What Are The Best Care Options For A Sick Child?

If you're like many working parents, you often wind up using all your annual paid time off (PTO) to care for sick children or attend child-related events, leaving little banked for emergencies. In other cases, you could wind up in a jam when faced with a child who can't attend daycare and a pressing deadline or presentation that simply can't be missed. What are your options when your child is too sick to attend school or daycare and you aren't able to miss any additional days of work? Read on to learn more about some of the alternatives to primary daycare that may be available when you need them the most.

Look into "sick kid" facilities

While not all areas have this option, many medium and large cities have special facilities designed only to accept children who are ill with mild but contagious ailments. While these facilities generally charge higher rates than other day cares in the area, they are also staffed to accept last-minute or emergency drop-offs, allowing you to transport a child who has been sent home from his or her primary daycare, or even schedule a day of care for a child who woke up ill in the morning. These day cares are staffed with personnel experienced in sick child care, and will allow your child to rest and recuperate while being carefully monitored.

Set up an arrangement with a neighborhood co-op

In many cases, enlisting a neighbor with a strong immune system and paying a higher-than-normal rate can allow you to head into the office (at least briefly) while knowing your child is in safe and caring hands. If you live in a neighborhood with other working and stay-at-home parents of children in your child's peer group, you could also offer to trade sick kid duties based on your own schedule and availability. For large groups, this can mean providing a day of free babysitting once every couple of months while ensuring that you always have back-up care for your child (provided by other group parents) when needed.

Use telephone and video monitors

If your child is old enough to spend some time unsupervised, you may opt to ask a neighbor or relative to check in once or twice and spend the rest of your time keeping tabs on your child through a secured home video monitor or other device that can allow you to see and communicate in real time. This can ensure that you'll be able to come home (or contact emergency services) immediately if there's a problem, while letting your child rest and recuperate on his or her own schedule. To find out more, speak with a business like Kaye Kare Child Care Center.