AIBU to send my child to childminder with hand, foot and mouth?

[caroloro]

So, the childminder and I both read the NHS advice here www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hand-foot-and-mouth-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Which says highly contagious for about first week after symptoms (we are more than a week in...thought it was teething/dribble rash last week, until the spots on her hands and feet) and no need to keep a child off school or nursery unless poorly with it (she's not, she's raring to go - other than the hideous blisters round her mouth, you wouldn't know she was poorly).

On balance, both she and I agreed it was no biggie for DD to attend as usual. However, one of the other Mums was aghast, refused to leave her child with childminder, threatened to sue childminder if her child got HFM, said child wouldn't be back this week, and that she wouldn't pay either.

AIBU?

If the child has had it for over a week then they are past the contagious stage of one week, as given by the NHS guidance, so there'd be no need to.exclude so long as the child is well in his or her self.

All CMs have an illness policy, I follow HPA (Health Protection Agency) and NHS guidance on what to exclude for and for how long.

Are you sure he had it twice carrot? I thought it was a one time only then immune?

I agree with the other mother. If I was paying good money to send my child in for quality care, I'd be pissed off if she was deliberately allowing children in that could get mine sick. I wouldn't send my child in if another had chicken pox either.

FYI HPA no longer exists it's Public Heath England (PHE) now

my CM accepted my son when he had HFM - however he had contracted it at a group he was taken to by them. Wasn't really unwell - few blisters on his knuckles
I got it from him and was really ill for a couple of weeks

That's fine Senpai. But if you want a childcare provider that excludes for non-excludable illnesses then the responsibility for doing the legwork to find one falls on the parents. If it's important to you, but you didn't think to check then you can't really dictate the cm's terms and conditions.

I think this is entirely between you and the childminder, and nobody else's business.

Our nursery is find with it after first week.

Fine with it even

The childminder will have an illness policy stating when children can and can't attend. Many will use the health protection agency guidelines which, as the OP described, recommend no exclusion for HF&M. If this is the childminder's policy, then she should accept your child. The other family can choose to not send their child, but as it is their choice they will still need to pay her. The childminder runs a business and is self employed, she makes her terms and the families decide whether to send their children on those terms. She is not a Nanny for the other family, they can't tell her how to run her business.

The other mum wants a Nanny who will do everything on her terms. Or a childminder/ nursery with a very conservative illness policy. She can't sign up to a childminder and then tell her what to do!

Yougottakeep you think parents of children with the extremely common HFM virus should keep their children out of childcare for FOUR WEEKS?! Nuts.