With the colder weather, flu season, and a pandemic in our rear-view mirror, we're conscious of doing our best to stay healthy, especially when determining when to keep a child home from daycare in Australia, due to the heightened likelihood of becoming unwell at this time of year.
Add in busy mornings when everyone is trying to get ready for the day and out the door, it can be difficult to determine whether your child's sniffles are worthy of keeping them at home or sending them to care.
We spoke with Nikki Ferrari, Centre Manager at Bluebird Early Education Clyde North, to give us some pointers to make it easier to know when to keep your child at home.
Stay home
Nikki says the key reason to keep your sick child at home is if they're unable to engage in the everyday curriculum. For example, they're unable to go outside in the colder weather as they're a bit unwell but the service runs an indoor/outdoor curriculum. It would be very challenging for educators to keep them inside while the other children were outdoors.
Administering paracetamol
It's part of the early learning policy that you must keep your child home 48 hours after any administration of paracetamol. If there is a chance your child might need further appropriate treatment throughout the day, you should keep them home.
Sick children need to be monitored at home in their own comfortable environment to rest and recover, be it from mild symptoms or serious childhood illnesses. The exception is if the paracetamol is for ongoing medication and you have a Doctor's certificate outlining this.
Gastro symptoms
Children should stay home until at least 48 hours after any vomiting or diarrhea has been present. This helps in preventing infectious diseases and ensuring the safety of other children but always follow the policy and procedure of your individual early childhood education service when it comes to stomach concerns. Make sure you ask your provider for a clear outline of their guidelines.
Check out common childcare communicable infections and diseases
Child collection
The main reasons early childhood services will contact families to ask to collect children early are:
- vomiting or diarrhea
- temperature over 37.5 degrees
- green, snotty noses as this indicates an infection (and other infectious illnesses symptoms)
- ongoing cough (non-asthma related)
- symptoms that could indicate severe illness
- if the child has received paracetamol in the last 24 hours
- if the child is withdrawn, not themselves or unable to engage in the everyday curriculum
If any of the above are applicable to your child in the morning before care, it's best to keep them at home, rather than having to go back and collect them early.
If you're ever in doubt about whether your child should stay at home from care, or if a child pass might be required due to health concerns, Nikki says that you can always call your Centre Manager and discuss the options.
Always contact your family's medical professionals if you are ever concerned about the well-being of your child to get expert advice.
Nikki's best rule of thumb if you're ever in doubt about whether your child should stay at home or not is: “if you as a parent feel your child is not well in themselves, you know your child best, trust your gut and keep them home.”
