I called CPS yesterday :( ~~WEIRD UPDATE POST 103~~ - Page 4

[*MamaJen*]

Thanks for calling. I hope if I'm ever in a situation where a child needs me to stand up for them, I'll do the same thing.
Keep us posted.

[Shiloh]

thanks for calling.

My son's eczema is this bad.
He is four now.
We do the bleach baths and they help a bit but he's a head to toe rash, itchy, oozing, infected little dude. I am very on top of his eczema, he's creamed, he wears white cotton gloves to bed, black cotton gloves at school and gardening gloves outside. This only controls a bit of it. Now even with a set routine and everything we do he still ends up with staph infections, molluscm, and now the poor little guy has developed infections under his fingernails (from scratching and the skin going so far under)

We've done every elimination diet.
We've had him tested for every allergy (His allergist was blown away the kid has no allergies, before he gave him the tests he gave me the I bet he's severely allergic to something/peanut/epi pen chat...)

Bandaging is often not that helpful as it can bring about more infection and yeast. (and they are not going to change her dressings) If she comes in with her sock stuck - soak them off. they bleed into them and the scab forms on the sock. Vaseline them and put a fresh pair on if you can. Also you might want to try two layers of clothing its harder to rub with two on.

Learning to control eczema is a hard process, its a constant up hill battle. People are always giving advice, horrible looks and nothing seems to work long term. If you can do anything people have suggested such as diluted bleach baths at the daycare, vaseline, do it. And hopefully the parents will either get on board or CPS can find someone who can give that child a little more attention.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

If you can do anything people have suggested such as diluted bleach baths at the daycare, vaseline, do it. And hopefully the parents will either get on board or CPS can find someone who can give that child a little more attention.

And herein lies the problem- laws mandate I do NOTHING medical with the child without a signed slip from the parents. Bleach baths? No way in h*ll would that be approved (by the parents or director... way too much liability). We had been doing vaseline but that too was taken away. We have some at the daycare and could use it, but- again- we can't do anything medical without a signed slip from the parents. Yes, even vasaline. Even diaper cream. We thought about soaking the socks off yesterday but she doesn't have any spare ones at the daycare

[rainbowmoon]

I am simply appalled about the socks! I would have called CPS again and again until they DO something. This is beyond excusable. Obviously the situation is not being remedied. What is the matter with your director that she is not on the phone with the parents or CPS herself? :

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by rainbowmoon

What is the matter with your director that she is not on the phone with the parents or CPS herself? :

To be honest- she could be. I certainly don't know whom she talks to and why. I'm just the little man in this picture. She could be in communication with CPS and not telling anyone, just as I am. I don't think it's right to turn this into a "what's the matter with the director" when none of us knows what, if anything, she's been doing.

I also know that treatments are not a miracle and don't work instantly (as others in this thread who have kids with eczema have pointed out). For that reason- I will continue to watch her over the next couple days and see if she's getting any better. If not, I'll certainly make another call.

[rainbowmoon]

Yeah I guess, but that sounds pretty extreme and not at all like it's being addressed if her socks are stuck to her feet! ugh! That poor little girl!

[Shiloh]

I think you have to speak to your director.
Leaving a kid "attached" to their socks is so sad, could she maybe see a way to get some extra clothing. (I WILL MAIL SOME SOCKS Or springing for some vaseline. Maybe she could have a meeting or speak to the grandmother to get some permission....
Maybe the director doesn't really see it every day.

The director should have called CPS, you need to ask why she isn't doing that. A kid with sores so bad they are part of their own socks...crap give us your CPS office and we will all start writing letters (kidding of course).

Maybe even call 911.
I mean how are you or the director to know if she hasn't reached the septic point? Infection can get in any way.

And so quickly
I remember once playing with my friend at the park and her kids and my son was in shorts - legs fine. She is a GP so I am sure we'd have both noticed if there was something odd. Got home changed out of play clothes nothing. After dinner I got ready to give him a bath - took off his pants and I started to cry. He was a big oozing, pus filled mess on his legs about 4 inches by six inches. I took him straight to emerg got him oral antibiotics and the wound assessed and addressed. It was less than 4 hours from fine to disaster.

Or maybe look beyond CPS, maybe public health can help you out.

The parents seem so who cares maybe getting the director to draw up a letter to treat with over the counter stuff, vaseline, polysporin, etc. Someone might sign it on their way out the door. Does your director have a director?

[Juvysen]

My friend's daughter has really bad eczema and found that zinc sunscreen worked WONDERS for it. Just a thought. I know you can't do it, but maybe mention it to the grandma?

Good luck with this. Such a difficult situation you're in.

[Shiloh]

actually aren't you required to put on sunscreen?
That might be an end run around putting some cream on.

