[Stormster]

DS has Reactive Airway (as I've mentioned before) and sometimes he coughs or sounds wheezy. This is totally different from his colds. When he has colds I NEVER EVER TAKE HIM TO GROUP ACTIVITIES.

Someone complained to the manager of the gym daycare that DS was coughing and her daughter catches colds easily and asked the manager to talk to me. As I stood there defending myself and letting strangers know about DS's health I wondered if I needed to explain it at all?

Part of me wants to get a letter from doc saying if his nose isn't running and he's coughing it is most likely his reactive airway and not a contagious illness but the other part thinks if I say my kids' not sick, he's not sick and people should just trust me!

Also her daughter apparently catches colds VERY easily. Well maybe don't take her to the gym then! I mean the gym is a luxury and it's about to be winter so there are going to be toddler's with runny noses right?

I don't know....I just don't want to have to go around explaining every wheeze and cough to people. It's especially annoying because we miss so many activities to begin with because of his colds and we are extremely aware and considerate. When he coughs to clear his throat it does sound like it could be a respiratory infection so maybe I should just get a little note and keep in my wallet? We are around other children every day. Thanks for your opinion.

[JenC]

E's medical condition is private, you don't have to share it with anyone. I'd probably tell them that it's a non-contagious cough and you can back that up with medical proof if they so desire. I get a little snarky and protective of our kid's history, medical history included!

[aclee]

I agree it's private...Tell them it's non-contageous, and if she's that worried about her child's health, she shouldn't bring her to a gym daycare at all!

Kids can cough for a million reasons, and not all of them are illness. Further E sometimes gets upset there, so any kid that cries could cough as they are calming down you know?

She sounds high strung if you ask me...

[dawnrenee58]

Just say it is Asthma. People get that, and understand that it is not contagious. If they persist, give them the real name and let them worry about it.

[melissa_bear003]

ARRRRGGGGHHHHH

You've just hit on one of my pet peeves. Tattle taling. Seriously, that's what the other mother did. If she was concerned, then she should approach YOU, not be running to the manager.

Sick kids aren't fun. Believe me, I get it. But the reality of it is, viruses are everywhere. Unless you're going to keep the child in a bubble, they're going to come into contact with colds, etc.

I can see both sides of this. I've KNOWN people to send their kids to daycare, school, playgroups with snotty faces and fevers...and other kids with allergies that LOOK like they have a cold. But the appropriate thing to do is talk to the parent...and THEN go to a manager if the situation cannot be resolved.

When I ran a dayhome, I had interviews with parents, and some were just insane One family was VERY offended that I wouldn't take their child when ill. "he'd just lay on the couch..." Uh, no thanks.

[chrisandaaron]

Originally Posted by dawnrenee58

Just say it is Asthma. People get that, and understand that it is not contagious. If they persist, give them the real name and let them worry about it.

This is what I do and it works well. If he is having a particularly bad day, I will tell them when we get there.."His asthma has really kicked up the last couple days, so don't worry if he seems to be coughing a lot, just call me if there is a problem."

[billysmommy]

My daughter IS asthmatic and has reactive airway disease. From October until April (sometimes May) she is a mess. She gets these G-d awful sounding coughs for weeks at a time and has a nasty runny nose. This child produces masive amounts of mucous, LOL.

Just this morning I went in to speak to her teachers about it, because I was afraid of being labeled as one of "them" who sends their child to school sick.

Like you Stormster, I never take my child anywhere when she is "sick".

I'm still hanging onto the hope that "she could outgrow this". At 4 1/2 it isn't likely though.

[aclee]

I 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) saying it's asthma! Nice easy explaination. Course then they might call you and say he's having an