AIBU to ask how your nursery care for your children if they're sick

[cretelover]

Evening all. Due to recent circumstances with our DDs nursery I'd like to ask - how does your nursery deal with sickness in children? I'm not talking about things they should be excluded for eg vomiting, but more things like a temperature which comes down with calpol but they're ok in themselves otherwise, or a chesty cough that needs to be kept an eye on. Are they monitored? Temperatures taken? Parents phoned at what stage? Or are they admitted to nursery at all? I ask because I am not happy with some events that have happened and think I will look elsewhere, but maybe all nurseries are run the same. Many thanks for reading.

Mine know my child and know her normal temperament, so when they noticed she had an elevated temperature but was very much her usual self, they phoned me to ask if they could give calpol and monitor her. I said yes, they gave calpol, her temp went down and she was fine when I collected her later that day, and afterwards. I think that’s the important point, for me; a balanced, pragmatic view in the circumstances.

My crèche will check temp and administer Calpol. I can keep track of this on the app. One day her temperature spiked after a nap out of nowhere so they rang me to tell me not to collect and they gave Calpol cold drinks and took a layer of clothes off and she was fine then.

Mine also know my child well (and did my eldest). When he isn't himself and doesn't have a temp they'll keep an eye and call me if he doesn't settle after cuddles as they know there's something wrong. 9 out of 10 times I'll agree to collect him (they're always right and he's been poorly). If he has a temp and he's not distressed they'll call asking if they can give calpol but say they'll call if he seems unwell/ upset but if he has a temp and is upset they'll give calpol and ask me to collect.

DD’s nursery will ring you for approval to give calpol and then monitor. If temperature doesn’t come down in the next hour or so then you’ll be asked to pick up (as they’re only allowed to give one dose of medicine).

As they allow children to be in with any illnesses, except for chicken pox that hasn’t scabbed, and sickness/diarrhoea it seems to be working pretty well surprisingly - though we have only been in the baby room so far and it might be a different story in the older rooms

They don't! They call if he's got a temperature and expect him to be picked up.

They administer drugs, but only if prescribed. So, anything where they are just under the weather, I dose him up with Calpol and hope for the best.

Ds is nearly 2 and has been in nursery for a year now so they know him well. If hes off colour or has a temp they will phone me or his dad to ask if they can give calpol, and they give the option to go and get him. If they're happy to keep him and monitor him, they say so, but if they really think he needs picking up they will let me know, but this is very rare so far. If it's just a temp and a runny nose they're fine to keep him. Often they will find a quiet spot and one of the staff will sit and have cuddles with him, or let him curl up and have a sleep until hes feeling better or one of us picks him up.

If he’s got a temp, they’ll call me and tell me as a courtesy, give him calpol, and see if the temp comes down. If it’s no better half an hour later then I have to go and get him.

If temperature, then allowed to give calpol but you have to collect within an hour.
They have alot of other children to look after and it is irresponsible to "dose up with calpol, dont tell nursery and send them in"

Of they have been given calpol, we dont accept them in....

Very well established London nursery, with settings across the country

Ours isn't great for young kids. If they are miserable and have a temp over 38 we dont take them in anyway but if they have a slight temp and are still eating we will send them in with calpol and instructions to administer.

They mostly dont administer. Recently my young daughter was bright red when I picked her up and burst into tears when she saw me. I said 'she looks hot' and they just said 'yes she has been miserable all day'. Took her home and she had a high fever. Was really cross when I found out my husband had called them to see how she was and asked them to give her some calpol if she wasnt happy.

When they are a bit older though I am not as bothered as i know they will say if they dont feel well or make it clear through their behaviour (eg they will take themselves off for a sleep).

The plus side is though that with two kids at nursery i have only ever been phoned once to take one of them home (she later was vomiting through the night so was properly ill). Some nurseries seem to call parents at the first sign if distress.

They are fine with prescription things - antibiotics and eye drops they have always administered and stored correctly and written it up

Ours exclude for 48h with a temperature - I really like it tbh as it means less germs get spread around.

I did sign a thing at the beginning to say they could give him calpol or piriton in an emergency.

Ours phone to ask permission to give Calpol for temperatures or teething pain. For a temp, if it hasn't come down in half an hour you have to collect.
They will administer Calpol (only after phone call), teething gel and nappy cream. Anything else has to be gp prescribed or they won't give it.

We sign in advance for calpol so they usually administer and call as a courtesy. They always call for ibuprofen but that’s their policy. If very unwell they call to come collect but in general if it’s a cough or cold they just keep an eye and sometimes adjust nap length or food to suit the mood. They are happy to administer other drugs if required.

Not in the UK, and I don't work so it's not a massive deal if ds is ill, but preschool used to take the child's temperature at the door at the start of the day. If it was high, we got sent home. If ds has a temperature high enough to require calpol, I don't send him in anyway.

We get a text message to ask if they can have calpol then they are watched and either we are asked to collect them, or the child is given extra care and cuddles but can stay or we are told they are fine and feeling better and settled. It’s usually very pragmatic

38 deg and they will administer medication after a call to us. If temp won’t go down within half and hour - we have to take them home.

My son's nursery are lovely they will accommodate a child who is a little under the weather as long as not sick or diarrhoea. They have my generic consent to administer calpol as needed without ringing and will contacr if he is unwell. They cuddle kiss and let them sleep if needed. Very kind and loving.

The rule at our nursery is if the child needs 1:1 care due to the illness/temperature etc they have to go home.
If they're sick and can be managed in usual ratios they will keep them unless they have a temperature that's no it going down with meds, then we have to (rightly I think) pick them up.

How does all this compare with your nursery op?

Stats the nursery we're at sounds most like yours. I think what's getting me is that the monitoring isn't great. They're good with prescription meds too. I feel the baby room was better but now they are older not so good. I'll tell you what happened earlier this week and see if it sounds normal.

1 - 2.5 year old with cough and wheezing, last time wheeze got so bad ended up in a and e. Told to keep an eye on what was a mild wheeze in the morning and if it got any worse administer inhaler. Picked up at 5, wheeze much worse but no " She's had a great day, not a bother on her". Worried would end up back in a and e but thankfully ok.

2 - Temperature in night, ok by drop off time. Child doesn't nap any more, took herself off to nap at 4 and was practically comatose in corner of room on sleeping mat. Parents arrived at 5 (usual time, no contact from nursery) and woke child with some difficulty, temperature on arriving home was pushing 40c. Thankfully came down with treatment.

I just worry so much that one day a child will have a serious illness which comes on quickly and they will be seriously harmed or worse.

Ours are good - give Calpol and will only call if they can’t get temperature down (or if the child is really unwell, obviously). Restrictions for anything obviously contagious like CP or D&V. Don’t know if it makes a difference, but it’s a fairly pricey private nursery in London commuter belt and I think they’re very much aware that almost all the parents are working - many an hour or so commute away.

You should have kept them off if that ill

I work in a pre school. We can only give medicines that have been prescribed. We don’t take temperatures. If a child seems unwell we ring their parents to pick them up. We know our children fairly well and can tell when they aren’t themselves.

Personally if child was that unwell after day 1 I would have been making the decision to keep them off on the 2nd day, especially with previous a&e admission🤷🏻‍♀️

OP totally unacceptable and I'd be raising a concern.

I'd also be asking for a written plan in place for the inhaler and expect them to be following it