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

actually aren't you required to put on sunscreen?
That might be an end run around putting some cream on.

I know for us, sunscreen also requires a medical note......and each child has to have their own labeled bottle.

[vegemamato]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

actually aren't you required to put on sunscreen?
That might be an end run around putting some cream on.

This is a very slippery slope.

I would prefer to KNOW what is on my child's body- and there are some things that I would not be ok with. I would be very careful about 'sneaking' anything onto any child in your care, yk?

(fwiw, we recently pulled my daughter out of school because her teachers thought it would be ok to give her animal products, which we don't use. I was livid, and shocked. Def not the same situation, but who's to say that the teachers didn't think they were 'saving' my dd from our way of eating, yk? There are reasons we need to get/give permission.)

[MeepyCat]

Oh dear.

My DCP has spare clothes for babies in case of emergency - I have occasionally picked my son up to find him wearing a completely unfamiliar outfit (and had the DCP hand me a plastic bag full of the reasons why), but unless the center is willing to outfit this baby, I'm not sure I would recommend it in this case. You'll never see those clothes again. And if she's got open sores, she can't just hang around sockless.

I know it can take a while to see anything happen, even when CPS is involved. It makes sense for you to bring up these concerns with the director - you're worried, you want to make sure she's aware and ask if she has any suggestions for handling the parents (more food! please!).

I wouldn't go the sunscreen route - it might not help, and there is that medical treatment thing.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

actually aren't you required to put on sunscreen?
That might be an end run around putting some cream on.

We are required to put on sunscreen when we go outside IF we have a signed permission slip AND a bottle of sunscreen (labeled) that the parents have provided. I'll give you one guess as to whether they've provided sunscreen....

Another small update.... it appears that the call did some good. The grandma dropped off/picked up the baby again today, which to me indicates she is playing a much bigger role in the care of the baby (if not has the baby in her care completely). Long complicated story with the older brother but the short version is CPS is already involved in this family because when the older brother was a baby he was taken away from the parents. CPS gave him to the grandparents. Which explains why the grandparents always drop off/pick up the older brother but not the baby girl. Anyway, the grandma said the baby won't be in tomorrow morning because she's taking her to the doctor (woo!!!!). I will be there when the baby gets there in the afternoon so I'll ask if there's anything we can do to help the baby

[kimiij]

Really glad the babe is going to the doctor!

[kirstenb]

I'm so glad the baby will be going to the doctor tomorrow.

[Ceinwen]

Originally Posted by StephandOwen

And herein lies the problem- laws mandate I do NOTHING medical with the child without a signed slip from the parents. Bleach baths? No way in h*ll would that be approved (by the parents or director... way too much liability). We had been doing vaseline but that too was taken away. We have some at the daycare and could use it, but- again- we can't do anything medical without a signed slip from the parents. Yes, even vasaline. Even diaper cream. We thought about soaking the socks off yesterday but she doesn't have any spare ones at the daycare

Following the whole thread (I'm proud of you Steph! ) and I had to comment on the whole 'not even diaper cream' issues. I absolutely know it varies state to state and province to province, but my dd2 (who is seventeen months) is in a licensed center daycare and they're allowed to apply anything the parents bring in. If it's a prescription it has to be in the original container and we have to sign something, but the DCP can use bum cream, lotions, powders, Vaseline, whatever we want. I find it really odd you can't even use bum cream - that's so generic!

[Ceinwen]

Originally Posted by moondiapers

I know for us, sunscreen also requires a medical note......and each child has to have their own labeled bottle.

At our daycare, you have to sign a waiver, but all the kids use the same (it's some kind of natural sunscreen from the HFS) sunscreen from a huge bottle. How would you get a medical note for sunscreen anyway?

[Genesis]

Thank you so much for calling.

I am so glad that she is going to the doctor and seems to be in her grandma's care more!

[tm2840]

Originally Posted by Ceinwen

At our daycare, you have to sign a waiver, but all the kids use the same (it's some kind of natural sunscreen from the HFS) sunscreen from a huge bottle. How would you get a medical note for sunscreen anyway?

Maryland (a notoriously "legal" state) has specific and different forms/regs for both OTC and prescription meds - and strangely, in some ways, the "rules" for OTC (including sunscreen) are more strict than for the prescription. I guess it kind of make sense; if you have a current prescription (with medicine specifics and dosages listed on the box/label) that was written by that child's doctor you can be fairly certain that everyone has been looking to the best interest of the child and are in communication about the safest/healthiest thing to do.

Totally OT - sorry! Just had to chime in.

[MLA]

My heart hurts for that poor little baby. Trembling during diaper changes? OMG. Just terrible.

I'm so glad that her grandmother's taking a larger roll and that she's going to the doctor. My DS is 8 months old, and I just can't imagine . . .