Care of mildly ill children enrolled in day-care centers: management by parents and by trained home workers.

Because child day-care regulations exclude ill children, parents are frequently faced with problems in finding an alternative care arrangement. This pilot study compares home care of mildly ill children by parents (46 preschool children) with care by trained home workers (23 preschool children) during 20 weeks in 1977. Episodes of illness in children cared for by trained home workers showed a slightly shorter duration (median 3.0 days, range 2 to 11 days versus median 5.2 days, range 2 to 14 days) and a less severe course (fewer and milder signs of illness) when compared with episodes of illness in children cared for by parents. Other selected activities involved in the management of the mildly ill children were comparable. Although larger studies are needed, it appears that if parents desire an alternative care arrangement for their children during mild illness, care by a trained home worker may be convenient and safe.