Nursery outbreaks

[sannax]

Have just gone have to work after 14 months on mat leave with second
He goes to nursery on Monday and Friday
after day 1 of nursery he got really sick and need IV antibiotics and didn’t go back for 2.5 weeks. We then got an email to say there was a hand foot mouth outbreak so I didn’t send him.
he went on Monday for a half day picked up by my parents.
we have since had several emails to say there is a d and v outbreak.

I’m really struggling with work and childcare and just hate the thought of him going there to become unwell again but equally need him in some form of reliable childcare. He also sobs the whole time he is there.

AIBU to ask the nursery to explain their infection control protocols. I feel like multiple outbreaks in 2 weeks in summer is excessive
Has anyone else had this issue and stuck it out.

I don’t know. HFM, and D&V are not unusual for small children. Could just be bad luck that they’ve occurred next to each other. (I’m assuming that the multiple emails about D&V are referring to the same outbreak, as it can take a while to clear, especially as there are plenty of selfish parents who won’t mention vomiting and will send children in regardless).

What did he have that required IV antibiotics?

It is unfortunately quite normal for nurseries to go through a lot of different outbreaks at various times.

You could ask to see their policy but you won't know whether they're sticking to it.

I was exactly where you are just over two years ago OP. Sorry to break it to you but this is very normal for nursery especially in the rooms where the children are younger.

my daughter has been at nursery for two years in September and although it’s a lot better than it was the first year and a half was HELL. Constant illnesses and doctor/hospital trips

This sounds normal for group childcare when they’re small. Nursery is basically viral soup.
my second child had 30% attendance rate there in his first year. Constant back-to-back cough snot wheeze rash diarrhoea vomiting nits.
we used up all our annual leave looking after him when he was unwell and unable to go in, I had to then take unpaid parental leave. It was just grim. by the end I was catching everything too. My work were weary of me always phoning to say I couldn’t come in. Somehow I got pregnant again,
I’ve just had my third baby now and this time I am going to stay off work for 2-3 years so I don’t have to send everyone to group childcare.

OP this is normal. My ds was sick all the time in the 1 at 6m there with chicken pox, d and v, hf and m etc. they just build their immune system and it gets better. Did this not happen with your first ?

Nursery worker here, absolutely normal. Unfortunately some children get ot worse than others especially when they first start. As for the crying all day, he's probably not been there enough to settle and will eventually. I've had a child start in January and only fully settled a month ago.

Totally normal. Although it probably won't give you much comfort now my DS is nearly 6 and since starting school two years ago has been sick once (apart from colds). When he was in nursery he had multiple times off because he was still building his immunity. My point is it will get better.
As PP said most children do cry when they're settling in, as he's been off sick so much he hasn't really had the chance to settle but, much like illness it will get better. It just takes time. If you're really worried about him being unsettled is it worth him doing half days if your parents can pick up? Then gradually increasing hours?
With regards to infection control, you are perfectly entitled to ask but I would think they do have procedures in place but mixing with other children does mean your child is more likely to get sick.

Normal. You could change care provider and try a childminder? Smaller more homely setting might help him settle. Less children for never ending outbreaks of illness - there will still be illness but might be not so bad as a nursery with lots of kids. Something to consider.

Young children are often close beside each other,, drippy noses, hand washing not great, licking same toys etc. So stuff does spread.

However The nursery could have all the infection control protocols they like but some outbreaks of illness spreading are down to parents who send their children in unwell. Totally get parents have to work but so does everyone else including the staff.

48 hours since last vomit or diarrhea is usually the exclusion period. Some ignore it, dont tell nursery staff and the D&V spreads.
Or parents are phoned and staff told that wee Johnny was sick before they came but wanted to come to nursery.
Been this way for years and very frustrating for everyone.

It was like this for me at the start at similar age too the first year is the worst. I regret going back to work before he was two if there is any way not to do this I would avoid it as he didn’t enjoy nursery either at that age

He is doing half days and my parents picking him up, although in over a month he has been twice because of illness and is now teething quite badly.

It wasn’t this bad with my first.

our nursery bill is also over £1000 a week for 2 days, not eligible for any free hours or tax free due to salary.

I assume you mean £1,000 a month?

I found with a childminder mine had less sickness than friends with children in nursery, especially if you can find one who has only a few kids.

My daughter had this issue too and we started older at almost 2! Sadly it happens. It highlighted a under lying health issues she had tho, so log the illness and see if there’s any patterns

Unfortunately totally normal, there’s always something going round. I’m afraid you’ll look a bit funny if you question their infection protocol because of that (but you should have a copy of their sickness policy anyway?). Plan your work on the assumption that he’ll be there 50% of the time during the first year. Also absolutely no point in keeping your child home just because ‘something is going round’, trust me, they’ll never be there! You either need to move to a nanny or childminder, or accept that they’ll catch everything under the sun. Here the rule is that my DS goes in whenever he is able to (according to the nursery’s sickness policy), which works out at him being at nursery about half of the time we’ve booked/paid for.

Wouldn't he have been there for more days if you hadn't kept him home 'just in case'? Unless he's actually unwell, send him in or he isn't going to settle. It will already take longer since he's only going half days.

Unfortunately this is totally normal. It’s awful and I remember going through it and myself and DH just couldn’t believe how often DD caught various things.