Do you send your child to nursery when they're ill?

[linerforlife]

Do you send your toddler to nursery when they're ill? DD started nursery recently and comes home every single week with some kind of cold or illness. I expected this as I know they have to build immunity to common colds etc. However, I don't know when I can send her to nursery and when I can't? She's obviously catching the colds from other kids who have colds, so presumably some people do send their kids in when they're ill. My gut feel is as long as she's ok in herself and is just a bit snotty with no temp etc, and is happy to play, I should send her in. What is normal / the right etiquette??

I wouldn’t at the moment with a cough, which previously I would have. I wait 48 hours after a temp (pre covid or now a bloody test) and 48 hours after a vomiting/sickness/tummy bug.
Would send in with a cold, mine get weird viral rashes so I sent in with those if A GP says it’s ok!

I send mine if a bit snotty as long as she seems ok. I have the same situation as you where she gets the germs from nursery and if I kept her off at every sniffle I would never get any work done.

No temp and fine in themselves then we crack on. They would definitely go with a cough if negative test... We have to work.

Same as you, as long as she's playing happily and ok in herself, fine to go.
I'm a childminder and accept children into the setting like that. If I didn’t, they would never be here! I have however had parents shove some calpil into them before they come and try to pretend they are fine and a couple of hours later they are on the couch with a temp through the roof, or children who have been up vomiting all night, but of course, ots obviously just teeth .

With a temp no, we’ve had the coughing situation a couple of times so I’ve arranged a Covid test and kept them off until I’ve had a negative result, but once we’ve had that negative I send them in because otherwise I’d be keeping them off for about a month! I speak to nursery though. Snotty noses yes, mine pretty much permanently has a snotty nose so again I have to or I’d never be at work!

I would ask the nursery but usually yes if it's just a cold and they're able to play they would go in as normal. Quite a few of the minor illnesses are ok but there's also a few that are excludable. It's a surprising list. Best to ask the nursery. Also remember just like with covid, there are some illnesses that are contagious before the symptoms come out so parents aren't necessarily sending kids in with symptoms. Though I don't doubt that happens too to be fair

Chat with your nursery. Ours are happy to take them if they're happy with themselves after a dose of Calpol, others aren't. When I was going to the office I would've worked from home if we'd sent her in after a dose so I could be there in 15 minutes if she got worse and needed to come home.

I'm very strict on 48 hours after vomiting even if I know it's not from a tummy bug in the hopes that other parents are too - I will never forget the week that both flu and noro hit our house.

Obviously these days a fever or cough mean a covid test, and then back in once negative assuming they're well enough in themselves.

Snotty but happy enough, yes, that's the most common thing she has anyway. Unhappy, temp, cough, obviously anything digestive beyond one random loose nappy, no. I always think, if she was in secondary would I rather she was in my classroom learning or keeping well away?

I was really surprised that our nursery doesn't turn away conjunctivitis now

Obviously Covid has thrown a spanner in the works as a cough might be a Covid cough.
But in normal times, I would send them with a cough / sniffles etc., but not if they had a temp or were obviously feeling a bit rotten.

Snotty nose but well in himself yes he goes.
Temp, cough etc no we aren't allowed to send them with a cough atm until we have proof of a negative PCR.
My LO has picked up all sorts from nursery this years, he wouldn't be in if I kept him off for everything.

Would send mine with a snotty nose.

He recently had bad croup which took weeks to get over, but nursery were so reluctant to have him. He had 2 negative tests, seen GP twice who diagnosed croup and was on steroids, but the cough was the thing the nursery didn't like.

If I kept them off every time they're ill they'd never be there.

Obviously some illnesses such as stomach bug, chicken pox etc would mean me keeping them off until fully well again. Same for waiting on negative Covid tests which we've had to do quite a few times.

They used to go in pre Covid with coughs and colds so i do the same now unless they're not well in themselves.

Mine's had a really rotten cough and cold (that he has kindly passed on to me) so I kept him off last week, but he'll be going back tomorrow. Still a bit snotty, but most children are!

Our nursery's rule is if they are ill enough to need Calpol then they are ill enough to be at home.

I agree to send them in belongs they don't have a temperature or sick enough that they need calpol. The first year of nursery is hard as they tend to pick up one cold after another. Personally I found the second year dd picked up less colds and this year hardly none though covid maybe an influence. I personally think if you keep your child off for every cold it will take longer to help build up immunity. Also it's not doable if you need to work x

Never. Not fair for the staff who end up catching it.

If she's well in herself and no fever then yes. Nursery say the same. I take her for a covid test if any of the symptoms (cough being the main one). I send her to nursery as soon as the negative result comes through.

She has a permanently snotty nose and would never leave the house if I kept her at home for that reason only.

I wouldnt class having a cold as ill really, unless it came with a cough/temperature/lethargy.

I didn’t but I didn’t have to go elsewhere to work.
At the moment though, I wouldn’t.

Depends really - bit of a sniffle and sneezing then yes they go in. Full of snot - looking and feeling miserable, temperature etc then no.
One of my twins had a cough last week - saw doctor same day - diagnosed as minor virus - had 2 days at hone then back to childcare.

My childminder has a good policy and a strict one in that she gives notice to any parents who continually send their child in knowing they are ill with something spreadable

Snotty yes- a temperature no, runny stomach no, cough (usually I would but now id have to get her tested)

@sairajangoud I think you're posting in the wrong place.

OP, I think it took DD a year of nursery before she attended for a full week. She's now 4 and is rarely ill, so I hope it's built up her immune system.

My little boy has had a constant cold since January- well not one continuous one but it does seem as he gets over one another one starts. He has gone in as long as he he hasn’t had a fever in the last 48 hours, is eating, playing etc as his usual self. Many of the colds have ended up in a cough so we have had a covid test when this happens and if negative he goes in. Nursery have generally on the whole been happy- if I kept him off at every sniffle he would of barely been in nursery and unfortunately he seems to be prone to coughs. I have had one disagreement with a temp manager who was sickness cover regarding a negative covid test- she was adamant he had covid and that his tests were a false negative. Two tests done properly by nurses in hospital in the current symptom time window (these were for my work not because he was unwell). She didn’t understand the difference between a PCR and lateral flow as these were just starting to become available. He didn’t have covid, he had a bacterial chest infection for which he had completed antibiotics. He was also past the 10 day isolation period from the start of symptoms so should of been allowed back if it was Covid.
He has been off for chicken pox, an unusual rash with no clear course, an episode of fevers and two colds when he hasn’t just been himself. The current manager of the nursery is brilliant and knows I err on the side of caution and don’t send him in if I’m not sure.
It is very variable from nursery to nursery with regards to the more minor illnesses and some people say you shouldn’t send a child in with any sniffle, whereas others will push it to the other extreme.