Conditions that prevent attending child care

Your child should not attend child care if he or she is too ill to participate in the regular program activities or requires more care than staff members are able to provide. Talk to your doctor before allowing your child who has been ill to attend group care. Get assurance that the condition is not contagious or serious.

Keep your child at home when he or she has the following symptoms or conditions:1

  • Fever, irritability, lack of energy, trouble breathing, persistent crying, rash with fever or behavioural change, or other signs of severe illness
  • Diarrhea or stools that contain blood or mucus
  • E. coli or similar infection
  • Vomiting two or more times within the past 24 hours (unless it is from a non-contagious disease and the child is not at risk for dehydration)
  • Mouth sores with drooling (unless diagnosed as non-infectious)

Keep a child who has been diagnosed with any of the following diseases out of group care until a doctor tells you it is safe:1

Immunizing your child can help prevent some of these diseases, as well as others not listed.



Author: Douglas Dana
Debby Golonka, MPH
Last Updated: February 21, 2007
Medical Review: Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine

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