Daycare Issues - Hazleton,PA

Any daycare is going to be the same. If there are kids, there are germs. The first year will be kind of tough, but after that her immune system should be able to fight off stuff better. I know it's tough when you're a single parent having to take time off work.

Totally normal. The first winter in daycare (any daycare) is the worst. It will get better with summer on the way! Then you'll have a bit of illness next winter, but it won't be as bad as this past winter. Hang in there!

I used to be a kindergarten teacher...the kids who had gone to daycare, NEVER got sick their first year in school...the kids who were new to the multi-kid environment, were sick ALL THE TIME...
It is going to happen, especially since your daughter is young...our son's dr. said his first FULL winter (especially off of breastmilk) was going to be a LONG one because he was going to catch anything and everything when it came to germs.

It is tough to see your child sick. :-( I know - I have been there!! I guarantee her immunity will get built up. No matter where she goes, she will be sick often until the immunity is built up. You can't keep her home, or expect other parents to keep their kids home with just a little cold...do you stay home from work when you have a minor cold? Yes, it is harder for babies to get over such colds, but there are other precautions centers take (washing toys, hands, sanitizing, etc) - but nothing is 100% fool proof.

You could look for an in-home care environment - less kids might be less germs, but again, she will still get sick more often than anyone would like those first few years. :-( Hang in there, Momma! :-)

However, I am concerned when I read that staff are not washing their hands after changing a diaper? THAT is a red flag...and if they are not washing their hands, then they are probably not washing the KIDS' hands (yes, the kids hands should be washed after a diaper change also!!!)...THAT is a concern and I definitely would address that with the staff/director...

You can hire someone to watch your daughter one on one but that is going to be the only way to take care of this. Both of my girls have been in day care since they were babies and this is the way all of my Dr.'s have said it to me because I am always there the first 2 years. They either deal with it now when they are babies and in Day Care, or they get that sick during their first year of school.

You will have to deal with it at some point it is just a matter of when you want to deal with it. My oldest was sick a lot her first 2 years in day care, but now she almost never misses school. This year she is going for perfect attendance, only 6 more weeks to go.

The baby has had a lot of issues, but we figured out part of it was due to a dairy allergy, but she has still been sick a lot. They last few months we have seen a drastic improvement in her, so I think she is starting to build up that immunity.

It all depends on when you want to deal with it, but rest assured you will have to deal with it at some point unless you keep her home all the time.

If you have seen the teachers change babies and not wash their hands that is a huge violation of state regulations! You can file a complaint with the state about this. My advice would be to find a new daycare! You may want to research home daycares in your area. They have less children so less chance of catching a cold, but still get some socialization. My oldest son was in a home daycare until 18 months and it worked out great. My 1 year old is currently in a regular daycare and so far so good. He has had a few colds but nothing major, Don't feel bad about switching daycares, your baby will adjust and it will be better in the long run!

Yep, sounds like my son's daycare. I swear it was nothing but runny noses for most of the winter. I'd have to honestly say, this is exactly what you kind of have to expect. Your child is being exposed to germs, and it's rare that a child would react any other way. Most of the moms I know kind of joke that they're either going to be sick now (while in daycare or preschool) or they're going to be sick in kindergarten. Either way, at some point in their life, they're bodies have to adjust to all the germs this world has.

A number of my friends from college became teachers, and they were repeated told to expect to be sick for most of the first year or two. Schools also seem to have lots of germs, and your bodies just need to adjust.

I know it's really rough right now, especially if you have to miss a lot of work. I think you just need to hang in there. She's going to be just fine.

Wow. sorry to hear you are dealing with this. I have worked in daycare 12 years and still get the stomach bug and bronchitis all the time. Its the nature of daycare where there are many kids. Switching daycares wont stop it because its just the way it is in daycare. For sure, make someone aware of the teachers and handwashing, but i wash my hands all the time in daycare as a teacher and i still get sick and so do the kids. Its the way daycare is.
smaller settings can be better but daycare does have alot of illness.

Have you looked into having a nanny come into your home to watch your daughter? Your daughter would get one on one attention from the nanny. Plus, she wouldn't be around other kids so she wouldn't get sick as much. It might end up being cheaper, or you might be paying the same. I doubt that it would be more expensive. You could pay by the hour, or you could by the day or even by the week. Go onto care.com or sittercity.com and post an ad. You'll find someone who is willing to work for what you are willing to pay.

11 months and at a center...yep it's normal. Our youngest turned 1 in November and we had a rough winter with colds. It gets better as they get older. Our 4 year old is in the same center and only had 1 or 2 this year. And yes, the runny nose is very common.

ANY time you see someone change a diaper and not wash her hands, tell her. You cannot imagine how sick a child can get from a feces-bourne disease. Tell the daycare worker and then go tell the director. Tell her the first time a child ends up in the hospital with a feces-bourne disease, they will close the daycare. Tell her that you are doing her a favor by warning her. She needs to have a meeting with all her workers and lay down the law on handwashing!

Christy is right about having to build immunity, but if you believe that they are not doing what they are saying as far as cleaning is concerned, find another daycare. Sometimes we have to vote with our feet.

I hope things change quickly or that you find a better situation. You cannot imagine how sick your child can get if they don't wash their hands after a dirty diaper.

You know we went through the very same thing when my son was 10 months old and moved into full time daycare. They are really clean there, and even have heated floors with no carpeting. Carpeting is a germfest. He was sniffly all of the time, had hand, foot, mouth a few times (different strands) and pink eye twice. But it was a good place, we could afford it, and I just took as one of those things you have to get through when the going gets tough. Seeing as how your daughter is about the same age as my son was, it seems like it's one of those crappy phases we have to go through.

