Yay...My 3.5 year old woke up this morning with a runny nose and sneezing. This is literally only the 2nd week of preschool! We've made it the whole summer with absolutely no illnesses.
I'm so bummed because they have a child in his class that is recovery from Leukemia (is in remission) so of course last Thurs. we get a notice saying they are being extra vigilant about illnesses because of her compromised immune system (understandably so), and that any signs of illness they won't be allowed in class. They are requesting we notify them of any illness.
Ahh I'm so bummed, If my son is anything like last year he basically won't be able to attend at all! I'm all for not sending your kid to school when they are obviously sick, but any sniffle? I'm paying for my kids schooling too. Anyone have a similar scenario where their child had a fellow classmates that was immuno compromised? I feel so bad for this little girl and God forbid she gets sick, but really if wasn't for her, I would be sending him to school. At the moment its clear and not profusely running. I'm almost thinking of putting my notice and pulling him out, but I just paid for Sept., and he loves his 'preschool' and 'friends'.
In my mind, I'm still wondering why they put him in this class, especially knowing last year how much of an issue we had with his running nose---Hmmm maybe they did know. Thoughts? Did your kids fare better the second year of preschool/daycare in terms of illness? We still have 5 days until Tues. guess I'll wait and see if he's well enough to go. on Tues. or maybe I'll just hold him out until Thurs. to be on the safe side. Guess I need to go write an email to the director to let her know.....
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I agree with S.H. If the school has adjusted their attendance policies, then they need to adjust their tuition policies. I would ask them about this. If they only meant to stress existing policies, that's fine. If they expect all parents to keep their children home at the sign of a sniffle or a runny nose, I would look for another preschool.
In Preschool anyway, my son was getting sick every 2-3 weeks.
So many colds.
I would ask the school-
So... HOW is the school, adjusting their sick policy and their Tuition... policy????
And, you will probably have to find another preschool.
If my child were in remission, I would want them to stay as healthy as possible too. BUT, to expect that 20 other parents will keep their kids home if they get a runny nose is just not fair to ask. Many parents have jobs that they cannot just stay home from for every little cough. And you are paying a lot of money, every day your child is home does not equate to a refund.
I completely understand that kids with a fever cannot return until 24 hours after the fever breaks, or step, pink eye, croup and so on. A viral infection resulting in a runny nose is NORMAL for kids that age. You should not have to keep your child home.
I am not trying to be harsh, I would be an absolute wreck if it were my child that had cancer, but you can only expect so much from every one around your child.
Last year we were in for a WEEK and he ended with a staph infection. It just happens. SUCH a bummer.
when i was in middle school one of my former best friends cousins had leukemia and was in and out of school all the time and she wore a mask when she was sick or when it was flu/cold season. I would see if there is a way for her or the sick child to wear a mask so germs are not spread via breathing. She ended up passing when she was 16 from leukemia. If you son gets enough runny noses i would see if you can switch classes BUT as she gets older and goes to shool the other schools wont be able to tell parents that any sign of sickness the child cant go (i would understand if it was fever and really sick but not a runny nose/cough) to school because that is not right rather it is public or privete school.
Just send him. Kids ALWAYS have sniffles, colds or runny noses, and the child with leukemia just can't be completely protected from that kind of thing unless they seal her in a bubble. If he doesn't have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea or spots all over him, you oughta be able to send him to school.
Personally, I think kids are always sick (and often afflicted with asthma and various allergies) because too many people use heavy-duty anti-bacterial cleaners, "hand sanitizers," and the like, and the kids never acquire any immunity to the ordinary germs that everyone used to co-exist with fairly easily.
Yes, I also think that you might have to find a new preschool depending on what clarification you get. It would just not be possible to keep my child home every time they sneezed or coughed. I just don't have that much leave time. Obviously, with cases of fever, vomiting etc..., that is different. I certainly would not want to contribute to anyone else getting sick, but I am not sure that I could reasonably comply with this policy....
i can understand that since the child immune system is low because they get 100 times sicker and a cold will turn to pnuemonia for them. send him. it could just be allergies. if its not colored snot send him. clean his nose out really good. schools are very dirty and they are going to get sick. i give my daughter a chewable vitamin c with her daily vitamins to help her stay well :)
I'm sorry - I feel this post is a bit insensitive. Is it possible to find another preschool? Is the child with leukemia supposed to not live as normal a life as possible?
I don't think you were being insensitive at all. I would feel the same way you are feeling. I would talk to the school. If they are not willing to work with you on this issue, then yes I would look for a different preschool.
It's only the 2nd week of school for the kids and I'M the one who has the cold!!!
This is the way I explain it...during the Summer the kids are mostly outside where germs aren't so confined by 4 walls. Or the kids are at home where they're not exposed to so many germs. Once they start going to school, the germs have no where to go BUT to each other, desk surfaces, door knobs, pencils, bathrooms, etc. So of course once school starts there will be more illnesses going around.
All I can suggest is have your child eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep at night and constantly wash their hands. Every day my kids get home from school I have them wash their hands. It would be a good idea for them to change their school clothes as well. In the major sick months, like when the flu is going around or some sort of stomach virus, I have the kids drink an Airborne EVERY DAY after school. It's because of this routine that my son managed to be a part of that VERY SMALL percentage of kids who DID NOT get the stomach flu last year. At one point, way more than half of the school was out w/vomiting & diarreah. My son was NOT one of them.
Hope this helps!
Try either OPC3 or Ultimate aloe juice. Both super charge the immune system. My kids are on both. They never get sick.
:)
www.coliryan.com for both. Make sure the OPC3 is the kids version.
To help avoid this we drink a glass of OJ a day in our house and make sure to get plently of sleep.
When my children started childcare I had to have a form signed by the doctor that said they were healthy enough to attend childcare and that there was no evidence of immunosuppression. As kids inside a childcare facility are constantly passing germs back and forth I'm wondering why a child who has a suppressed immune system like one that has had leukemia would be allowed to be in a daycare - from a doctor standpoint not a daycare stand point. It is impossible to prevent illnesses in a childcare facility so it is unrealistic to assume the child get sick.
I didn't read the responses, but wanted to say that it's super common for kids to get sick the second week of any school. It happens here every year. School starts, all the kids get together and share germs and the illness begins. You just have to be super diligent about hand washing, and even then colds happen....
I don't think it's realistic for the parents of the little girl to expect her to be in an environment with other kids and not get sick. It's just what happens when kids get together.
I doubt your little guy will be sick as much as last year. Usually they build up a pretty good immune system the first year or so and the second year is much better. By the time he's in kindergarten, he'll be sick even less and for less time when he does catch a bug.
Don't stress over it too much yet!
Good luck!
