When to Keep Your Child Home from Daycare

When children are in a daycare environment, viruses and other illnesses spread pretty quickly. It can be hard for parents to take time off from work when they have a sick child, but bringing them in contact with other kids will certainly infect the group.

At my home daycare, my sick policy is as follows:

A child must be kept home from daycare when exhibiting any of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal pain
• Blood in stools
• Diarrhea
• Excessive runny nose, coughing or other respiratory symptoms
• Eye Drainage
• Fever of 100 or greater
• Infestation
• Mouth Sores
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Unexplained irritability, lethargy or crying
• Unusual color of skin, eyes, stool or urine

Child must be completely symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours before returning. (for example, if a child exhibits symptoms on a Monday, they may return no earlier than Wednesday). Additionally, if a child has been prescribed antibiotics for ANY reason, they must remain home for one complete day after the first day of medication (i.e., medication begins on a Monday, child may return on Wednesday if well).

Also, no cold medication or fever-reducing medication of any type may be in the child's system upon arrival. If a child needs Tylenol or Motrin for teething or other discomfort, it may be administered onsite after determining that no fever is present.