Child Care
Hi, just wondering if anyone has anything to share about childcare for thier preemie. I took Maternity leave for a year, and was planning on going back to work, but our Neonatologist said that my son should not be around other children yet (He's a former 24 weeker with severe chronic lung disease) So I took a leave of absence from work and stayed home with him another year. We have been in isolation for the two cold and flu seasons that he's been here (September- April) and he's still getting RSV shots- (but this will be discontinued next year) I know that he needs to socialize, but both the doctors and I felt that the risks and complications of him getting sick were too great last year. He needs meds for GERD and is currently on two nebulizer treatments a day ( hopefully we will reduce it to one come April) That being said he will be two this june (20 months corrected) and he should be able to be around other children - as long as they are not sick. I am fearful of putting him in daycare or home childcare because of the germs, and his meds, but he needs to be around kids too. I might just quit my job and stay home with him if he has signifacant delays ( he is now showing some slight delays in speech), but I do love my job. Has anyone ever been in this type of situation? Any suggestions? i'm torn.
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Re: Child Care
I understand your dilemma. I too went through the same scenario. What I ended up resorting to was staying home and enrolling my son into a part time morning nursery. He would attend every other morning and alternate Fridays. He managed to bring home every little cough and sniffle that was out there but in the long run it did strengthen his immunity.
I empathize with your situation and understand how hard it is to choose, but go with what your gut tells you. We were dealing with developmental delays and behavioural issues more than medical. Our tolerance was tested by the nursery but I still believe it was the best decision for our situation.
Two very strong suggestions I would have is to enroll in either an Ontario Early Years program which you can find through http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/earlychildhood/oeyc/index.aspx. They have a lot of variety and programs available and even some drop in programs you can use for peer integration.
The other suggestion I have is a Kindermusik program in your area. These are wonderful programs created specifically for the appropriate age groups. This would give you the opportunity to have play and therapy time with appropriately aged peers with much less tactile interaction with the other children since the parents participate in the class. You can find a class close to you by going on the Kindermusik website.
I hope some of this helps. Good luck.
chld care
We also went through something similar with our son, but finacially could not afford to take any more time off work. We enrolled him in a home day care and it was the best thing we could have done. He gets socialization with a few other children with a very caring family. I liked the idea of a home daycare because instead of dealing with many, many children, there are only a few. Plus, my son needed two surgeries in his first year at daycare and the mother who watches him was able to give him the time and attention he needed to recover and I wasn't sure he would get the same treatment in a typical daycare setting.
Hope this helps. In the end, I think you need to do what is best for you and your family situation.
Jenn
Thank You
Thank You both for helping me with my desicion. After talking to my son's neonatologist. I have decided to quit my job. He is still unable to attend a daycare, even a homedaycare, as his lung disease is quite severe. He is also showing some developmental/speech delays, so being a Behavioural Therapist, I feel my skills would be best used to help my son. Financially it will be hard, but we will make it work. Does anyone know of any tax rebates or anything that we may be eligible for? considering that at this time he is developmentaly delayed, as well as medically fragile?(unable to be in daycare) Thanks. Carmen