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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

Incident at nursery

46 replies

Nickynoo88 · 09/08/2023 20:59

Hi mums,

Just wanted to ask for advice. Upon collecting my 16 month old daughter from nursery I was given an incident form. They advised that she had eaten another child's poo, and it only became apparent when she walked over to a member of staff with poo in her hands and around her mouth.

I am devastated and whilst I understand things can happen I just can't help but feel let down that it was allowed to happen.

What would other parents do?

Thanks

OP posts:

Toddler101 · 09/08/2023 21:06

I'd ask how it came to happen and what they're going to do to prevent a repeat!

And I'd be sure to brush toddler's teeth incredibly carefully and thoroughly (and then probably again if they let me)! Kids are so gross.

Frydaycryday · 09/08/2023 21:09

Shit happens.
Quite literally sometimes.
Doubt they will do it again.

I'd accept that toddlerhood is grim and move on.

Busubaba · 09/08/2023 21:11

I would want to know why there was a lapse in supervision.

I have never hear of a child eating another child's poo.

I would want to know if the other child put their poo in her hand and made her eat it or forced her hand to smear it around her mouth.

Hellocatshome · 09/08/2023 21:13

I would want to know how she got her hands on the poo. If potties are not being empty or nappy bins not secure then I think it is a nursery problem. If she shoved her hands into another child's nappy then it is just one of the many things that can happen when you have a group of toddlers in one place. She is not the first and won't be the last, unless she makes a habit of it then you are probably fine.

WunWun · 09/08/2023 21:15

Surely they told you how it happened?

What did the doctor say when you contacted them?

Changethetoner · 09/08/2023 21:19

That's gross. But I guess in the scope of things that can happen with groups of babies/toddlers. Incidentally, which room is she in? There's supposed to be only 3 babies to one adult staff member. Though if someone was on nappy changing duty or heating up food/bottles, a staff member could be left with more to supervise. Yes it should be noticed, but in a busy nursery, I can see how it could happen.

As a parent, what would I do? Shudder, but hope it never happens again. And possibly speak with manager to confirm they were in ratio when the incident occurred.

DappledOliveGroves · 09/08/2023 21:20

DD (now aged 22) ate her own poo from an exploding nappy on her first birthday. No ill effects. Fair enough it's another child's poo, but toddlers are fairly gross. I imagine that the poo leaked from nappy, dropped on floor and was picked up and put in mouth by your DD.

If there were different, strange circumstances, then perhaps more questioning of how this could be prevented, but as a one-off, whilst gross, I don't know what you can really do other than grimace and move on.

Isthisexpected · 09/08/2023 21:20

Potentially make a formal complaint and report them and move nurseries. It all depends on exactly what happened.

Toasty280 · 09/08/2023 21:20

I've worked in nurseries for a long time including some really bad ones, but had never had a incident where a child age another's poo. I'm shocked!

WouldJustlikeaLatte · 09/08/2023 21:21

That’s really not ok at all. She must have been unsupervised for far too long ? I’d be making a complaint . She could get unwell (ecoli?)

WunWun · 09/08/2023 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FoodFann · 09/08/2023 21:22

I’d make a complaint and would remove child from their ‘care’. She’s left alone long enough that she eats poo. It’s horrific - report to ofsted

Isthisexpected · 09/08/2023 21:22

I've just found a quote on a US website that said if it's their own faeces it's unlikely to make them ill. Someone else's could cause bacterial food poisoning symptoms.

WunWun · 09/08/2023 21:22

Potentially by some pervert wanting to hear other people's stories.

itsgettingweird · 09/08/2023 21:23

I'd have been less surprised if it was her own poo:

She wouldn't be the first toddler to have a rummage I their own nappy.

But another child's? How did that even happen? For a start they should be bagging up soiled nappies correctly in the correct bin as it's hazardous waste.

I'd start with an email asking for an explanation about how it happened and what they have out in place to ensure it never happens again.

Hellocatshome · 09/08/2023 21:24

All those saying she was left alone too long. How long do you think it takes to pick something up and put it in your mouth?

AuntMarch · 09/08/2023 21:25

While I agree I wouldn't be particularly happy, I'm surprised anybody thinks it would require being left unsupervised for a length of time. It takes a split second for a child to grab/eat something.

Original poster

Nickynoo88 · 09/08/2023 21:30

Thanks for all your messages. I have already emailed the nursery and management requesting further information on how the situation happened. When i was informed it was past 6pm and my daughter was restless so I had to leave without probing. To be honest I was quite shocked!

I will question ratio because I just don't understand how it wasn't spotted and stopped. The fact my daughter had to walk to a member of staff makes me so cross.

And to the individual who thinks this is nonsense, this is the reason I never post on forums like this. I wish it wasn't true, but here we are.

OP posts:

WunWun · 09/08/2023 21:33

Why didn't they phone a doctor?

UneFoisAuChalet · 09/08/2023 21:40

Sorry OP but I just don’t understand how you don’t know the details. Doesn’t matter how restless your child is, you find out how that happened.
Scenario-
Nursery: hiya, here’s the incident report on your child eating shit.
Me: WTAF? How did my child eat shit? What’s happened? Who was supervising? How much shit are we talking about? At what time did this happened? Have they been ok since? Did they have lunch/snack/drink? Etc
You? Ah ok. See you tomorrow. Let me start a thread on MN asking if this has happened to anyone so we can commiserate?
That’s stranger than you child eating shit.

PinkPlantCase · 09/08/2023 21:43

I’m quite surprised this can happen with the 1:3 ratio

applewood87 · 09/08/2023 21:44

What did the incident form say? They have to explain what happened so surely you got more information from that?

WunWun · 09/08/2023 21:44

Also why didn't they call you as soon as it happened? It's pretty serious/likely to make them ill.

applewood87 · 09/08/2023 21:45

Incident forms have to be pretty specific on what happened

Original poster

Nickynoo88 · 09/08/2023 21:47

I had my 16 month in my arms screaming with a queue of parents outside waiting to collect. The member of staff informed me that there was an incident in which my daughter was found to have eaten another child's poo. They advised she walked to a member of staff with poo in her hand and poo around her mouth. They immediately washed her mouth and hands, and rinsed her mouth with water. She apologised and I was in shock. I said I would follow up with an email this evening.

I don't really know what else to say. However I was simply asking for advice on whether I was overreacting and that accidents happen or whether it was a safe guarding issue.

If you don't have anything nice or constructive to say then I would urge you to please not comment.

OP posts:

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