Daycare Risks Question

[Guest guest]

Hi all! I have recently come across some info about a local daycare

that will care for medically fragile children. They have nurses to

care for the special needs kids but there are also " normal " kids in

the daycare as well. They tell me that they are obsessive about

handwashing and have hospital grade ventilation system with complete

air turn over 5 times per hour. My question is whether or not the

risk of exposure and possibly catching illnesses is still too high

for a child with mito to attend some place like this. They say they

have the same policy as other child care centers with regard to

illness. No child with a fever can attend and must be fever free

for 24 hrs before returning.

Are kids with mito immunocompromised in some way? Is this sort of

situation too risky because of the germs? I'm just not sure about

this because neuro told us yesterday that if Sophie runs a fever for

more than a couple of days I need to take her to the ER with his

instruction sheet for labs and management if needed. Any insight?

Also found out yesterday that what I thought was just some

strange " twitching " Sophie was doing is actually partial seizures.

He also wants to do an MRI of her spine when he scans her head. He

is concerned that she may also have a tethered cord because of the

amount of severe pain she has in her legs.

Any info anyone can share about any of this would be great!!

Meagan, Mom to Sophie, (WHO WILL BE 1 TOMORROW!!)

www.caringbridge.org/ky/sophiesong

[Guest guest]

Sounds like a pretty good daycare! It's hard to make a decision where is safest for your child, when you think about it actually nowhere is "perfect". I would think it comes down to your gut instinct. We ultimatly decided that a daycare facility was not good for Grace and we took her out even before her diagnosis of mito. Even though the place where she went was great, they had all the infection control policies in place she still was getting sick. Basicaly it was because of other parents, not the center. Given it a daycare, the parents needed to get to work. Many people do not have understanding bosses and do not care if your kid is sick or not, and require them to get to work. Parents often downplayed illnesses or brought them knowing they were sick. The center would send them home, but the damage was already done. We eventually took her to a friend of the family, but that did not work as well not due to viruses but overall stress of going somewhere everyday. Ultimatly we made the decision for me to stay home with the kids. Honestly, Grace is doing better with me home.

Please don't think I am trying to influence your decision on what to do. I just wanted to share our personal experiences. I would have felt much more comfortable if our area had a daycare that you are describing. Also, Grace will be starting preschool next school year with our public school system. Although we realize the risk, we want to at least try it out. Grace seems to have a pretty good immune system and rarely gets ill, she just does bad when she gets ill.

Best wishes

carrie Get the NEW version of MSN Messenger - it's FREE!

[Guest guest]

Hi oddly enough...I run a small in home daycare.

When I left NASA I had to do something. Dropping an income to stay home with a sick child isn't really that ideal.

Even when I work as hard as I do to protect all the children from illness....it still happens. Though we have a much smaller rate of illness that 80% of daycares in our area, you can't keep everything out. You have to weigh the pros and the cons.

I will be closing my daycare in the near future. My secondary business is doing well enough to allow me that oppertunity.

Listen to your gut, visit the facility when they aren't expecting you. Hang out and talk to other parents.

The fact is, if your child is around other people the risk is always there.

Wishing you the best.

Myst wrote:

Sounds like a pretty good daycare! It's hard to make a decision where is safest for your child, when you think about it actually nowhere is "perfect". I would think it comes down to your gut instinct. We ultimatly decided that a daycare facility was not good for Grace and we took her out even before her diagnosis of mito. Even though the place where she went was great, they had all the infection control policies in place she still was getting sick. Basicaly it was because of other parents, not the center. Given it a daycare, the parents needed to get to work. Many people do not have understanding bosses and do not care if your kid is sick or not, and require them to get to work. Parents often downplayed illnesses or brought them knowing they were sick. The center would send them home, but the damage was already done. We eventually took her to a friend of the family, but that did not work as well not due to viruses

but overall stress of going somewhere everyday. Ultimatly we made the decision for me to stay home with the kids. Honestly, Grace is doing better with me home.

Please don't think I am trying to influence your decision on what to do. I just wanted to share our personal experiences. I would have felt much more comfortable if our area had a daycare that you are describing. Also, Grace will be starting preschool next school year with our public school system. Although we realize the risk, we want to at least try it out. Grace seems to have a pretty good immune system and rarely gets ill, she just does bad when she gets ill.

Best wishes

carrie

Get the NEW version of MSN Messenger - it's FREE! Please contact mito-owner with any problems or questions. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for your input. It's a big decision. Everything helps.

Meagan, Mom to Sophia (11 months)

www.caringbridge.org/ky/sophiesong__________________________________________________