Child Care: When to Keep Your Child at Home
Topic Overview
Your child should not attend child care if he or she is too ill to
participate in the regular program activities or requires more care than staff
members are able to provide. Talk to your doctor before allowing your child who has
been ill to attend group care. Get assurance that the condition is not
contagious or serious.
Keep your child at home when he or she has the following symptoms or
conditions:1
- Fever, irritability, lack of energy, trouble breathing,
persistent crying, rash with fever or behavioral change, or other signs of
severe illness
- Diarrhea or stools that contain blood or
mucus
- Belly pain for 2 or more hours
- Vomiting two or more times within the past 24 hours
(unless it is from a noncontagious disease and the child is not at risk for
dehydration)
- Mouth sores (until they are crusted and dry)
Keep a child who has been diagnosed with any of the following diseases out of
group care until a doctor tells you it is safe:1
Immunizing your child can help prevent some of these
diseases as well as others not listed.
References
Citations
- American Academy of Pediatrics (2009). Children in out-of-home child care. In LK Pickering et al., eds., Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, 28th ed., pp. 124–140. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
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| Last Revised | September 14, 2012 |
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Last Revised:
September 14, 2012
American Academy of Pediatrics (2009). Children in out-of-home child care. In LK Pickering et al., eds., Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, 28th ed., pp. 124–140. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
