It's 6:45am. Your child woke up with a runny nose and a cough. Daycare drop-off is in an hour. Sound familiar?
If your child is in daycare or preschool, you will face this moment over and over—because kids this age get sick 8–12 times a year. The question is never if, it's what do I do right now.
This guide was created to answer that question clearly, calmly, and without a Google spiral! Written by a board-certified pediatrician with nearly 20 years of experience, it gives you everything you need to make confident decisions when your child wakes up with something new—or when daycare calls.
Inside the guide you’ll find:
A step-by-step "Can They Go Today?" decision flowchart: Walk through your child's symptoms any morning and land on a clear answer.
The only 5 reasons your child actually needs to stay home (Most other symptoms aren't on the list—really!!)
Symptom-by-symptom breakdowns for:
Cough
Fever
Sore throat
Nasal congestion/runny nose
Pinkeye
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Each section includes what the symptom usually means, when your child is okay to attend, and when to stay home. Plus a Pediatrician's Insight with the real advice your 15-minute appointment doesn't always have time for!
Quick reference for common daycare illnesses: RSV, flu, strep, croup, ear infections, Hand Foot & Mouth—what to expect and when they can return.
Virus timelines table: How long each illness typically lasts and when your child can go back
How to talk to daycare: Including a script for mild symptoms and a clear list of when you actually need to pick up.
Your sick season toolkit checklist: What to keep at home and what to send to daycare.
Perfect for:
Parents of kids ages 0–6 in any daycare or preschool setting
Families navigating their first sick season in group care
Anyone who wants a clear, calm answer at 6:45am instead of a Google rabbit hole
Parents who want to stop second-guessing every runny nose
Format: Digital PDF download with instant access after purchase.
Save it to your phone. You will use it more than once.
It's 6:45am. Your child woke up with a runny nose and a cough. Daycare drop-off is in an hour. Sound familiar?
If your child is in daycare or preschool, you will face this moment over and over—because kids this age get sick 8–12 times a year. The question is never if, it's what do I do right now.
This guide was created to answer that question clearly, calmly, and without a Google spiral! Written by a board-certified pediatrician with nearly 20 years of experience, it gives you everything you need to make confident decisions when your child wakes up with something new—or when daycare calls.
Inside the guide you’ll find:
A step-by-step "Can They Go Today?" decision flowchart: Walk through your child's symptoms any morning and land on a clear answer.
The only 5 reasons your child actually needs to stay home (Most other symptoms aren't on the list—really!!)
Symptom-by-symptom breakdowns for:
Cough
Fever
Sore throat
Nasal congestion/runny nose
Pinkeye
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Each section includes what the symptom usually means, when your child is okay to attend, and when to stay home. Plus a Pediatrician's Insight with the real advice your 15-minute appointment doesn't always have time for!
Quick reference for common daycare illnesses: RSV, flu, strep, croup, ear infections, Hand Foot & Mouth—what to expect and when they can return.
Virus timelines table: How long each illness typically lasts and when your child can go back
How to talk to daycare: Including a script for mild symptoms and a clear list of when you actually need to pick up.
Your sick season toolkit checklist: What to keep at home and what to send to daycare.
Perfect for:
Parents of kids ages 0–6 in any daycare or preschool setting
Families navigating their first sick season in group care
Anyone who wants a clear, calm answer at 6:45am instead of a Google rabbit hole
Parents who want to stop second-guessing every runny nose
Format: Digital PDF download with instant access after purchase.
Save it to your phone. You will use it more than once.
