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bruised Senior Member  Posts: 205 |
posted 02-25-2003 05:42 PM
  
I just wanted to know what some of your opinions were on kids that are sick that go to school.My son is in preschool and 5 yrs old.I cannot believe the amount of parents who bring their kids that have a fever,or vomiting to school,just so the parents can have a couple hrs to themselves.Last week alone there were 3 parents that brought their kids to school sick.One had a fever which he then got chickenpox and the teacher informed us of it 3 days later.Another one vomited on the floor while having a bronchitis attack and vomited again during class,and the other one had a red face,nose running and clearly running a fever.The teacher does tell us parents if your child is sick,leave them at home.But i don't think these parents really care about how others may feel.I think they send their kids to school without thinking personally on all the others it will affect.It just ticks me off! IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran  Posts: 448 |
posted 02-26-2003 04:54 AM
Nothing bugs me more than the parents who expose EVERYONE to their kid's contagious illness. This happens all the time at a drop off daycare that I work at and is the reason why I had a vomit/diarrhea stomach virus, strep throat, pertussis and diarrhea stomach viruses all in one year. Most of the time you can't even tell they had been sick, but people carry it for DAYS after they are better. I've wondered if there is any way to teach preschool age not to put their fingers in their mouths and to wash them? I bet they are catching it mostly by that. I'd never become a preschool teacher, out of choice, because I know I'd be around 1 trillion germs and always be sick. [This message has been edited by LookingForHealth (edited 02-26-2003).] [This message has been edited by LookingForHealth (edited 02-26-2003).] IP: Logged |
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maisy Junior Member Posts: 13 |
posted 02-26-2003 08:18 AM
I agree 100%--this has been a real problem at my daughter's public elementary school. Last week the principal sent home a flyer listing all the symptoms of flu and telling people their child had to be fever-free for 24 hours or they couldn't return to school--and warning them if they brought a child to school with a fever they were just going to get called to come pick them up anyway! You would think this is common sense. I think parents who work don't want to use their sick/vacation days to stay home with a sick little one and so just figure "well, I'll take him to school anyway and see if he makes it." BTW this was not a problem in her kindergarten where we lived last year. Her school then was private, though, and the difference was definitely due to the %age of stay at home moms. IP: Logged |
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mommyof5 Senior Member Posts: 208 |
posted 02-26-2003 01:20 PM
Personally, I send my kids to school/daycare with a cold and a cough if it's mild - I am guilty of that. If they have a fever or somthing super contagious (childhood diseases) then NO I don't send them. There are so many illnesses and contagious stuff running through schools/daycare that i would never be able to send them if I wanted to protect them! I have seen other parents drop off their kids at daycare who really look like they should be home resting, you know like lying on the couch watching comfy couch or sesame street and dozing off. There are some things that you can't control, you are just exposed to it before the child even becomes sick - they are the tough ones to avoid! I've sent my son to daycare with a cold and cough and they call me if it gets worse or to the point where he runs a temperature or vomits because his cough gets that bad. Then off to the clinic we go (at that point he probably needs antibiotics - he tends to get toncilitis-sp?). My older kids get sent to school just the same but they are able to tell me if they feel nauseous - in that case I keep them home for a while to see if it's real or if they're bluffing (you know how kids can be). If I catch them jumping and running around then it's off to school with them! My kids are always aware that I, daddy, Grandma or auntie will come get them if they are sick, really don't feel good, have a headache, vomit,etc. They probably call twice a year each kid (I have 4 in school) I kept my kids home when they had chicken pox (caught at daycare 5 years ago) and when they had lice (again caught at daycare 4-5 years ago). That one really pisses me off - if your child has lice then treat them, do it properly and the house, sheets, mattresses, stuffies,etc. or else it just comes back. Anyway I'm rambling on now IP: Logged |
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mlgable Senior Veteran Posts: 5318 |
posted 02-27-2003 09:36 AM
A fever is not a good reason to keep a child home. If they are genuinely ill yes they should be kept home but many kids have chronic things such as ear infections or sinus problems and can run a fever from these. While the kid may not feel the best during these times there is no reason to keep them home just because their temp is up a bit. Some people nomally run a slight temp at certain times of the day. Kids who are vomiting is another story though. As for a cold that too is not a good reason to keep a kid home unless it is really making him feel rotten. If you give your children a good multivitamin and an antioxidant supplement they won't be catching common things like colds and flu anyway. As for the mother who's kid came down with chicken pox there is no way to know that your child is coming down with those until the spots start appearing and in this day and age there is a vaccine to prevent them. My son obviously started getting them while he was at school and the teachers never even noticed. I saw it immediately when I picked him up after school that day. That was a few years before they came out with the vaccine. IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 02-27-2003 02:45 PM
