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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Son Caught Pink Eye
Unregistered 08:48 PM 03-30-2014
My 3 year old son caught pink eye from a new dcb who on his first day here had it. I suppose he was in the end stages, I noticed his eyes were a little red and dcm said he was just tired from getting to bed so late the night before. When dcb woke up from rest time his eyes were crusted and I knew immediately he wasn't "just tired." He also vomited upon waking. I called dcm and of course she acted clueless saying, "Oh I wonder what's going on with him? He was fine last night, that's so weird." Yeah...right. So she picks him up early and now my son has pink eye today.

What's the protocol on pink eye and daycare? How long do I need to shut down? Most information I have found estimates between 3 and 10 days before it's no longer contagious and I'm pregnant so I've been stressing and disinfecting EVERYTHING as often as I can. Also, part of me is paranoid the bacteria will stick around the house long after the pink eye has cleared up. Ugh. SO stressed!
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MissKrys 03:20 AM 03-31-2014
I just took my preventive health course a couple weekends ago and this is what my book has to say about pink eye:

"No contact until 24 hours after initial treatment has been initiated."

So if the child went to the doctor on Saturday and started treatment, they'd be okay to come back to care by Monday. If it's viral and can't be treated with antibiotics, then they need to wait for however long it takes for it to clear up on its own.

It doesn't make any mention that you need to shut the facility down. But you can pass out an exposure notice so that parents are on the lookout for symptoms in their own child, or they can choose to keep their child home for a few days just in case.

An exposure notice example in my book:


Dear Parents,

On ____________________ your child may have been exposed to the communicable disease or condition that is outlined below. The information provided does not replace talking with your health care provider if your child is ill. If your child has symptoms, please seek diagnosis and treatment from your health care provider.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE/CONDITION

CONJUNCTIVITIS (PINK EYE): A viral of bacterial infection of the eye.

What are the symptoms?: Red or pink, itchy, painful, swollen, watery eye(s). Yellow or green discharge may also be present.

How is it spread?: Touching eyes with hands contaminated by discharge from an infected person's eye or nose.

When do symptoms start?: 24 to 72 hours after exposure to the virus or bacteria.

Need to keep child home?: Yes, if yellow or green discharge is present or child is consistently touching or scratching their eye(s).

Return to school/childcare?: Children may return to school/childcare after 24 hours of treatment. If infection is viral and cannot be treated with antibiotics, the child must remain home until symptoms clear up on their own.
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Cradle2crayons 09:47 AM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My 3 year old son caught pink eye from a new dcb who on his first day here had it. I suppose he was in the end stages, I noticed his eyes were a little red and dcm said he was just tired from getting to bed so late the night before. When dcb woke up from rest time his eyes were crusted and I knew immediately he wasn't "just tired." He also vomited upon waking. I called dcm and of course she acted clueless saying, "Oh I wonder what's going on with him? He was fine last night, that's so weird." Yeah...right. So she picks him up early and now my son has pink eye today.

What's the protocol on pink eye and daycare? How long do I need to shut down? Most information I have found estimates between 3 and 10 days before it's no longer contagious and I'm pregnant so I've been stressing and disinfecting EVERYTHING as often as I can. Also, part of me is paranoid the bacteria will stick around the house long after the pink eye has cleared up. Ugh. SO stressed!
I don't shut down or exclude for just for a diagnosis of pink eye and neither do any of the schools here. It depends on the age, severity, and how well they keep their hands to themselves.

Typically though, exclusion used to be 24 hours after treatment has been started.

I wouldn't think shutting down is the answer. Everyone is now already exposed.
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TwinKristi 10:14 AM 03-31-2014
I agree. Once you start the drops you should be fine within 24hrs. That's assuming it's bacterial. If he was vomiting as well that sounds more viral to me. Did you have DCM take DCB to the dr for treatment before returning?
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KiddieCahoots 11:08 AM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by TwinKristi:
I agree. Once you start the drops you should be fine within 24hrs. That's assuming it's bacterial. If he was vomiting as well that sounds more viral to me. Did you have DCM take DCB to the dr for treatment before returning?
Don't let dcb back in without a doctor's note of clearance first, even with your child having it. Btdt, and replacing your eye make-up isn't cheap!
Fyi... as mentioned, most children's eyes clear up within that first 24 hour, medicated period before consisered non-contagious, but some children will still have slight goopy eyes while on the medication for about a week. I didn't know this....and would continue feaking out thinking the child was still contagious....
And not to sound like I run a dirty child care or anything, but other than pink eye being a nuisance with the contagiousness and disinfecting, it isn't a major health threat. That tid bit helped me relax.....at least a little bit
Hope this helps
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debbiedoeszip 11:18 AM 03-31-2014
Originally Posted by KiddieCahoots:
Don't let dcb back in without a doctor's note of clearance first, even with your child having it. Btdt, and replacing your eye make-up isn't cheap!
Fyi... as mentioned, most children's eyes clear up within that first 24 hour, medicated period before consisered non-contagious, but some children will still have slight goopy eyes while on the medication for about a week. I didn't know this....and would continue feaking out thinking the child was still contagious....
And not to sound like I run a dirty child care or anything, but other than pink eye being a nuisance with the contagiousness and disinfecting, it isn't a major health threat. That tid bit helped me relax.....at least a little bit
Hope this helps
I agree about the seriousness (or lack of it) of pink eye. My DS (now 17) had it a few times as a young child and I think he actually gave it to himself (wiping nose with back of hand, then rubbing eyes with back of hand). Drops cleared it up quickly. I made sure to have him wash his hands more frequently when he had colds or allergies and it kept it from recurring.
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