Laws Regarding Informing Parents of Rotavirus in Daycare Center

They are supposed to let parents know about things like this. Anytime there is a contagious diesease/illness they are to let parents know. My sons were in daycare and I was informed everytime there was something at the daycare. They sent notes home to the parents as well as posted it at the daycare by their info spot.

A.,

I'm so sorry about your little one winding up in the hospital (been there, done that!) and that you have had to suffer through the evil RV (rotavirus) - been there, done that also!

I don't think there are specific laws requiring the center to tell about common viruses/illnesses (Strep throat is another very contagious pain in the butt!). Common sicknesses are not treated like communicable social diseases like lice, scabies, etc., where the center IS required by law inform everyone. However, a good daycare will inform parents, my old daycare used to have "the sick board" where they listed (in numbers) how many kids had what "type" of illness, like "Stomach flu", "Strep", etc. I knew whenever I saw the "Strep" number went up, I would probably be visiting the doctor. RV is a very nasty tummy bug, my daughter also wound up in the hospital at age 2 because of it. It's super contagious to the point where it is almost impossible to stop the spread. Most parents don't realize that RV is STILL contagious until the diarrhea is COMPLETELY gone, even if a child has just one runny BM a day - they are STILL contagious, or some parents DO know it's still contagious, but send their kids back to daycare anyway. This is how it spreads like wildfire - the child has stopped throwing up, they are eating normally, and they aren't having BM's all the time, but when they do go #2 - they still have diarrhea. Unfortunately, some parents send them back to daycare and their child just ends up passing it to another.

One point on the side of the daycare - some parents just don't inform the center of what/why their child has been out. Ultimately, if the parents don't inform the center, how can the center inform the other parents? I also think it is the parents' responsibility to keep their kids home until they are completely better to help control the spread.

I hope you both are feeling better very soon, and remember - there is NOTHING like a big spray bottle of LYSOL!

P.

I don't know the specifics of the laws but I do know when my son was in daycare they always posted rotovirus diagnoses along with a host of others like strep, fifths disease, pink eye, etc. His preschool does the same.

So sorry you had to go thru that. My son started daycare at age 7 months and within 2 weeks had rotovirus also. It is highly contagious and it went through his entire class. Fortunately he did not require hospitalization (though I was home with him for a full week) and it was by far the sickest he has ever been in his life and was a very scary time for me. If it is any consolation, his twin cousins in another state both got rotovirus at the same time and they have never spent a day in daycare.

I do in home daycare, and the law states that are we CAN NOT allow a child in care if they have a fever, have unexplained diarrhea (not from teething, etc.) or vomited in the last 24 hours. Specifically for Rotaviral Infection, the exclusion from child care is until diarrhea has stopped. Unfortunately this illness specifically is not on our list of Diseases we are REQUIRED to report, though that does not mean we shouldn't. I do not hesitate to send a sick child home and speak to the parents on the phone to discuss any remaining symptomes before I clear them to return to care. Because most parents do not know the rules and policies given by the state to child care settings and schools. Depending on what it is, I inform the other parents. Hope that helps.

I have an in-home daycare and I am required to tell parets about any illnesses that their children may have been exposed to. Rotavirus is horrible but the only way that it is spread is if someone ingests contaminated fecal matter. So, I would be more concrened with how your daycare is sanitizing the diaper changing area and washing hands.

I work in a school and have never heard anything about it being required. Some may send a note home with every kid saying they have been exposed, but by then it's already done, there's no preventing it. But I understand it would help in diagnosing & treating it sooner.

I know my daycare posts notices but it always seems to be pink eye or strep. Ihave never once seen a notice for RV. Not sure if some diseases are required to report and some are not. You may want to check with the State of MN daycare licensing. That being said, I can also say both my kids have been in daycare centers - my son for just over 1 year and my daughter for almost 3 years and neither one of them have ever had RV. I think like some of the other parents said it may be the daycare center you are taking your child to and how they clean their changing tables, etc. I hope other parents aren't completely scared of taking their kids to a takecare thinking that all daycares have RV going around. The kids do tend to pick up a lot at daycare but for my kids it has been mostly pink eye which is noncontagious in 24 hours after the drops are in. Good luck..sorry to hear you guys got so sick.

oh i really wish you wouldnt feel that way lol. i am a 28 year old mother of 3 and i LOVE kids! i will be running a family daycare center which to me is a in home personalized cheaper way to allow families to afford quality childcare. i worked at a center and ill tell you i thought it was horrible. im very happy i am out of there , there are people out there like me please dont let it get to you! but on your request. YES THERE IS A LAW when something is reported it MUST be hung on the wall or in a place for all workers/ parents to see. It is a state violation for it not to be. normally when a child starts some kind of care or even school , if they are not used to going they are not amune to the illness' that are out there and will get things such as flu/ common cold that should be expected but i will say in ur case , that should have been up and out there for all of you parents to see. good luck!
~S.~

I'm sorry your daycare experience was not very good. I don't really have any experience with daycare centers and their rules, because I use a licenced in home provider. She can only have 6 kids total - due to her type of licence- but she's only got 4 (including here daughter and my son)....she always makes sure to share with the parents when a child is sick..rotovirus is one she really worries about...if she even thinks your child has it, she calls you to pick them up. Luckily we've never actually had it at her place. Must just be something about the smaller daycare that keeps the communication going.

I worked in a center for 3 years and we would hang a description of what was going around with a date on the bulletin board of the classroom the sickness was in. The only way we would know this information is if the parents reported the illness to us.

On more occassions that I can list did parents send their children to the center sick. They did this because they did not want to miss work. Well, let me tell you that many other children would get sick then because other children would be at the center sick. Many times in my classroom would I send chidlren home with a fever and low and behold they would say mommy or daddy gave me medicine before I came. HELLO PARENTS if you are reading this...keep your children home so others don't get sick.

It probably is more the fault of other parents not informing the center of such an illness. We had parents not show up for a week or so and never even say why they were gone. I'm sure they figured they are paying and it is none of the center's business.

Don't let this experience stop you from putting your child in a center if you need care.

The center that my daughter is currently at posts notices about any illness that a child will come into contact with.(I'm not sure if it is a law or just their policy) They also make a good practice of sending a child home if she has any symptoms of illness (other than a mild cold). I'm sorry that you have had that bad experience. My daughter is in daycare (I'm a single mom with no other options for childcare) and she loves her center. She has a great teacher and loves to see the other kids. So, keep in mind there are some positives to the experience in case you ever find yourself having to use a center again.