RSV and daycare?

Question

Do you think its irresponsible for a parent to bring their child, who is knowingly infected with RSV (a potentially serious respiratory infection and highly contagious) to their daycare? My friend runs a daycare from her home and didn't know much if anything about RSV. Well, one parent brought her son and told my friend, "if his breathing rate goes above 60, take him to the ER." I'm sorry, but that seems really irresponsible, and frankly, dangerous and unfair to the other kids at the daycare. Anyone? I think she should tell the mother to come pick the kid up.

My kids don't go there. She's in CO. and I'm in LA. I used to work in respiratory therapy, so I know the dangers and risk, which is what I'm trying to illustrate to her.

She isn't state liscensed because she is exempt due to only having a couple kids to care for. I think a lot of people don't know that a lot of home daycares don't have to be licensed.

Answer 1

Yeah, that is irresponsible on the part of the mother...but also your friend needs to read up on common childhood ailments and learn how to say NO - take your sick baby home!

Answer 2

That's absolutely irresponsible on the part of the parents! How DARE they put that on a daycare provider! If that child is that ill, he or she should be home either with a parent or a private babysitter - NOT infecting other people. How does this mom know that the other babies in the daycare aren't immuno-compromised or just aren't going to get sick from her kid? I think that shows some REALLY messed up priorities - apparently her job is more important than her child. She also doesn't care if other people's children end up admitted to the hospital, either.

She should tell that mother to come get that kid NOW and not to bring him back until he is well - and she's within her rights to ask for a doctor's note stating that the child is no longer contagious.

Answer 3

RSV is very contagious and has the potential to kill. Many children have lost their lives to RSV. The child should be under a doctors care and should be in the home resting and not out running about. Both my sisters kids had it before and they were not hospitalized in the er, but when another doctor saw them she said why were these kids not hospitalized. When my son was a preemie in the hospital in nicu, a child died from it that was seven years ago almost. I think it is very irresponsible of the mother and I think your friend should refuse the child until she has a doctors note in hand saying that it is OK for the child to be out and about. It does not matter if she is state registered she can require a doctors note.

Answer 4

Wow, that does seem totally irresponsible of the mother to even leave her child with RSV. My son had it when he was barely 2 and there's NO WAY I would have left his side during that time. Yeah, if I was the person running this daycare, I would have the mother come and pick him up. What if something happens to him while he is in her care? She is setting herself up for a lawsuit big time!!!!! Plus it being a highly contagious infection, I would think that as a parent, I wouldn't want my kids exposed to that in their daycare setting. I would be calling that mother VERY quick and getting that child out of my care. Tell her good luck with this.

Answer 5

RSV is so dangerous! If the parent is so worried about the breathing and putting the child care worker in the spot to have to go to the hospital- the parent has an issue! If I had my kid there and found out that another kid has RSV while there, I would not be happy and your friend could get into trouble by allowing the other kids to be exposed. Tell her to keep the kid in a different room, and call the parent to come get him ASAP!

Answer 6

She should not have taken the child in the first place! I am a stay at home mom but my daughter goes in to school 3 half days a week and the Friday before Christmas I had to take her to the ER because she caught pink eye and a virus from some kid at her school. My hub, daughter, and I were all sick on Christmas. I keep my daughter home when she is sick... and I expect others to do the same, working mother or not. RSV can kill very young children and it is very serious... that woman is an idiot and I would have told her to take her kid home and care for it.

Answer 7

Absolutely...that sick child sould not be in daycare. RSV can be deadly. Is the caregiver licensed? If she is she should certainly know about and have policies about having sick children in the daycare. She needs to have that child taken home mmediatly and do a thorough cleaning of her house. If she won't send that child home, you need to go get your child...and be sure other mothers know the situation also.

Answer 8

Not only irresponsible but ILLEGAL. As a daycare provider I know that she cannot accept the child for 6 weeks if they have RSV. RSV is very dangerous and VERY CONTAIGOUS. Call the child's parents and make sure they don't come back until the doctor okay's it.

