United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Does anyone send their BPI child to a daycare where there are lots of other kids?

Since I had to go back to work full-time, we decided to hire a nanny, but recently I have been thinking about a daycare setting.

Any suggestions or thoughts???

I send both of my children to a home daycare while I'm at work during the week. My son Logan is 4 months old and ROBPI, so I don't know if I can be of any help with any questions you have, but I'll tell you how it works for us. Any information we receive from our doctors or therapist we pass on to our daycare provider so that she can work with Logan while he's there. She does range of motion exercises with him during the day and works on whatever skills we need to focus on (tummy time, reaching and grasping, etc.) It's difficult not being there during the day to see what he's doing, but he's been making great progress and I feel comfortable that he's in good hands. (Of course, my son is still very young, so we haven't had many challenges to deal with yet.) If you're considering daycare, I would just make sure that the daycare provider is experienced and willing to work with you.

Crystal

My son is 6 now, but he went to both a home daycare and a daycare center....both were great, but I put alot of computer time in typing up information and printing information up for them so they would understand the seriousness of the injury. I had a great experience and would do it again if I had to. The important thing I think is teaching them the way to pick up your child...if needed. Also, to teach the teacher to impress upon the kids that they cannot pull or tug on the arm. I put stop signs on my sons shirt sleeves(RIGHT ARM OF COURSE SINCE HE IS RIGHT OBPI)For the first month or two he was in DAYCARE. That way anytime anyone looked at his sleeve they would remember not to pull that arm and the kids really grabbed onto that quick...he was 4 at the time.

I sent both of my children to daycare/preschool because I needed help and they were highly recommended. They were wonderful with helping my daughter with therapy and open to my suggestions on how to handle her daily activities, etc.
It also helped her gain great friendships that carried on when she went to elementary school. She is now 8 years old and has many of the same peers as she did in preschool/daycare. She is well liked by all of them and since they basically grew up together with her injury and through her surgeries, they accept that without any problem.

Check around and ask people you trust that have their kids in daycare about it...or ask the daycares for recommendations from parents.

Good luck!
Peggy