You'd have a different opinion if you worked in my daycare lol (the moms are not at work, they work out). Hundreds of different kids come in and out each week. If they have green nose discharge OR a horrible cough OR a red flushed fever face OR etc, theyre outta there. We the adults get sick waaaaay too often, even with vitamins and hand washing...also, you never know if a simple fever will turn into a stomach flu with severe vomiting and diarrhea. The fever I mean- the kind where you feel as if you were hit by a truck, not when your body temp goes up 1 degree and you feel perfectly fine. I can tell when I have a fever, its that yuck feeling. We then ask the mom, is it an ear infection, allergies or anythin elseg non-contagious, please be honest. IP: Logged |
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bruised Senior Member Posts: 205 |
posted 02-27-2003 10:48 PM
Just thought I'd mention something about all these sicknesses going around.In our town a 3 yr old boy died of meningitis.His family and friends and anyone he came in contact with are on antibiotics and vaccinations.As of tomorrow all kids must be vaccinated because this is deadly.This isn't the 1st time our community has been in contact,but I have to say it's pretty scary.Thank god my kids aren't near the school,but the contact is always there for anyone.Local parks,schools,businesses have to be weary now of this.So I guess sometimes when parents feel that their child has a fever they still send them to school.Well because of this parents actions,other kids were in contact with him at his preschool and others may get it as well.Somethings wrong! IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 02-28-2003 01:55 AM
I agree bruised. They could not care less who they are spreading something to. Can't miss a day of work, so they send the sick kid to school. Maybe even bribe them to pretend that they are fine to avoid being sent home. Of course that is happening. People absolutely do not let themselves get better from an illness, so they go out and spread it and it spreads like fire. And, the day after you puke and have diarrhea, you are NOT fine, you're still contagious. People don't get it...and they never will! IP: Logged |
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mommyof5 Senior Member Posts: 208 |
posted 03-11-2003 07:08 AM
I agree. Since all 5 of my kids have been going to daycare ( I've been with the same daycare for 8 years) I've seen, over time, a lot of kids who look horrible and should just be at home or at the clinic! If they have a cold and are running around just fine then I don't see a problem. My daycare has strict rules about certain things. If the child vomits, or has diarrhea more than 3 times, or has a fever ( they will give tylonal), or any contagious childhood disease, or headlice they'll call you to come and get them. I follow the rules (but I don't work!). I find it sad walking into daycare and seeing a child lying on a mat because he/she doesn't feel well enough to play - they shouldn't be there. For a regular cold, ear infections, things where the child is still happy to be active then i don't see a problem. When my children have been sick I've always gone to get them. And when I feel they're well enough to go back, I always tell the educator if there is any problem (relapse) call me and I'll come right away. That has happened, you think they're all better now and then "boom" a fever comes back or something! mommyof5 IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 03-11-2003 10:57 PM
It's all about catching it. If a kid throws up and I knew it was from something 100% non-contagious, I wouldn't care...but ever since I caught a stomach virus when I started working at a daycare I HAVE NO TOLERANCE for yucky things to be spread around. There is no need for them to be there, they feel like sh*t, we will catch it and so will some other unfortunate kids. There's no excuse to spread nasty things around to others. IP: Logged |
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Piperdreams Senior Member Posts: 202 |
posted 03-12-2003 10:47 AM
A child with a fever should be resting at home. A child with a cold should stay at home until the symptoms are under control. Sending them to school or daycare is unfair to the sick child, to the daycare providers/teachers, to the other children attending to school/daycare, AND to the parent's of well children. I cannot recall how many times my child caught a cold from a sick kid at daycare and spreaded to us. Piper [This message has been edited by Piperdreams (edited 03-12-2003).] IP: Logged |
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seasant Junior Member Posts: 19 |
posted 03-15-2003 05:08 AM
Piperdreams - no wonder I agree with your sound judgment, you're from the midwest too :-) ------------------ IP: Logged |
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camden Veteran Posts: 305 |
posted 03-21-2003 03:08 PM
This is something that drives me absolutely crazy! I babysit for one woman in my home and she never tells me when her kids are sick until after the fact! When she gets there after work she says "she wasn't sick was she? Her two sisters were throwing up all weekend". Or,"Their dad was home sick and I didn't want to leave them there or they might get sick". Like it's okay to send your exposed kids to my house! She actually asked me one day if her daughter had had any "accidents" because for the past few days she has been pulling her pants down and peeing on the floor! Like she couldn't tell me that at the beginning of the day so I knew what I was in for! IP: Logged |
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wattagirl Senior Veteran Posts: 524 |
posted 03-21-2003 10:32 PM
i taught preschool and i tell you it alwasy hurt my heart when these poor little people would come in not feeling well and just wanted to be held or lay around-of course they want their mommy-i wish parents could stay at home and pet them when they are sick IP: Logged |
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N2golf Senior Veteran Posts: 548 |
posted 03-30-2003 01:27 PM
