til 2pm or so...and when I get there she is fine so i go them on that!!!! they learnt quick not to mess with me...my job is too busy to drop and run for everything...and I will when crucial!

Our daycare has carseats too.

My son got really sick in his first 4 months of daycare (we ended up having to change dc's on advice from the pead) so I personally would say if she has a temp and needs pamol, then she should be at home. It really is in her best interests if she isn't well that she is home. I'm sure they take the temp cos she seems off colour. Would you like it if they let other kids stay with a temp and your daughter ended up getting sick off them and you had to have more time off? They really do have to have one rule and stick to it.

When my son wasn't feeling well I would rather they call so he isn't at daycare upset anyway - but thats just me. I don't think its their job to look after unwell kids (even if they're just miserable and got a temp from teething).

Just to add...policies in DC are there to protect the staff, the center, children & your child.

They factor in their licence, regulations, what their insurance covers. They have to think of other things, like a child gets someone else medicine by accident, it get lost or they get accused of something. Centers are there to look after a group children so their policies can also reflect that.

I have worked in several centers so I know they can have different policies & you have the right to choose your DC on that also.

As for the car seats I guess it depends on whether the DC can afford to have them of if people donate them but they are the parents responsible not the center.


Edited by jazzy

38.1 is not even worth a phone call home esp if she is acting "normal"!

emz wrote: Thanks for that everyone - yep Jazzy I know all of that and I do feel that if she's sick she needs to be home. I have taken the day off and am taking her to the docs just to be sure..

Good on you, hope she is better soon