How unwell is too unwell for nursery ?

[IcecreamonPizza]

Usually we go by the rules of d+v, chickenpox or a fever if keeping dd off.

Lately she’s had a lot of times with multiple things wrong (none of the above) and we’ve kept her off nursery.

-eczema flare up, conjunctivitis and a cold.

-eczema flare up, teething and overtired.

-eczema , hfm lingering rash and a tickly cough that went on for 2 weeks and she was off for 4 days with this combination.

Nursery have said they are ‘concerned’ about how much she’s been off and have I contacted the HV? They also said most parents would send their dc in with what we’ve kept her off for ? I explained when she has a flare up with eczema especially we can manage it better at home . We are still paying for the days she’s off so why are they worried

That sounds very odd.

How old is she?

Do they mean they're concerned about how often she's ill rather than being concerned that she's not at nursery?

They're concerned as the eczema doesn't seem managed maybe?

Mine has been in with a cold and teething/overtired doesn't seem a reason to keep them off. So I think the eczema is their concern

Just concerned that she’s off a lot and that the reasons even though it’s been more than one thing each time that it’s stuff they’d usually have kids in with ? But I think that’s because most parents work so it’s not having a massive impact if we need to keep her off as I’m at home as have a younger child too.

We are seeing the GP regularly and trying some new creams and a dairy free diet to see if that helps the eczema but when it’s and and she’s off we can give her antihistamines and apply the creams more /give soothing baths etc which helps. If she’s been scratching at night too and overtired due to it we can manage better if she’s at home as she can catch up with an extra nap

2.5

Mine still went in with all of those things. I suppose frequent absences raise some safeguarding concerns and they're just following protocol.

Hfm really irritated her eczema severely so that hasn’t helped . They kept saying she was fine to go back with the rash but she was so miserable and uncomfortable and just wanted to be with me and at home

@ Why would absense be a safe guarding concern? Nursery is voluntary it's not school. Mine had bad eczema when small it was so hard to manage and was made worse by weather, suncream and food. You'll get there eventually. My child's bad cleared up now.

*has

It’ll be some sort of safeguarding protocols about amount of time off.
good on your for keeping a poorly child at home, so many parents try not to or send a poorly child in then act horrified when nurseries have to close cause all staff are ill

@spiderwoooman it’s a safer guarding concern because sudden and long periods of being off can be a sign of chaotic home life/ parents struggling etc

It sounds ridiculous tbh, but no harm in them referring if they want to.

You're absolutely right to keep her at home when she's not well and you're 100% correct that the reason other people don't is because they're working.

They're just checking for safeguarding - you could be "hiding" her at home for a number of reasons such as abuse, there could be any number of problems at home you're trying to hide from them, and if she is ill lots then just checking you are seeking the appropriate help. It's not that they personally think that those things apply to you, just that they could apply to anyone and so they need to double check.

Generally though, if they're not infectious, can join in happily with activities and don't need medication to get through the day, is the usual rule.

Thanks for explaining, I had no idea. I used to take mine out all the time often for sickness but also for various other reasons and it never raised any concerns.

Ignore nursery. Just reiterate there’s no need for concern and you are more comfortable having her home when she’s distressed / unwell / uncomfortable; not quite sure why that’s hard for them to understand. There is no requirement for a child to attend nursery.

conjunctivitis, cold, teething and overtired - these are not reasons to not send a child to nursery.

Sure it's reason enough if you think your child is too ill to go but they aren't in themselves a reason to keep them off

I think at nursery it's really up to you tbh. Eczema can be really nasty, painful and itchy and if bad, disrupt their sleep like you say. So if your child's not rested enough or is not well enough to enjoy nursery there is no point. The only one you have mentioned that I would not take out sick for is a tickly cough as they can last for ages and are often well in themselves. But then again it depends at that age if it keeps them up at night or makes them feel poorly.

I only kept mine off for D&V and fever. Coughs and colds, and anything else where the NHS website said it was OK (inc hfm). She only had about 5 days off in total in 2 years of nursery (an all year round nursery not just term time).

Nurseries are obliged to monitor attendance for safeguarding reasons and record details of illnesses. They’re there to help, honestly. Please don’t take it to heart. They are just doing their job.

I would expect a decent nursery to be able to manage those conditions as well as you can at home. Have you spoken to them about applying creams etc

That said if you prefer to keep them off it’s your business as they are not school age. The problem may come when they start school as they won’t understand why they suddenly can’t have lots of duvet days.

I wouldn't have kept either of mine off for those things, but we relied on nursery so we could both work and didn't have any other options for childcare. They went to nursery unless vomiting!

Nursery have to enquire for safeguarding purposes but I wouldn't worry about it.

A group care set-up will never be able to manage illness in the same way you could at home. It doesn't matter how good the nursery is.

For just a cough alone I would usually send her but on that occasion she has just had hfm so her eczema was awful and she was exhausted so was a combination of things.

I do put her creams in her bag and they do use them as directed but if we are at home we can do extra applications and baths with oatmeal etc to soothe it (plus the water distracts her from scratching)

I work in childcare. Frequent absences are something we are required to monitor and address under statutory safeguarding legislation even though it’s not compulsory education like schools. It’s just as well we do because we had a case many years ago of a child who was constantly away, we contacted our local team for advice who took the decision to do a welfare check. Turned out there was neglect, domestic violence and drug abuse going on at home and the parents were keeping all their kids off until bite marks, bruises etc., (inflicted by the parents) were no longer visible. Obviously that was the extreme and I think in the OP’s case they’re just suggesting that she contact the HV to ensure little one doesn’t have any underlying health issues that might be causing the frequent absences. We’re also expected to monitor children’s oral hygiene, diet etc.,