If you have another daycare that you think you can make work, give it a look if it makes you feel better. I can tell you my son is 4 years old now, at the same daycare, and has had only 1 ear infection, hasn't had a sore throat once, has never vomited, and hasn't really been "sick" in years. (knock wood)

I know it's tough to have to work and not have a lot of control over situations like this. It's like you never get a break, right? You pay for it whether they are there or not. They don't always do what you would do. Your kid gets sick at the worst times, and you are going through a tough time. Take things one step at a time and things will fall into place. I think looking at all of your daycare options might make you feel like you have a little more control over it all. If you find one that you can afford and send her to and her health improves, that's great. If you find this place is your best option, then you can just take it from there.

I have been there, just keep breathing and do your best. It will work out!

xoxo

I was an in-home day care provider for 20 years. What you are describing, unfortantly, is normal. As a provider, I tried very hard to be as sanitary as possible, but...it is impossible to keep the kids that are not sick, away from the ones that are not. Some times, by the time you know a child is coming down with something, he or she, has already spead it to the others! It will get better as your child gets older. They will develope immunites, and will not come down with some thing every time you turn around! One thing that you could do for your child, is boost his immune system with some vitamins. I gave my own children vitamins, and extra vitamin C, and they were not sick near as often as my day care kids were. You can get Vitamin C in chewables, and liquid. Give them some in the morning and evening. You can safely give them double the recommended amount...the recommended amount are very low.
Hang in there...being a single mom is hard, you are doing your best!

Certainly look for another center if you think it would benefit your child. I would be more upset about poor diapering practices than general run of the mill sneezes.

However, I will say that both my daughter and my sister's son got sick at daycare the first year where their immune systems were just learning how to deal with all the germs people get exposed to. When your DD is older, every break (summer, winter, spring) she will likely get sick as kids visit other kids and get new germs to pass around school. YOU will likely get sick, too. You have to decide what is "too much" but unfortunately sick kids when they are young is par for the course.

My son has been in daycare since 7 weeks old. When he first started, he got a pretty good fever once a month for the first 7 months. It has SLOWLY subsided. However, he constantly has had a runny nose since he was born. I've asked the doctor about it and the doctor says that he's not sick, but probably has allergies. I always keep him home if he has a fever for the regulations made by the daycare center (24 hours AFTER the fever stops). So I guess my kid is probably one of the ones your talking about there lol. But, I would say, your probably not gonna get much improvement if you move him to another center. My son started in a in-home daycare and then moved to a center and had this probably from the beginning (so in-home vs. center didn't make a difference). It's just the problem of daycare. If you didn't have her in daycare, she would just have the problems once she starts kindergarten.

It's one thing for children to be exposed to germs to build up immunity, it's another completely when the daycare is not ensuring that basic sanitation requirements are met. That is unacceptable.

I would file a report with the local department of family services (or whoever licenses the daycares there). Ask that they perfom an isnpection.

There are diseases that can be passed through fecal matter which are far worse than just a cold or runny nose. Protect your child.

I think you will find every center having the same issues. It is the time of year a lot of stuff is going around.

You say you are a single mom, I hope if you are working that you are getting child care assistance. The guidelines are pretty good so even if you make really good money you may still qualify for some funds. I had a family of 4 where both parents were each making over $10 per hour and they still only paid $200 per month for their co-pay.

I think giving them another chance is okay. I know there were times when I forgot to sanitize my hands between kids butts. I guess I figured I was touching their hiney's and not their faces or food....I was usually pretty good about washing or using hand sanitize though. The state decided we couldn't use any sanitizers or wipes for our hands though. They contain lotions and stuff that kids might be allergic too.

Talk to the teachers about your concerns. If your child is not going regularly each time they go back they are getting exposed to all new germs and they have not built up any immunity to it.

My suggestion is to look for a small in-home daycare. It sounds like your daughter is currently going to a larger facility type place. She would be exposed to fewer people in a smaller place.

M

try and inhome preschool daycare

www.sachsehomemontessori.com

Is there a smoker in your home? It's possible that she just has a weak immune system. Can you talk to your dr about vitamins and good nutrition for her age, just to build her up so she can resist some of these bugs. Good luck i' hope she gets stronger.

Wow! Last year I started my daughter in daycare at 14 months. I also at that time was a new single mom. And I was constantly leaving work to come pick up my daughter. It was stressful and hard and though I chose the daycare bc it was clean I hated that they were constantly sending her home. This year she hasn't come home once. We haven't missed one day because she was sick. It took about 8 months but now it's great. Ultimately trust your instincts about the daycare. But kids needs consistency and switching daycares means all new people and new germs

My son was 15 months when he started at a daycare center (he was in a home daycare with only 2 other kids) - and let me tell you it was a rough 6 - 9 months. He was sick with everything, general colds, pink eye, stomach bugs, you name it - he probably had it. After about 9 months - things have been great. He has worked up a great little immune system and i can probably recall about 5 times we had to keep him home for being sick - but it's never more than a day and usually it's our choice to give him a day of rest. He barely runs a fever - and when he does catch something - it lingers for only a day at the most. He gets the occasional running nose and has had pink eye once (but I picked it up and gave it to me unfortunately) - but he fights a lot of things off. It's amazing how their little bottles work. We also give him the flu shot every year too (which I believe helps ward of the length of the virus' he may pick up).

If the place is Clean - then I think it's probably safe to leave her but remember it has to get worse before it will get better. If the place is questionable - then I would look elsewhere.

Good Luck