YMCA childcare and vaccines?

[rachieface]

Hi wise mommas,
We just became Y members today, and I'd love to be able to send my 6 month old to the childcare while I work out. I picked up the forms I need to fill out for him to go, and they ask if his immunizations are current. He is completely unvaxed... is that going to cause any problems? Anyone else out there dealt with the YMCA daycare on this? I'm just curious. FYI, this is the Metro Chicago Y.
Thanks!
Rach

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by rachieface

Hi wise mommas,
We just became Y members today, and I'd love to be able to send my 6 month old to the childcare while I work out. I picked up the forms I need to fill out for him to go, and they ask if his immunizations are current. He is completely unvaxed... is that going to cause any problems? Anyone else out there dealt with the YMCA daycare on this? I'm just curious. FYI, this is the Metro Chicago Y.
Thanks!
Rach

I just turned in an exemption letter - DH works for our local Y and DD went through the preschool, drop in, Gymnastics and Swim programs without a problem.

[oaksie68]

Huh. I don't recall my Y having me fill out any paperwork that asked questions about vax status. Maybe my husband filled out paperwork when he joined (wasn't with him).

My 2 year old goes to childcare 2-3 times per week (when I work out).

[rachieface]

Uhg, I'm new to all this and I don't even know what is involved with an exemption letter. I do know that we only can get religious and medical exemptions in IL. Hmmmm....maybe I'll just turn it in and hope they don't care that I check "no" in the little box? Or maybe I tell a white lie? I don't want to have to deal with all of this.

[amydidit]

My DD2 goes to the YMCA daycare after school and I just told them we take the religious excemption. They had a form I had to sign on the back indicating which exemption we were taking. For the drop in care though they've never asked. But I would imagine they should have the forms on hand if it's a big deal for them.

[wholewheatchick]

Oooh good to know! At this point, I plan on using the childcare at the Y starting in Mar/Apr, and although we are still talking about vaccinations, I know that DC won't be remotely up to date at 3 or 4 months.

[cristeen]

The Y here didnt ask for anything re:vax.

[13Sandals]

Originally Posted by rachieface

Hi wise mommas,
We just became Y members today, and I'd love to be able to send my 6 month old to the childcare while I work out. I picked up the forms I need to fill out for him to go, and they ask if his immunizations are current. He is completely unvaxed... is that going to cause any problems? Anyone else out there dealt with the YMCA daycare on this? I'm just curious. FYI, this is the Metro Chicago Y.
Thanks!
Rach

Hey Mama,
I don't have specific IL experience...if the YMCA takes ANY state funds (and I'm almost sure they do - but check) they have to accept the state exemptions. Looks like religious would be the way to go - doesn't have to be a known religion, but the beliefs have to be outlined:

"Parents who object to health examinations or any part thereof, or to immunizations, on religious grounds shall not be required to submit their children or wards to the examinations or immunizations to which they so object if such parents or legal guardians present to the appropriate local school authority a signed statement of objection, detailing the grounds for the objection."

Hopefully some IL moms can chime in on how their religious exemptions were received. I would get your statement notarized and hand it in. If they question, you can say, "Are you questioning my constitutional right to religious freedom?"

If you want someone to look over a draft, feel free to PM me. I had to write one in NYC, which is tough, but they never called me in for further questioning.

Good luck!

[just_lily]

If it is just a yes/no check box question and they don't ask for records, I would be really tempted to just check "yes". After all, she is up to date as per your schedule.

Not the most honest thing ever, but I just don't have the energy to argue with people anymore.

[amydidit]

That could be potentially dangerous though. If the child does experience an emergency while in their care and is taken to the ER they will be under the impression that the child is fully vaccinated. And what if the problem is something that was vaccine preventable but they overlook it due the falsification of the vax record?

[Kristine233]

What they ask for will depend on how how the program is run. Our YMCA preschool program is state liscensed, thus they have to have the vax info on file for each child. Of course the parents can sign the portion for the exemption instead. Our childwatch and school-age care programs are liscense exempt programs and no vax info is even put on file or asked for, only basic registration. So it depends on your state and how the program is run. YMCA is non-profit, they accept funding from many many sources as a previous poster stated, if your state has vax-exempt laws just go by those. Our schools just require a notary to signoff on us signing the exempt portion of the vax schedule and thats it, I've never had an issue in any of the programs. Hope that helps.

[rachieface]

Well, good news! I took baby for the first time today, and the lady there just briefly looked over his paperwork and said "This looks good!" and he got to go play. So hopefully that will be the end of it, although I doubt she even noticed the tiny box where I checked "no". We'll see what happens in the future, but for now he's set!

[just_lily]

Originally Posted by amydidit

That could be potentially dangerous though. If the child does experience an emergency while in their care and is taken to the ER they will be under the impression that the child is fully vaccinated. And what if the problem is something that was vaccine preventable but they overlook it due the falsification of the vax record?

I am trying to figure out how this would work..

This is a gym childcare, so the parent would be in the building. And it would only be for a couple of hours at a time.

Please explain to me a scenario where a child would be rushed to the ER for a VAD without the parent's knowledge or presence?

I am definitely not advocating lying all the time and in all situations. But in this specific instance? I would be highly tempted to just check "yes".

[amydidit]

Very likely it wouldn't happen. I can't think of a scenario where it would. But I also know it isn't a risk I would be willing to take. Not when it's legal to simply use the exemption (provided you truly do hold that religious belief or live in a state that allows personal exemptions).

Why take a risk when it's not absolutely necessary?

[justmama]

I never had to fill out any paperwork for my kids to go to Child Watch. They've been going since my youngest (she's nearly 3) was 13months and no one ever questioned their vaccination status. And actually, now that I think about it, I had a vax conversation with a Child Watch worker back when dd was about 18months. She doesn't vaccinate her daughter and we got to talking about vaccines and even cloth diapers and organic foods and such. So I'm sure they KNEW dd wasn't vaccinated after that but it was never an issue. My older two have exemptions for school but the Y never asked for anything like that and the baby doesn't have an exemption yet as she's not yet in preschool..

[EviesMom]

My Y didn't ask for anything for childwatch or the child classes. I imagine the Y-run preschool would, though. I think, as someone else mentioned, that if it's a daycare legally or a school legally, then they have to collect info, not just a Yes/No checkbox. If it's a child care/class situation, then they generally don't have to.

Although DDs Zoo Camp needed a full vax form for summer camp. We vax on a delayed schedule such that we're "caught up" by preschool age though, so it was fine for us.

[Fyrestorm]

I spoke to DH about his again last night. The difference in vaccine requirements can also be the result of which Dept. at the Y runs the drop in babysitting program.

In our Y it's run by the membership dept and not subject to state regulations. In Y's where it's run by the childcare/preschool dept. it is subject to the same regulations as daycare.