Answer 9

day cares are not suppose to keep sick kids, paernts will bring there kids to day care and infect all the other you will always have some type of infection in your day care if you start keeping sick kids she should send the child home and have him come back only with anote from the doctor stating its ok for that child to be around other kids and make sure the note is on the doctors letter head, the day care provider is not a doctor and should not determin if the child is sick or well.if you keep admitting sick kids into your day care the infection will keep resurfing,make sure you wash and bleach all toys and wipe down tables and chairswith bleach also.good luck and mean what you say and say what you mean

Answer 10

Wait on it, you'll notice a cough and possibly wheezing if your baby contracts RSV. When you take them in questioning RSV they do a washing up the nose with saline, not pleasant for your little one. So just keep a watchful eye.

Answer 11

This child should not be near any other child. My daughter had RSV as an infant and was hopsitalized for a week in an oxygen tent. When she came home, I had to keep her away from other children until her medication was gone and she had no more breathing issues. The doc said she was very suseptable of catching another illness, which could hospitalize her again.

Here is some further information from the kidshealth link below. Please pass this on to your friend.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children. RSV causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages. In adults, it may only produce symptoms of a common cold, such as a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, fever, and a general feeling of being ill. But RSV infections can lead to other more serious illnesses in premature babies and kids with diseases that affect the lungs, heart, or immune system.

RSV is highly contagious, and can be spread through droplets containing the virus when a person coughs or sneezes. The virus can also live on surfaces such as countertops or doorknobs, and on hands and clothing. RSV can be easily spread when a person touches an object or surface contaminated with the virus. The infection can spread rapidly through schools and child-care centers. Infants often get it when older kids carry the virus home from school and pass it to them. Almost all kids are infected with RSV at least once by the time they are 2 years old.

RSV infections often occur in epidemics that last from late fall through early spring. Respiratory illness caused by RSV — such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia — usually lasts about a week, but some cases may last several weeks. Doctors typically diagnose RSV by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam. Generally, in healthy kids, it's not necessary to distinguish RSV from a common cold. But in cases where a child has other health conditions, a doctor might want to make a specific diagnosis. RSV is typically identified in nasal secretions, which can be collected either with a cotton swab or by suction through a bulb syringe.

Preventing RSV
Because RSV can be easily spread by touching people or surfaces that are infected, frequent handwashing can go a long way toward preventing the virus from spreading around a household. It's best to wash your hands after having any contact with someone who has any cold symptoms. And keep your school-age child with a cold away from younger siblings — particularly infants — until the symptoms pass.

Treating RSV
Fortunately, most cases of RSV are mild and require no specific treatment from doctors. Antibiotics aren't used because RSV is a virus and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Medication may sometimes be given to help open airways.

In an infant, however, an RSV infection can be more serious and may require hospitalization so that the baby can be watched closely, receive fluids, and, if necessary, be treated for breathing problems.

At home, make a child with an RSV infection as comfortable as possible, allow time for recovery, and provide plenty of fluids. The last part can be tricky, however, because babies may not feel like drinking. In that case, offer fluids in small amounts at more frequent intervals than usual.

To help your child breathe easier, use a cool-mist vaporizer during the winter months to keep the air moist — winter air can dry out airways and make the mucus stickier. Avoid hot-water and steam humidifiers, which can be hazardous and can cause scalding. If you use a cool-mist humidifier, clean it daily with household bleach to discourage mold.

If your child is uncomfortable and too young to blow his or her own nose, use a nasal aspirator (or bulb syringe) to remove sticky nasal fluids.

Treat fever using a nonaspirin fever medicine like acetaminophen. Aspirin should NOT be used in children with viral illnesses since its use in such cases has been associated with Reye syndrome, a life-threatening illness.

When to Call the Doctor
Call the doctor if your child has any of these symptoms:

high fever with ill appearance
thick nasal discharge that is yellow, green, or gray
worsening cough or cough that produces yellow, green, or gray mucus
Call also if you think your child might be dehydrated.

In infants, besides the symptoms already mentioned, call the doctor if your baby is unusually irritable or inactive, or refuses to breastfeed or bottle-feed.

Seek immediate medical help if you feel your child is having difficulty breathing or is breathing very rapidly, is lethargic, or if his or her lips or fingernails appear blue.