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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain to nursery about the parent who sent their child in, knowing she had conjunctivitis?

85 replies

westcoastmummy · 15/01/2011 12:07

I am currenly seething as 14 month DS has horrible bacterial conjunctivitis in both eyes. When I was collecting DS from nursery last week I over heard a conversation between staff and a mother advising her not to bring her daughter in the following day. It turned out the daughter had conjunctivitis and was on antibiotic eyedrops. The mother was extremely annoyed that the nursery wouldn't take her daughter when she had the infection. I know it's a nightmare sorting alternative care when you're working but I think she's totally selfish. Am I being unreasonable to make a complaint?

OP posts:
altinkum · 15/01/2011 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Popbiscuit · 15/01/2011 12:58

This is so not a black and white issue. If you are taking your child to nursery you can expect that they will pick up little things like this; it's a nuisance but it's part of the experience. Pink eye comes on really quickly and it's quite possible that this mother dropped off her child unaware or not completely sure that there was something wrong. For most of the general population a bout of pinkeye is not dangerous. Mothers do their best, the nursery workers do their best and pink eye is completely (and quickly) treatable. Let it go.

southmum · 15/01/2011 12:59

Infact - ignore my last post.

What I meant to say is I am that mithered and stressed in the mornings I probably wouldnt notice if he had head lice straightaway. Also I use a brush, not comb on his hair so again, prob wouldnt notice.

southmum · 15/01/2011 13:00

as I said Mutz, I would treat him as soon as I could

Original poster
westcoastmummy · 15/01/2011 13:02

I work full time and I don't have a flexible employer. In fact we were told just before Xmas our jobs might be at risk from a proposed merger but I won't be sending DS to nursery on Monday cos I'd feel dreadful if one of the other kids caught it. Hopefully the antibiotics will clear it up quickly. Maybe there's no point in complaining but I think I'll still let the nursery know he caught it just in case there's been others effected too.

Thanks for the comments :) I didn't intend to start a sniping session, tho! Blush

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 15/01/2011 13:04

you dont need time off work for conjunctivitis wholly unnecessary,and wont necessarily prevent anyone else getting it either

purepurple · 15/01/2011 13:06

why don't you ring the nursery first thing on monday morning and ask them what their policy is? It's better to be a bit late than not go in to work at all.
There is no point taking time off work when you don't need to, for such a minor reason.

BlackSwan · 15/01/2011 13:07

Darned right you should complain! It's very contagious - how selfish to send her kid in.

scottishmummy · 15/01/2011 13:08

yes only take time off when you really need eg chickenpox. silly take time off for conjuctivitus

FluteyBoots · 15/01/2011 13:10

YABU. If HPA says there is no need to exclude them, there is no need to exclude them. Conjunctivitis is annoying and sore, but no worse than a cold. They all share everything, usually before you realize they have got it. DS has had it twice, it's just another one of those things.

poshme · 15/01/2011 13:11

OUr doctor wan't give drops for conjunctivitis - they cite some study that says it can be viral and is just as likely to go away on its own as with drops.
Nursery won't take them unless they have drops....
fortunately, I have checked the drops bottles that I had before doctor changed policy, and the OTC drops for older children are the same - so I lie, tell the pharmacy that its for older child, and give nursery those drops for DD. It seems very silly to me - the doctor says that nursery are wrong, nursery says doctor is!

southmum · 15/01/2011 13:11

unneccesary and a bit silly if you are at risk Westcoast - the other kid will have taken care of passing it around.

When it comes to redudancy scoring they factor in sickness / unauthorised absences usually and some use a method that goes off numbers of sickness v number of occasions (should know the name of this method but I cant remember). Basically someone who has had 1 or 2 days here and there gets a higher score than someone who has had 1 or 2 occasions lasting weeks (sorry for going off subject slightly)

poshme · 15/01/2011 13:12

Oh and I'm a teacher - when I had conjunctivitis I had to go to work - our LEA policy has recently changed saying that I shouldn't get time off sick it. Now that was crazy - really uncomfortable/ itchy/ painful eye and trying to teach!

SecretSlattern · 15/01/2011 13:14

Our policy states that children can return to nursery once the conjunctivitis is being treated with drops.

scottishmummy · 15/01/2011 13:14

westcoast,if your employer googles conjunctivitis they will see it has no need for exclusion and time off work.makes you taking time seem v unnecessary. certainly if i were in precarious position i wouldnt do it

mutznutz · 15/01/2011 13:15

Yeah but posh as an adult you'll be aware of not touching it and to keep washing your hands...little ones wont necessarily.

littleducks · 15/01/2011 13:24

Once one kid has them they will all get it (if not already). Tis one of those things.

It is definately not 'one of those things' unless the class/nursery is full of crap mothers who send their kids in with parasites on

littleducks · 15/01/2011 13:25

Sorry,

'Once one kid has them they will all get it (if not already). Tis one of those things.'

should have been in quote marks

southmum · 15/01/2011 13:26

Crap mother?

Wind your neck in Ducks. And yes lice is 'one if those things'

littleducks · 15/01/2011 13:30

I dont think lice is 'one of those things', luckily neither does ds' nursery or dd's school.

I do think if there is a class of kids who all end up with headlice because their mothers couldnt be bothered/didnt have time/just chose not to treat it at the early stage of infestation then those mothers are pretty crap.

SoupDragon · 15/01/2011 13:33

The nursery I used took children with conjunctivitis provided they'd been on the eyedrops for 24 hours.

YABU to make a complaint as the nursery have dealt with it.

monkeyfacegrace · 15/01/2011 13:33

My nursery hasnt got conjunctivitis on the exclusion list. My kids get it prob twice a year, and just bathe eyes in saline solution and send them in. No-one minds, nursery carers bathe eyes, and we all get on with it, because we are adults and realise its no worse than a cold. The kids dont really care as long as their eyes get bathed when they itch.

SoupDragon · 15/01/2011 13:33

little ducks, do you check your children for lice every day?

altinkum · 15/01/2011 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

southmum · 15/01/2011 13:37

Ducks - I agree if people cant be arsed treating headlice they are pretty crap.

Come back once your kids have had lice 3 4 5 times and then see if you still have the same outrage or disgust at what is one of those minor things that all kids get.

God help you if your kid ever gets worms Shock

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