Advice on Daycare Problem

hi B. I understand about you worrying about your child having to leave a school she likes, but she will get used to somewhere else and besides that her health is so important, I would diffidently find another child care, I have worked in child care before and we were allowed to give a nebulizer, I was the one to give it to 2 kids and they were only 1 at the time, so I'm petty sure there has got to be a pre school out there that will do this for you, best of luck oh what about home daycare, they don't have as many kids and get more one on one?

I have been blessed that I have not had to deal with daycare issues since I stay home so my advice is based on my opinion as a mother and a home childcare provider...

I would seriously question the safety of an environment where standard procedure is to sit passively and watch a child suffocate while they wait for 911 to respond. I can understand not wanting to upset your daughter with a change in schools, but as a parent we are stuck making the unpopular decisions that insure our children will be on this earth long enough to have babies and daycare problems of their own. There are many great schools out their that are concerned not only with a child's intellectual health but their physical health as well.

Kids are resilient. At first the change might be difficult, but you have to question a daycare who won't work with a parent on a health issue -- and it isn't a major health issue. Two puffs? is difficult for them to handle during a full day? It sounds as if they are "scared" -- of course, insurance, liability (what if they don't administer properly).
But common sense should tell them that a doctor prescribed, and they are proceeding in good faith. I would definitely talk to the top person at the center to hear her/his "logic" behind this policy. I know good daycares take research, but there are many of them out there. Of course, you should make this a priority above all priorities to ensure that your child's health is the number one concern of those who watch her during the day. I am not a "fighter." I've been in many schools systems, and I would worry if you "pushed" to change their policy if subtly, your child would not be treated as well as she should be. Any daycare that didn't work with me, and treat my child as their very own, no way -- I would take vacation time and find a better place for my little one.

I think you need to change schools. I had my daughter in daycare, she and a couple other kids has to have nebulizer treatments and the school handled this very well. It is about the safety of your child... She will adjust to a new school.

B., I am so sorry to hear ob your problem, however for the health of your child even though she loves the school asthma is a serious condition and I would look for a daycare who would treat it as so. I have a 1 year old with asthma, allergies and eczema therefore I started a home daycare just so I could be there to make sure he would be taken care of. Check out the website www.myflorida.com/childcare. Take care of your child so that you will have peace of mind.
A.

Hi B. - Your daughter's health is the most important thing. If she's too sick to go to school, she won't be learning/having fun either. I'm very surprised that the school has taken such a strong negative approach...Were you speaking to the top person at the school? If the threat of removing your daughter and not brining your other daughter to the school at all is not enough (of a financial threat, so to speak) then I think you need to look for a new school. My daughter attenda a Montessori school also, so please feel free to contact me directly for more information.
K.

Kids are really resilient, so I wouldn't hesitate to move your daugther if you find another daycare that will do her treatments. For me, nothing is more important than a child's health and care and when a school refuses, to me that's not negotiable. I have my daughter in Chappell Center for Child Development and they have no problem doing treatments, as long as their is a doctor;s order to accompany it. I think with private schools, which I think Montessori might be, they can try to set their own agenda. You may have some recourse if they accept any federal funding, but that would be a long battle and in the meantime, your child would still not get her treatments. I'd pull her out of that in a minute but I know it's a hard decision!

Good luck!
K.

Maybe there was some kind of problem with medication one time so they simply put a stop to it altogether. It's probably some kind of liability issue. I'm also assuming they don't have any kind of school nurse?

LIke somebody else suggested, I'd make sure you talk to the top person. Be sure you're getting the right information. Are they saying no because it's an actual policy or they just don't want to deal with it?

If they refuse, I'd look into other daycares. It might be hard at first, but at least you'll have somebody who is willing to give your daughters treatments if needed. You don't want to be in the middle of needing the nebulizer around the clock and then trying to find somebody else. I'd also call around to make sure this isn't something happening at all daycares. Maybe there's been a change in laws or something.

Also, my ds has had to use a nebulizer off and on. After a few times, I didn't have to sit there with him the whole time. I'd turn it on and hand him the mask. I'd still keep an eye on him to make sure he's holding it up to his face (he didn't like the strap around his head). So if your girls can do that, that might be worth mentioning.

L.

I would love to share my personal exp with you about daycare. My child became violently ill after going to daycare for just a month. I have a whole story about daycare. Feel free to email mail and I will share it with you. My email is ____@____.com I decided to work from home that way I would not have to have someone else take care of my kids. www.livegreeneasy.com

I know a lot of people posted to go ahead and switch schools, but as a mom of a child who has difficulty with change, I have a different opinion. It doesn't seem legal for them to discriminate against your children if they have medical issues prescribed by a doctor. I understand that they don't have a clinic and people who are equipted to leave the classroom and tend to a nebulizer... but DCF and the health dept have rules and they come in and check on day care centers/preschools. They have to have a certian percentage of their staff who is CPR trained on site at any given time, for example. I would make a few phone calls and find out what your rights are and their responsibilities are. I know that not every school can be expected to be prepared and equipted to handle ALL special needs, but there are laws for people/centers who care for children and I think they may be bending if not breaking some. They HAVE to work with you on some level and make a reasonable compromise-- like maybe no nebulizer if the doc says an inhailer will do, but they should HAVE to do the inhailer. The way I see it, they legally have to have wheelchair accessability, but if someone shows up tomorrow with a chairbound child, they may say they are not 100% prepared in every way to give the child the best environment possible and leave it up to the parent to decide... but they would not be allowed to turn them away, right?? I would call DCF and the health dept, and also find out if they are an accredited Montessori school and go to the board under which they have their certification-- asking the center director for these phone numbers should get their attention,too!