What should I do? Calling all moms and Dads....

[emvickrey]

All children are equally important but you have to take care of your child first. I would talk to her parents and suggest they get her to the doctor and inform them that until she is well you can't risk your child's health and can't watch her until this epidemic is over or panademic. What ever they are calling it.

Meanwhile, get your child to the doctor for a check up. I don't know if a blood test can catch it in its first stages or not but it won't hurt. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Good luck, and wash those hands. I would also sanitize my home after she is gone just for a precaution.

My grandson has had a cough for a few months but it is due to allergy. It will soon go away but i'm sure that those that don't know this would be worried and scurry their children away from him. Can't say as I would blame them. Her cough could be something similar. It could just be an allergy.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I agree with you PC. The media grabs a hold of something and runs with it until the next big news story comes along. I'd venture to guess there are way more people who've died of other infectious diseases in Mexico over the same period of time but you don't hear anything about that.

 

[emvickrey]

I guess it is just our own personal opinions on what is worth worrying about and what isn't. This flu hasn't gotten to my area yet but when it does I will definately be worried. I sympothize for those that are having to worry now. Yes there are other sicknesses that are going around. Every year there is somekind of flu that it seems that everybody in the country comes down with. But when people are dying over it, there is need for worry. My grandson, when he gets sick it is usually bad anyway so I feel I have something to worry about when it gets here.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Silkie's Grandma :

Are the girls parents smokers? My step-Grandson's mother has a 3 pack a day habit, that poor child has a horiable smokers cough & CONSTANTLY has a cold or chest congestion. (the mother can't figgure out why!)
It would explain the cold hanging on longer for her & not affecting the other children.

(this post is NOT to offend any smokers out there, I have smoked myself & know the addiction is a powerful one. When I am exposed now, for even a couple hours in a social situation I suffer a headache & stuffy nose for a couple days, it would make sense that the child could be doing the same.)

they dont smoke.

She is progressively getting better. its just been lingering longer than it did in us. I dont put up with colds in my family, I just dont. we get stuffy noses and i immeidately start flushing out noses with saline solution, and we dont snort snot- thats my biggest pet peeve ever BLOW YOUR NOSE. My son is 2.5 years old and as a result never had a cough. We blow our noses, drink water, eat the things our bodies need, and let our bodies get rid of sicknesses.

If I could get this kid to eat something decent while she's here maybe it would be a different story for her, but I cant undo what theyre not willing to follow through themselves. its like this: She had been eating whole grain natural bread for months while here, until one day her mom gave her money to get white bread at the store. Now she insists she hates whole grain bread and wont eat it, and on top of that she doesnt like the snacks I have that she's been eating all along. So now mom sends her with 5 bucks every day which she's allowed to use for cookies and candy. its just stupidity honestly. Children dont know what they like, or whats good for them. Its a very fluid concept at these ages, I cant stand when parents let kids decide what they like and dont like as far as food goes. its unhealthy, obviously.​

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Quote:
Yeah thats exactly my thought. If it werent HERE I wouldnt worry about it. Flu's happen. Its when we end up with the regular flu AND another unrelated strain at the same time that gets me worried. And with this one being the same family as the 1918 pandemic who knows if it'd cause or mutate enough to cause another cytokine storm...

 

[GaDawg]

If you don't won't to keep her and don't need the money, politely tell the parents they need to find someone else to keep her. Then you won't have to worry about it....

 

[SophieLain127]

If you don't like her eating habits let them know that candy and junk food are not allowed in your house. Unfortunately you can't tell others how to raise their kids but you can let them know what is acceptable at your house. Some kids are just sicker then others and there is nothing you can do about it. I've seen kids who eat organic and are on a no sugar diet stay sick for three weeks with a common cold while the kid who lives on fruit snacks and kool-aid get over it in a few days.
Also make a meal menu for what you are having that week and give it to her parents. Let them know if they don't want her eating it then they need to pack her meal for her.

While growing up I had a sitter who fed us nothing but red kool-aid and speghetti-os and I detest both of those items. So my mom packed my lunch and everyone was happier. GL

Talk to the parents.

 

[consdrs]

Quote:
I agree with you PC. The media grabs a hold of something and runs with it until the next big news story comes along. I'd venture to guess there are way more people who've died of other infectious diseases in Mexico over the same period of time but you don't hear anything about that.

I agree! Way too much feather ruffling over this virus.......

From the CDC website:
"it is estimated that, on average, approximately 5% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu, and more than 200,000 persons are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. About 36,000 Americans die on average per year from the complications of flu."

36,000 Americans. That's not world wide. As far as I'm concerned that is a "Pandemic" but no one is calling for the closure of schools, staying out of airplanes or not taking the subway because of the "regular" run of the mill flu that KILLED 36,000 Americans last year.

My name is Connie and I'm addicted to hand sanitizer...

 

[chicks4kids]

Good point about the smokers cough and if the parents smoke.. However, you seem to be really torn over this. Here's some of my suggestions...

1. If you want to keep watching the girl, then talk with the parents about your concerns, that she's always sick, or has sick symptoms and that you were wondering if they had consulted a doctor or not, or if it's allergies, etc.

OR

2. If you can comfortably sit back and say "you know, I don't need to watch this girl" then just tell the parents that you can no longer watch her, that you're too busy and you wish you could, but you just cannot.

If you don't decide soon you will run yourself ragged, end up getting sick yourself, wonder if you got sick from the girl, and be no better off. I just say talk with the parents, then you'll know more, maybe not have the right answers, but it'll give you an idea of what's going on. Give you more of a foundation to make your decision on. Your family comes first. Don't ever forget that.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Thanks guys. Her mom actually just called for another reason and I was able to voice my concerns. We agreed that we need to do whats best for her as far as foods go. Decided that while she's here she wont have access to anything sweet or candy. She's equally as concerned about the whole epidemic here, and is waiting for them to declare that its officially here in our area. They might have recanted their earlier statements that it was in the two counties here- I think they jus thavent been confirmed yet is what the deal is.

I'll talk to her this evening but I think Iam going to leave it as this: Once its officially in the area if she feels comfortable enough with risking her childs health to send her to school then we'll have to find another arrangement for her until things cool down. However if she decides she wants to pull her out of school she can stay here.

That makes me comfortable, and I feel better knowing we're on the same page with our concerns for her health and ours.

*sheew*