Does your preschool/daycare measure kids' temperature before letting them attending?

[moonsky]

I watched the news last week and one of preschools did. One of the teachers stayed at the door to screen. The sick kid would be sent home right away before spreading germs to others. I thought it was such a good idea and hope ours would do the same way. We will find out next week. How is yours? What are your thoughts? Many times, I feel like I can't rely on other parents or their nannies.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, they don't check. I only heard about that happening somewhere nationally at summer camps earlier in the summer b/c of swine flu.

Beth

[deannanb]

it doesn't happen at our school -

we did have to have everyone in the car checked when we took DS to summer camp - while I understand what they did for the H1N1 - I thought it was not necessary.

[ett]

Not here either.

[hbridge]

No, but I vividly remember going to a drop-in type daycare occasionally as a child and they took each child's temperature before each session. I hated it and can still taste the alcohol from the thermometer every time I think about it...

[Laurel]

No, but DD's elementary plans on doing this when/if swine flu becomes widespread.

[Kestrel]

If they take everyone's temp, I would be concerned about how well they clean the thermometers... maybe bring your own???

[moonsky]

If they take everyone's temp, I would be concerned about how well they clean the thermometers... maybe bring your own???


Several friends recommend this one and I have been using it at home.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10038059&search=thermometer&Mo=3&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=thermometer&Ntt=thermometer&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

[mom_hanna]

Several friends recommend this one and I have been using it at home.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10038059&search=thermometer&Mo=3&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=thermometer&Ntt=thermometer&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

My ds' school does check temp as the kids arrive and this is the thermometer they use. they have had 3 confirmed cases of H1N1 at his school. I don't mind. It doesn't take any time to do it and prevents kids with fevers from attending that day.

[amldaley]

Nope - DD's daycare is a Dept of Defense daycare center and they don't do anything like that. They take temps if they feel a baby is hot.

Yeah, and they had cases of Strep and Scarlet Fever last month and Scabies this month. Yep. Scabies. Maybe educating parents on what to look for and how to prevent the spread of illness and infestations might serve better than thermometer checks at the door.

[egoldber]

Maybe educating parents on what to look for and how to prevent the spread of illness and infestations might serve better than thermometer checks at the door.

Actually, I think providing better sick leave policies for parents would be a lot more effective.

[fortato]

I wish a couple of schools I worked in did that.

I can't tell you the number of times that a parent would drop off a child that had "Thrown up only once...so she's ok" and the DC would have a fever soon after being dropped off...OR the parent would give DC Tylenol and still bring them to school.

OR- DC would get a fever, and we'd call the parents, and they miss the call, and we ended up with sick kids in our office for hours.

How great would it be to have them stopped at the door?!!!

[o_mom]

Actually, I think providing better sick leave policies for parents would be a lot more effective.

I agree - as well as more realistic attendence policies. Our district starts action at 7 days missed without a doctor's note. One cold or tummy bug per month and you are easily there. So you are left wondering if you should run to the doctor at every sniffle (wasting money on co-pays and heathcare resources for a child who doesn't need anything but rest) or send them in slightly ill so the school nurse can make the call and have it be 'excused'.

[moonsky]

Nope - DD's daycare is a Dept of Defense daycare center and they don't do anything like that. They take temps if they feel a baby is hot.

Yeah, and they had cases of Strep and Scarlet Fever last month and Scabies this month. Yep. Scabies. Maybe educating parents on what to look for and how to prevent the spread of illness and infestations might serve better than thermometer checks at the door.

I am not sure whether educating parents would help. Some would drop off their kids anyway. Also, some nannies may not follow the instruction.

[egoldber]

Parents know the rules (or most of them do anyway). The problem is people need to work and they need child care. A lot of people are one kid illness away from losing their jobs. When I was a SAHM I would keep my kids home for anything. Now, not so much.

[moonsky]

I wish a couple of schools I worked in did that.

I can't tell you the number of times that a parent would drop off a child that had "Thrown up only once...so she's ok" and the DC would have a fever soon after being dropped off...OR the parent would give DC Tylenol and still bring them to school.

OR- DC would get a fever, and we'd call the parents, and they miss the call, and we ended up with sick kids in our office for hours.

How great would it be to have them stopped at the door?!!!

Do you think the school director would mind if I email or call and ask her on this? Would she mind if I suggest her on having this policy? Honestly, I don't really want to wait till the orientation because the school will start the next day after. It might be too late. I wouldn't mind donating thermometers. We TTC. I try my best not to be sick.

[egoldber]

If your child goes to preschool/daycare, there will be sick kids. Your child will get sick. It happens.

ETA: And there are plenty of illnesses that don't include a fever. And some kids (like mine) seldom get fevers at all even when sick.

[moonsky]

If your child goes to preschool/daycare, there will be sick kids. Your child will get sick. It happens.

ETA: And there are plenty of illnesses that don't include a fever. And some kids (like mine) seldom get fevers at all even when sick.

As pregnant women are at risk for swine flu. I am more concerned about ones with fever in particular.

[bubbaray]

Even if your daycare/PS takes temps at the door, parents who need to work are still gonna send their kids. They will just dose them with Tylenol/Advil (probably Advil, it lasts longer) beforehand.

I have heard of them doing that in China, never in Canada or the US.

[schrocat]

They take the child's temp in Singapore. DS's temp was taken whenever he went to preschool there. There was a thermal scanner at his Chinese playgroup and everybody going into the premises would be scanned. This was for Hand Foot and Mouth outbreaks though.

[brittone2]

Like several PPs, I wish there was more paid parental sick leave in this country. I think it will be interesting to see what happens w/ H1N1 w/ respect to this issue. If we want parents to keep (potentially seriously) sick kids home, we need to set up the structure that allows parents to take time off from work. With so many people teetering on the edge financially, it is going to be hard for many parents (especially those in more blue collar jobs or those who work in fields where "working from home" is not an option) to eat the financial cost of staying home unpaid w/ sick kids. Couple that w/ the fact that it isn't like all kids in a given family are going to be sick at the exact same time...if there is overlap or whatever, it could mean having to figure out how to be home w/ one kid for several days, then another kid for another few days, and then maybe an aging parent for a few days, etc. kwim?

[maestramommy]

I've never heard of that. We have orientation tomorrow at Dora's preschool, I guess I'll find out then.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I wouldn't get much peace of mind from it, btw. Illnesses can be contagious before symptoms appear so unless you become a shut in you are not going to be able to avoid possible contact with illness. Good hand washing habits are always a good idea even if kids check ok at the door, kwim?

Beth

[kijip]

Some jobs have literally no paid time off. Some parents can't afford a single day off without pay, to say nothing of a weeklong flu. Some employers give employees a strike for each unscheduled day off w/o pay and after a certain number, the employee is fired. There is no federal legal requirement for employers to offer ANY paid time off for their own illness or family illness. People may or may not agree that is an acceptable situation, but it undeniably motivates people when making care decisions for their families. If we want people to keep their kids home when they are sick, we need to create a situation in which that is possible. Most employers do offer paid time off for illness, averaging 5-12 days per year. Even the most generous plans could be insufficient for more than 1 serious illness per year. What exactly do we expect 2 earner or single parent family households to do? I could nearly always take the day off if needed when I worked full-time (I never abused that) but many, many families do not have that option. This impacts not just schools but workplaces too, as people tend to show up and spread illness even when they are sick themselves.

[moonsky]

Even if your daycare/PS takes temps at the door, parents who need to work are still gonna send their kids. They will just dose them with Tylenol/Advil (probably Advil, it lasts longer) beforehand.

I have heard of them doing that in China, never in Canada or the US.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/health&id=6999978