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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

96 replies

cretelover · 16/01/2020 20:15

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.

OP posts:
kevintheorangecarrot · 17/01/2020 06:38

The nursery he went to never did. Every little temperature or sniffles he had, they constantly called for me to collect him. I went with a childminder in the end because they kept taking the piss. who is a lot more lenient and understand that having a cold cannot be helped.

I was paying for a service at a nursery and they simply wasn't providing it. I understand if he had a contagious illness then I wouldn't send him but FFS! If he had a temperature, then of course I wouldn't leave him with CM but any other general illnesses he had (he had ballanitis(?), a cold, ear infection that gave him a slight fever) it was merely controlled with calpol and it kept his mind off it anyway as they went on a lot of outings.

Lilyunderwater · 17/01/2020 06:46

I’m shocked someone sent a dc in when they had a fever over night!

I have no idea what our nursery did with regards to medications as mine have never had anything prescribed and I’d keep them home if they needed calpol. I’m so surprised that people expect calpol to be administered. Calpol is required if the child is unwell and if the child is unwell they should be at home, so I’m very surprised.

Nodancingshoes · 17/01/2020 06:58

Calpol masks illness. Our nursery does not administer Calpol for this reason. Of course the nursery should have rung you and got you to collect as clearly your child was unwell but you shouldn't have taken them to nursery in the first place unwell. Blame on both sides I'm afraid

user1493413286 · 17/01/2020 07:04

I’d expect to be called on both those occasions. Recently my DD was hot although no temperature and didn’t want to join in with activities, preferring just to sit and cuddle the worker which is unlike her and they called me just to let me know, weren’t asking me to pick her up but wanted me to know so that I could decide. That’s what I expect really from nursery as it meant I could go and get her early and monitor her myself

Tumbleweed101 · 17/01/2020 07:08

Nursery staff aren’t medical staff, poorly children are better off at home being cared for by parents/family who can monitor them more closely.

We will give calpol and take temperatures and send children home if they are too poorly.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 17/01/2020 07:19

I think you have to take some responsibility here. They are childcarers not medical staff and if you choose to send a child in that you know is unwell then that’s your own risk. If they aren’t well you need to keep them home. I doubt the other parents are very pleased with their child playing alongside your little Jemima and her wheezy cough and high temp Confused

Heckythump1 · 17/01/2020 07:58

If your child is ill enough that they need calpol to get through the day they shouldn't be at nursery!
Little ones can go down hill very quickly and it's not fair on the staff to potentially have to deal with that.
It's also not fair on the other children who could potentially catch whatever it is your child has!

Lauren83 · 17/01/2020 08:02

Both of mine have never been given anything or been taken unwell at nursery, I have had to give them eye drops and antibiotics for them to administer during the day but that's it, I just had to sign at pick up and drop off

MustardScreams · 17/01/2020 08:05

Calpol isn’t recommended for fever (unless very high or child is in pain) because it’s the body’s way of fighting the infection, so you just delay then getting better. So my nursery doesn’t administer it.

I wouldn’t have sent either of those children in to nursery tbh.

MyNameIsMrsGrumpy · 17/01/2020 08:08

The nursery policy was very strict - literally no in between, which is why I ended up using a child minder - a lot more pragmatic...

WeHaveSnowdrops · 17/01/2020 08:12

The child shouldn't have been in nursery if he/she was wheezing. The staff cannot be expected to care for ill children, that's the job of the parent.

If your child needs to be watched for health reasons then you should be the one doing it.

Cyberlibre · 17/01/2020 08:13

I don't think you should send a child in with a fever, a fever is fighting an infection usually. The fever coming down with calpol is not getting rid of the infection, it is masking it.

StylishMummy · 17/01/2020 08:13

Ours won't administer any calpol but will take temp. Over 38.8 and we're called to collect

Clangus00 · 17/01/2020 08:20

Absolutely agree with @WeHaveSnowdrops that child from your description should’ve been at home in bed or tucked up on the couch!

SueEllenMishke · 17/01/2020 08:29

I remember once when DS was poorly. They phoned me to tell me but said not to rush as they would look after him.
I got there two hours later - traffic etc- to find him bring cuddled by a member of staff. They'd been like that for nearly 2 hours. I thought it was lovely.
He was fine btw just a little under the weather xx

insancerre · 17/01/2020 08:33

You shouldn’t have sent them in if they needed monitoring and certainly not with a temperature during the night
They don’t have extra staff to attend to poorly children on a 1-1 basis
The ratio for 2 year olds is 1-4 so if one member of staff is looking after a poorly child then the other member of staff is caring for 7 children. Are you happy for that to happen? What if one of those children is also ill?
Nursery is not the place for poorly children- keep them at home

Damntheman · 17/01/2020 08:34

I'm not in the UK so probably not relevant.. But my daughter's nursery won't administer painkillers like calpol, the only thing they'll do is prescription medication with a doctor note. If she has an elevated temperature they'll call me to bring her home, if she doesn't seem herself they'll give her some quiet space, keep a close eye and call me if she doesn't perk up. I would have expected to be called in your circumstances for sure OP!

Cremebrule · 17/01/2020 08:50

Mine are pretty pragmatic and will do calpol for a low fever if requested. I’m sorry but in both the cases you’ve stated, I don’t think the children should have been in nursery.

  1. coughing and wheezing child with concerns about hospitalisation shouldn’t have been taken in. That’s just not fair on the child or the staff.

2 if the child started sleeping at 4 and the parents normally came at 5 they might have thought someone had already left/be travelling. Having a nap was probably the best thing the child could be doing. I’m sure if the child had been sleeping at 10 they would have called.

Willow2017 · 17/01/2020 08:51

Sorry but after being in a&e with wheezjng the night before no way my kid would have been at nursery next day. They are not nurses and have many kids to deal with not just yours.

Yes they should have noticed she had gone for a nap out of usual routine and checked but the child obviously had not been well night before and breathing when wheezing is exhausting and common sense tells you they will be overly tired the next day. You were told to monitor her next day thats not nursery staffs job.

Also if a child has a temp in the morning they shouldn't go to nursery. Nobody wants your child passing on thier germs to staff and other kids when you knew they weren't well. Calpol isn't magic it just brings the temp down it doesn't cure what's causing it.

Upsiedasie · 17/01/2020 09:09

You shouldn’t have sent the child to nursery in that state. They should have phoned you for both of those things but with how unwell the child sounded, they wouldn’t necessarily have had the numbers to give the attention needed.

I would mention it but next time also think about whether it’s appropriate to send the child in.

Hope they get well soon.

laudete · 17/01/2020 09:10

Mine are both past nursery age but I'd have kept them home if they were sick enough to need constant monitoring. Nurseries and day schools pretty much just do cold compresses and Band-Aids.

Kanga83 · 17/01/2020 10:37

You shouldn't have sent a child in with a chest cough that's previously been in a&e or with a temp. I'd say the responsibility was on you here to be fair.

Amanduh · 17/01/2020 16:06

Any child requiring regular calpol for their temp to stay low such as an ‘ear infection with a fever’ or who has been up in night with a temp shouldnt be at nursery! I can understand if they suddenly get ill at nursery out of nowhere it might be administered, but if they’re going to nursery knowing they will probably need it - just no!

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 17/01/2020 16:27

This didn’t go the way the OP was hoping so I don’t think she’ll be back. 🤷‍♀️

Summer8900 · 17/01/2020 16:36

Ours is strict on this and I think that’s good. If they see a child not being themselves they will monitor for a little bit (wouldn’t administer Calpol etc) and will call you within an hour to collect them.