One of the worst feelings a parent can have is when their child is sick, especially when the child is too young to communicate exactly how they’re feeling, where it hurts, etc. Needing child care can complicate things when a child is ill. Parents often don’t like to leave their children when they’re not feeling well, but sometimes they simply can’t stay home. Certain illnesses are contagious, however, and so exposing a caregiver to a contagious child can become an issue. So when is a child too sick for a nanny?
A New England Nanny will provide nannies or babysitters to mildly ill children. “Mildly ill” is interpreted to mean the child:
- does not have an excessively high fever
- has preferably been to a doctor
- is recuperating from an illness such as: cold, ear infection, fever, minor injury, pink eye*, strep throat*, tonsillitis, or intestinal disorder.
*For contagious illnesses that are treatable with medication, the child must be on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours.
For contagious illnesses that are not treated with medication, A New England Nanny has the right to refuse care due to the possibility of spreading the illness to the caregiver, who in turn could spread the illness to other homes/children they may work with. These illnesses include:
- stomach flu
- hand-foot-and-mouth disease
- chicken pox
- measles
- mumps, and others
These are conditions that may warrant care being refused. A caregiver has the right to refuse to stay, if upon arrival, conditions are different that were initially described to the agency’s representatives.
Please contact us at (518) 348-0400 if you have any questions.