Mlgable, I totally disagree with you. Fevers are contagious, that means the body is trying to fight an infection somewhere in the body. Why would you want to subject everyone elses kids to that? unless you have a baby who's cutting teeth, there is usually an underlying problem with a fever. IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 03-30-2003 10:54 PM
youre right (post above me), it is so frustrating when a sick child is dropped off at daycare or school. fevers are almost always contagious. i am fed up with wiping green snot noses and calling moms to come get their kids. like the adults want to get sick??? then whos going to watch their kids?? IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 03-30-2003 10:55 PM
youre right (post above me), it is so frustrating when a sick child is dropped off at daycare or school. fevers are almost always contagious. i am fed up with wiping green snot noses and calling moms to come get their kids. like the adults want to get sick??? then whos going to watch their kids?? IP: Logged |
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Irish Cream Senior Member Posts: 228 |
posted 03-30-2003 11:57 PM
I don't agree with parents sending them to school/day care etc if they are sick. But I can understand where they are coming from. I had a boss once that his motto for us managers was we don't get sick,we don't get hurt, we don't feel pain. That pretty much also went for employees kids too. He'd get upset if you called in because your kid was sick and you needed to stay home. Parents I guess need a plan what to do if their child gets sick. Parents need to decide who will stay home. Maybe mom the first time/day, dad the next. Or if that isn't possible have a neighbor who will. Trade babysitting with them if they have kids. Discuss it with your boss before it happens. When I worked at a day care we had one little boy who's fever shot up in the afternoon. Dad picked him up and would show up the next day and the boy would feel great(temp down & acting like normal 2 year old) Same thing happened again. 3 days this happened and on the fourth day he came in without his son. The military DRs finally decided the boy had pneumonia(sp). IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 03-31-2003 01:43 AM
in this world, these common illnesses are here to stay. why? because of the work pressure. the parents get into these controlling jobs where they cant even take a sick day off...guess what? the kid is sent to school sick, or just as bad, stays home ONE day and returns the next day, equally contagious. it takes several days to no longer be contagious. IP: Logged |
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Kimianne Senior Member Posts: 220 |
posted 03-31-2003 10:18 AM
I agree in theory to all that is being said here. And I think that most parents WANT to stay home and take care of their sick babies. I am a single parent and am EXTREMELY LUCKY with my present working situation. My boss insists that I be able to stay home when my son needs me and has made, on my recommendations, several considsiderations for my assistant and myself to be able to be there for our children. However, this is usually the exception and not the rule in a professional setting. Realistically, although everyone wants and needs to take care of their children when sick I can see where some jobs are put in jeopardy. Jobs are hard to come by and I can see people being afraid to risk what they have. I think the solution has more to do with our society and employers then the actual parents. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Piperdreams Senior Member Posts: 202 |
posted 03-31-2003 01:34 PM
I agree Kimi. That's why I like my current job. I work for the federal government now (used to work for a big family owned company) and when I take my sick leave here I donot get interrogated like the way my previous employer did to me. Piper IP: Logged |
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wattagirl Senior Veteran Posts: 524 |
posted 03-31-2003 10:07 PM
i think too that most companies or bosses wouldn't say too much if the parent hasn't already missed a lot of days for other reasons-i know mothers that would never call in so they could save their miss days for reasons such as their child being sick IP: Logged |
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Kimianne Senior Member Posts: 220 |
posted 04-02-2003 09:44 AM
Wattagirl: I somewhat disagree with your statement. Companies do not like unscheduled time off- period. In today's economy it costs them too much to miss deadlines. Although my boss has no problem with time I need for my son, in fairness to him and the company I apply my personal or sick time earned to the time misssed. He is still one of the exceptions to this problem and not the rule. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Kimianne Senior Member Posts: 220 |
posted 04-02-2003 09:44 AM
Sorry posted twice! [This message has been edited by Kimianne (edited 04-02-2003).] IP: Logged |
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Mo7609 Senior Member Posts: 102 |
posted 04-02-2003 10:06 AM
The problem with the grade schools is that they encourage the children to come to school (even sick!) becasue every time that a child is sick the school looses money! Personaly if my children are isckthey stay home; if they just have a non contageous runny nose or something to that affect then they go to school. but at least in or school district they engourage them to come even if they have to leave after an hour; this way they can say that they were there and get their money. Pretty messed up.... and then we wonder why our kids come home sick! IP: Logged |
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LookingForHealth Veteran Posts: 448 |
posted 04-03-2003 12:31 AM
since this is a never ending nightmare with schools...kids should try to be taught not to put their dirty fingers in their mouths, nose or eyes!! they should keep bath and body works kids antibacterial wipes or foam pump in their backpack (or is that considered a drug at school???) IP: Logged |
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