Day Care: Too Many Kids Being Kept Home

How sick should a child be for a parent to keep him or her home from day care?

A new study in the journal Pediatrics tried to find out if parents are making the right decisions, based on official medical guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It found parents apparently playing it too safe, even though most weren't even aware of the guidelines. In general, six of seven kids kept home could have been sent.

Dr. Karen Hopkins, a professor of pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine, discussed the study on The Early Show Monday.

To see the study, click here.

Dr. Hopkins told co-anchor Rene Syler the study results surprised her.

"People tend to think that more parents send their sick children into day care because they need to get to work," Dr. Hopkins said. "But, actually, parents are keeping more children at home than sending them in.

"The study said that, although these guidelines have been out for the past 10 years, pediatricians, child care providers, that is, day care providers and parents were not that familiar with them. But, when they looked at their practices, they tended to follow the guidelines, maybe by using their common sense."

In general, the guidelines say a youngster should be kept home if the temperature is above 100 degrees. In addition, if the child has a very low energy level or vomits more than twice within a three- or four-hour period or is crying and irritable, he or she should be kept at home.

During the segment, some incorrect information was given about the guideline on diarrhea.

In an e-mail, Dr. Kristen Copeland, asssistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the study's lead investigator, told CBS News, "Children, especially children still in diapers, who develop diarrhea must be sent home immediately. ... Allowing children to attend child care when they have diarrhea is potentially very serious, and can lead to the spread of potentially very serious diseases that can cause dehydration and even death in the most severe (allbeit rare) cases."

Dr. Copeland also e-mailed a clarification on the conjunctivitis guideline.

Dr. Copeland e-mailed that, "Clear eye discharge and itchy eyes are symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, which is not a reason to exclude (children from daycare). The hallmark of bacterial conjunctivitis is thick yellow discharge. The guidelines state that exclusion in warranted for bacterial conjunctivitis only. Bacterial conjunctivitis can follow allergic conjunctivitis, but not usually. Also, conjunctivitis is not as contagious as most people think. Certainly no more contagious than the common cold. These are all common misperceptions."