Not sure what to do about daycare "issue"

[hokiegirl82]

So twice in the past month when I've gone to my normal OB visits, 2 different doctors have mentioned getting the TDAP shot, saying that everyone who would be around the baby for extended amounts of time (us, grandparents, daycare workers) should have the TDAP shot - both doctors were very adament about this. So H and I got the shots, my parents have recently had the shots, not sure about my ILs but I'm letting H handle that for now. So today I called the daycare where we put a deposit down in January that he'll start going to in September to ask about employees having their TDAP shots. The director of the daycare says that their employees having the TDAP shot is not required, nor mandated by the state, so she isn't sure if any of her employees have had the shot. I asked if their had been any cases of pertussis in the daycare recently and she said no.

So I'm not sure what to think about this. I feel like we can't just pull our spot from the daycare seeing that we need it in 4 months and the waitlists can be very long here (like 6 months to a year), and I don't know if any of the other daycares in the area are any different as far as requiring employees to have the shot. The only other option is me staying at home instead of coming back to work, but we really don't want to do that right now - we are planning on having me SAH beginning next May but H and I both think I should continue working until then so we can build a nice amount of savings for our next house.

On one hand, I hear the doctor in my ear being so adament about all people being around the baby needing the shot and wanting to pull out of this daycare, and on the other hand, I just can't see pulling him from a nice daycare that we have a secured spot in and trying to find a place where employees have the shot - seems like a long shot in my mind. I'm inclined to keep him at the daycare, but I don't know. Just something else to worry about.

[SJ]

I would absolutely not pull from the DC over this. If she is correct and it is not required/mandated, I can't imagine any other DC giving you a different answer.

The only complaint I might have is that she didn't go to further lengths to find out if her employees have had the shot. Can you ask again more specifically?

[Deleted]

umm I would call back. I am not sure the person you spoke to knows what they are talking about.

[Deleted]

I just did a skim of this www.dss.virginia.gov/files/division/licensing/cdc/intro_page/code_regulations/regulations/standards.pdf

Looks like the workers do not need TDAP. I would call and just verify b/c I would be shocked if that is actually update and it is true they do not need TDAP.

[thatgirl2478]

The first dose of the vaccine is at 2 mo, so your baby would have SOME immunity from that. It does seem a little strange that they wouldn't require that vaccine for day care center workers...

[narockshard]

I wouldn't care. But I'm breezy like that I suppose. I was actually thinking about all the other ways a kid could be harmed (morbid, sorry), and you just can't prevent everything unless you keep your kid in a bubble, you know? Same with ourselves. Every time we get into our cars and drive the chance of getting in a accident or something is so big. I just don't know. So I don't let myself get worked up about that stuff. You do what you can to keep yourself and your kids safe, but there's a point where you have to be reasonable too. This is one of those situations where I would let it go and feel safe that at least your baby will have the shot by the time you take him there.

[anna7602]

May 13, 2014 12:48:31 GMT -5 thatgirl2478 said:

The first dose of the vaccine is at 2 mo, so your baby would have SOME immunity from that. It does seem a little strange that they wouldn't require that vaccine for day care center workers...

I agree with both parts of this. Will your child be starting daycare prior to getting his/her 2-month shots? 

The baby should also get some immunity from you having the shot during pregnancy. At least, that's what my doctor told me when I got the shot last week. 

[hokiegirl82]

May 13, 2014 13:10:58 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

May 13, 2014 12:48:31 GMT -5 thatgirl2478 said:

The first dose of the vaccine is at 2 mo, so your baby would have SOME immunity from that. It does seem a little strange that they wouldn't require that vaccine for day care center workers...

I agree with both parts of this. Will your child be starting daycare prior to getting his/her 2-month shots? 

The baby should also get some immunity from you having the shot during pregnancy. At least, that's what my doctor told me when I got the shot last week. 

He'll be starting daycare at 3 1/2 months old so he should have his first shots by then.

H and I talked about it and we aren't going to pull him from the DC because our options are limited now for how to handle this situation. I am going to bring it up to the daycare director again when I complete his application after he is born.

[ringstrue]

Yeah I would bring it up face to face and mention how your area is in a bad place for the illness and ask if they've thought about asking the staff to get the vax. Maybe you could bluff and say how it could effect your decision to send him there. I don't live in an area where its a present threat so IDK what is typical for daycare centers to worry about, but you would think a center would have more of an official stance or response about the baby care takers and vaccines.

[VillainV]

If it's not mandated by the state, I don't even know how the employer can legally ask employees about whether or not they have had the TDAP shot. I mean, they can "actively encourage" employees, but that's probably it.

[jackie011]

May 14, 2014 14:53:33 GMT -5 VillainV said:

If it's not mandated by the state, I don't even know how the employer can legally ask employees about whether or not they have had the TDAP shot. I mean, they can "actively encourage" employees, but that's probably it.

This- I'm a Pre-K teacher and we share our building with a daycare.  It is not required for workers in our state to have the TDAP vaccine.  We've had one outbreak of pertussis since I started working there, 6 years ago.  At the time, my director encouraged everyone to get the vaccine and even offered financial assistance if that was the reason people hadn't had the shot.  However, as an adult, I think you only need the booster every 10 years or so, so most people have no idea if they have an active booster or not.  I would not pull my child over this, as you will probably encounter this at most other centers, as well.