Sick kids at daycare

This morning I was dropping my 9 month old off at daycare. In walks one of his classmate’s mothers holding her child (who is probably a month younger than my son) in nothing but a diaper.

She proceeds to tell the worker that her daughter threw up all over herself on the way to daycare, which is unlike her according to the mother. The mother brought her inside to change her, but said “she didn’t have fever” and for the worker to let her know if she needed to come get her. I stood there thinking about the fact that you can have viruses, even stomach viruses, without fever. I could tell the daycare worker wasn’t happy about her leaving her daughter there with other babies.

Personally, due to the fact that there are 8 week old kids in his class, I wouldn’t have even brought my child in. I would have gone back home for the day and tried again tomorrow. It’s not worth the risk of getting other babies sick or my child staying there when he/she feels like garbage. I’m not sure if the child went home sick or not—that worker wasn’t there this afternoon.

What constitutes a “sick” child, in your opinion? Does your child have to have fever for you to keep them out of school/daycare? Or do you send them with a low grade fever or upset stomach and keep an eye on your phone for a phone call telling you to come get them? Would you have said anything to the parent?