Young children get sick again and again. In the morning, your child's nose is running, they're coughing, or they seem unusually tired. As a parent, you're quickly faced with the question: Can my child go to daycare today, or should they stay home instead? When it comes to daycare and sick children, there isn't always the same answer for every situation. What matters is the symptoms, the child's general condition, and the specific daycare's policies.
Can a sick child go to daycare?
Not every symptom automatically means a child can't attend daycare. With a mild cold, for example, a child can often still be fit and active.
The situation is different if the child feels clearly unwell or needs more care during the daycare day than can be provided there. The possibility of infecting other children and staff must also be taken into account.
The guide «KiTa und Krankheit» published by kibesuisse takes into account, among other things, the child's general condition, the risk of infection, and any potential risk to other children or staff.
When should a sick child stay home?
One important indicator is your child's general condition. What matters is whether your child can take part in the normal daycare routine, eat, drink and play, or whether they need a lot of rest and individual care.
If your child's general condition is clearly reduced, they shouldn't go to daycare. For certain contagious illnesses, a temporary exclusion may also be necessary.
It's also important for you as a parent to know your daycare's illness policies. These may include specific guidelines for attendance and for returning after an illness.
What applies in the case of fever, coughing, a runny nose, diarrhoea or vomiting?
Not every symptom automatically means a child has to stay home. What matters is how severe the symptoms are and whether the child can take part in the daycare routine. The recommendations from the Swiss publication «KiTa und Krankheit» by kibesuisse can offer some guidance.
Fever: If your child has a high fever or feels clearly unwell and exhausted, they should stay home. They need rest and recovery time before returning to the daycare routine.
Cough: A mild cough alone isn't necessarily a reason to keep your child home from daycare. However, certain respiratory illnesses, such as bronchiolitis, may call for special precautions.
Runny nose: An ordinary cold with a runny or blocked nose doesn't generally rule out going to daycare. If your child is otherwise fit and can take part in the daily routine, attending is usually fine.
Diarrhoea: If your child has diarrhoea more than twice within twelve hours, they shouldn't go to daycare. Blood in the stool, additional fever, vomiting, or reduced fluid intake are also important warning signs.
Vomiting: If your child vomits more than once within twelve hours, they should stay home. This applies especially if other symptoms, such as fever or diarrhoea, are also present.
When can your child return? For diarrhoea and vomiting, the general guideline is that symptoms should have subsided. Recommendations typically suggest waiting 48 hours. Be sure to also check your daycare's specific illness policy.
What happens if my child gets sick while at daycare?
Of course, symptoms can also appear during the course of the day. How the daycare handles this depends on their internal policies and on the child's condition.
That's why you should be reachable by the daycare and make sure they know who can pick up your child if needed. It's worth clarifying these arrangements right when your child starts at daycare, rather than waiting until the first time they get sick.
What illness policies apply at my daycare?
Each daycare can set its own health and illness policies. That's why the rules for attendance and returning after an illness can vary from one facility to another.
The following questions can be especially helpful for you as a parent:
When does my child need to stay home?
Under what conditions can they return to daycare?
How will I be informed if my child gets sick during the day?
What are the rules regarding medication?
Who needs to be reachable in case of illness?
This way, you'll already know in advance how your daycare handles illness.
What can working parents do if their child is sick?
If a child suddenly has to stay home, organising care can become a real challenge for working parents. It helps to think through possible solutions before the first illness actually happens.
Find out from your employer what options are available in such situations. It can also help to figure out in advance who could step in to look after your child at short notice. That way, you won't have to start organising everything only once your child is already sick.
Sick child and daycare: clarify the policies early on
Illness policies are one of the topics best clarified before care begins. When choosing a daycare, opening hours, staff-to-child ratios, educational approach, and other framework conditions may also be relevant.
With our daycare search, you can find facilities in your region and learn more about what they offer. With the daycare comparison, you can compare different daycares side by side.
Do you have questions about the daycare search or need support? Contact us — we're happy to help.