Child sent home all the time!

[Chelswels]

Hi!! I’m not sure what I’m looking for her, some advice or reassurance it gets better I guess.

I know everyone says “oh wait till your child starts nursery they’ll always be ill” but I didn’t think it would be literally always??!??!

my DD is 13 months old and has been going to nursery two days a week since November. Since then she’s been sent home with 3 viral infections, an ear infection, numerous colds and D&V. The nursery are awful at letting parents know when a contagious illness is doing the rounds and we only find out after my DD has got sick. I know even if they did tell us there’s not much we can do but it’s so infuriating.

me and my DH have had lots of time off work to look after her and it’s got the point I genuinely have anxiety over her going because a few times in the past I have sent her in with a clean bill of health and have been called about a rash they’ve seen that worries them or a random fever that has come on suddenly. When does it get better? I’ve been told it’s good for her to get sick or build her immunity but surely by now she should have done that? Even the manager of the nursery admitted my DD has had a run of bad luck when it comes to illness. Last week we sent her in with a cough (just a cough, no temp or anything) and was called to say she’s not herself. I was overwhelmed and said I can’t keep missing work but to keep me updated and then got another call to say she’s not interested and eating and can’t stop coughing to the point of gagging (it wasn’t that severe the morning I sent her). So I went to collect once again and only when I arrived did they tell me she turned blue after coughing so much!!??? Surely if she turned blue even briefly they should have either informed me sooner or sought out medical advice? Turned out to be a viral infection which she is better from now BUT she still has a little cough (again not continuous and is happy and smiley and herself) and I’m terrified she will be sent home again for some reason or other. Hasn’t had a fever in 5 days but the nursery is warm anyway and I’ve tried telling them it’s a bit stuffy but they disagreed.


aaahhhh!!! Rant over, send me strength 🥺

[Dutchairfryer]

No advice but solidarity!

DD has been in nursery for 6 months and hasn’t had more than one consecutive week in nursery due to illness

15/20 weeks she has been sent home

[LucyLaundry]

What about a childminder? I have 6 children across the week and since September have only sent 3 children home (same week, same illness). Apart from that they all have 100% attendance.

[Chelswels]

@Dutchairfryer

No advice but solidarity!

DD has been in nursery for 6 months and hasn’t had more than one consecutive week in nursery due to illness

15/20 weeks she has been sent home

Oh wow! That’s ridiculous I’m so sorry! It’s so stressful isn’t it??!! I don’t have family I can ask to have her. Just one sister who has 3 children of her own and currently is going through a lot of emotional stuff so I don’t want to add to her troubles!

[Chelswels]

@LucyLaundry

What about a childminder? I have 6 children across the week and since September have only sent 3 children home (same week, same illness). Apart from that they all have 100% attendance.

That’s so good! I’ve been looking into childminders but the few that have replied are fully booked until September 😞

[skkyelark]

I would say this is also partly down to the nursery. I've got two children at nursery, and they've only been sent home a handful of times – all of which it has been very clear upon collecting them that they are indeed ill and need to be at home. A child with a basic cold but well in themselves, nursery wipe their nose (many, many times) and on they go. My friend has three children at a different nursery, same town, and she's forever having someone sent home or worrying will nursery say that mark is a rash that needs a GP appointment, etc.

I suspect the way our nursery do it is a virtuous cycle – children are only sent home/asked to be kept off when they really need it, so parents miss less work, so are less likely to be stressed to the point of giving a poorly child a dose of calpol and sending them in or to sending a child in less than 48 hours after D&V, so the serious stuff doesn't spread as much. It seems to work pretty well if you can find a nursery that do it that way.

[Purpletones]

My LO has only been sent home once in a year, when she threw up twice. Although when they called they did say she seemed fine and it was only a little bit so it was up to me lol. I picked her up.

[MigGirl]

Some children do just catch more bugs then others though.

The cough though has it got better is it worse at night op. As this can be the first sign of asthma, get her checked by the GP if it's worse at night. Also my asthmatic child has always been more sick than the other one.

[Elsewhere123]

Try Mondays and Fridays only.

[Chelswels]

@MigGirl

Some children do just catch more bugs then others though.

The cough though has it got better is it worse at night op. As this can be the first sign of asthma, get her checked by the GP if it's worse at night. Also my asthmatic child has always been more sick than the other one.

The cough is much better now, it was worse at night, she was checked for asthma and they weren’t sure either way but are keeping an eye on it in future because I had childhood asthma