In this article we're going to discuss one of the most
dangerous things your child can run into at a daycare center, disease.
Let's face it. There are more germs in this world than
we know what to do with and none of us lives in a bubble. So the threat
of disease is always there no matter where we go. Unfortunately, this is
an even worse problem at a daycare center for a number of reasons.
To start with, the number of things a child can run into
at a daycare center are astronomical. A short list includes diarrhea, diphtheria,
foodborne diseases, mumps, measles, chicken pox, and the list goes on and
on. Just pick up a medical dictionary. At a daycare center your child has
a good chance of getting it.
The question is why?
The answer is compounded by several factors. For starters,
most children who go to daycare come from poorer families where both parents
have to work, or even single parent homes. These families don't have the
funds or the medical coverage to get their children properly immunized
against certain childhood diseases. Others simply don't have the money
or time to take their child to the doctor when they catch a cold. Left
untreated, these mild problems soon become more serious problems. With
all these children exposed to each other, the chance of someone passing
along a nasty bug to your kid is pretty great. Many times you will hear
of epidemics breaking out in these centers because of this very problem.
Another factor is that most children who go to daycare
don't get the proper nutrition that they need. This lowers their resistance
to disease because their immune systems aren't as strong as they should
be. Again, this all goes back to the parent not having the funds needed
to properly feed their child.
And finally, the last factor is the daycare center itself.
Many are poorly heated because of funding problems. Also, because of low
salaries it is hard to find qualified caregivers. Most of these people
are working for minimum wage and need the money. So if they get sick, because
many of these places don't have benefits, they have to come to work or
they don't get paid. These workers end up passing along whatever it is
they have to your child.
Unfortunately, there is not really a lot you can do to
protect your child against getting sick while in the care of a daycare
center. The best advice anyone can give is common sense advice. Feed your
child as well as possible given your budget. Make sure your child at least
has had all the standard vaccinations. If your child gets sick, bring him
to the doctor right away. Don't wait until things get worse.
As far as the daycare center itself, try to find one that
has a good track record. Ones that are sufficiently funded have a better
chance of keeping your child well because their workers will have sick
benefits and won't have to come in when not well and the environment itself
will be better since most likely it will at least be properly heated.
No, we don't live in a bubble. But by taking some common
sense measures we can at least give our child the best chance of not coming
home from daycare with some terrible illness.
About the Author. Michael Russell. Your Independent
guide to Child
Care
