After Vomiting How Long Do Your Children Need To Stay Off Nursery?

[Guest]

Morning all.

 

I am just wondering what you all do regards children who have been vomiting or had diarrhoea, regards the time period they should stay off.

 

Our policy used to say 24 hours after the last bout of either, but following county guidelines we altered this to 48 hours after the outbreak of the norovirus or something similar!!

It has stayed at 48 hours since, for staff and children.

 

The question has been prompted by an incident on Friday where a Mum came in and told us that her son had been sick at 7.30pm THE NIGHT BEFORE!

She said he was fine and it was just the milkshake.

How could she know it was "just the milkshake" unless he had thrown up after drinking one before....... and if that was the case why give him another one?!!!!

Anyway we explained our policy, also told her 2 other childrens parents had rung in to tell us their children had stomach bugs but she was SO CROSS

 

She is a nice supportive Mum who had work to go to but even so rules are rules............... but it didn't stop me feeling really bad after she left!

 

Well I felt bad about it right up until the time I started throwing up early Saturday morning.................

[Guest]

We say 48 hours too and we have also had the parent who claimed it was something else that made them vomit only hours before the start of a session. At the end of the day I always take the tack that rules are rules and if it was their child affected because we didn't follow them then they would be rather upset. We find it's hardest with staff as often we could really do with them being back at work but we still need to follow the rules.

[Fredbear]

48 hrs here too. Its really important to break the cycle otherwise everybody could possibly go down with it including your staff and then there would be no nursery open. This rule is there to safeguard all even if somewhat annoying and difficult for working parents.

[Jo A]

This document from HPA says 48 hours

 

http://www.hpa.org.uk/Publications/Infecti...lsandChildCare/

[Guest]

I forgot to say we were told in a training session with our local HPA that it should be 48 hours in this age group and that we could tell parents it really didnt matter what the school or nursery up the road did - we were protecting their child's health. They did offer to tell parents themselves if they rang but I believe the HPA are being done away with now

[Guest]

I'm currently temping, so am seeing variation in the length of time - generally 24 hours, or 48 hours - depends what the settings policy is based on.

 

With regards to the milk shake - sometimes children do just drink something too fast, gulping too much air with their drink, which they then more or less immediately regurgitate - when you witness this sort of 'being sick', it is clear that's why they've been sick - no other signs of sickness, nothing in the regurgitation (sp?) except for the milk.

 

However, as we need to follow our policies and procedures, and as he'd been sick the night before, you were completely right to remind her of the 'rules' and turn them away.

[HoneyPancakes]

Bugs are bugs and always need time off, but SOMETIMES children throw up for reasons other than viral or bacterial infection. My first child decorated the carpet and everything else in sight if he was allowed to cry for longer than 45 second - until he was two! Only once did I ever think he was contagious.

 

Honey

[finleysmaid]

our rules are 48 hours free from the last bout of sickness or diorrhea ( i'm sure thats spelt wrong!) but there also has to be a modicom of common sense applied and if you know a child chucks up when crying i would assess this on the day! - i do post a notice telling all parents the rules and reinforce when they start pre-school so there should be no arguements

[kristina]

We are 48 hours from the last time they were sick or upset tummy!

 

Kris

[Panders]

We're the same as Kristina, for adults too

[sunnyday]

I'll second that!

[Cait]

And we are too - plus I request that they should be back to eating normally and going to the toilet normally too

[diesel10]

Hi

 

We say 48 hours from the last episode. I put it on every newsletter (once a half term) and staff confirm to parents when they are allowed back, when they call in to tell us. It just avoids any confusion.

 

I have also put in the newsletter that they must stay off when they have a high temperature. The amount of children that we get coming in with the parents saying 'he had a temperature last night but he wanted to come......'

 

Hope this helps

[bubblejack]

We had a parent phone us 2 weeks ago saying child would be late that day because they had doctors appointment because child couldn't stop being sick. A staff member explained 48 hour exclusion period and we didn't see child for rest of week . Parent brought him in following week but child had a high temperature and i had to phone parent to collect child. I phoned on Tuesday and poor child still is still ill.

[JacquieL]

our rules are 48 hours free from the last bout of sickness or diorrhea ( i'm sure thats spelt wrong!)

 

Dash In A Real Rush Hurry Or Expect Accident

[finleysmaid]

brilliant thanks JacquieL i think i have senile dyslexia!!!

[Guest MaryEMac]

We once witnessed a child being sick just by the playgroup gate and the parent was astounded when I wouldn't let her through the door.

 

Mary

[Fredbear]

Beggars belief doesn't it Mary, but not really that surprised, poor child.