Protecting Southlake Kids from Unauthorized Medication and Drugging Incidents at Daycare Centers

Why Would a Caregiver Give My Child Melatonin or Sleeping Aids at Daycare?

It sounds unbelievable, but our legal team is experiencing a spike in calls from parents in Southlake and beyond who are concerned about caregivers using Benadryl, sleep aid stickers, or melatonin gummies to make it easier to control the children in their care.

When daycare centers in Southlake operate out of ratio—that is, exceeding the mandated child-to-caregiver ratios outlined in Texas childcare laws, also known as the minimum standards—this leaves a single caregiver responsible for too many children. And it fosters a chaotic environment that increases stress levels for a caregiver who may just want peace and quiet. They may view an over-the-counter melatonin gummy or sleep aid as a harmless way to get a room full of toddlers to nap at the same time.

This is also the case when caregivers at Southlake daycare centers give children medication for an unintended purpose. For example, Benadryl can be helpful for a child with seasonal allergies. But negligent and unqualified caregivers administer this over-the-counter medication with the intention to be a sleep aid. (Something the medicine’s label clearly states not to do.)

The problem: You didn't consent to this.

The minimum standards are strict regarding both over-the-counter and prescription medications. Parents must give a daycare center permission. (Read more about daycare medication rules in this article.) For example, melatonin is a hormone, and medical experts warn that unregulated use can affect a child’s sleep cycles and development. Even worse, gummies look like candy, making them attractive to a child who can find them and ingest a dangerous amount if the gummies are left unsecured in a daycare classroom.

What Happens If a Caregiver Brings a Vape Pen or Drugs into a Daycare Classroom?

This is one of the most terrifying risks in modern childcare. Our team of daycare injury lawyers has advocated for families after infants tested positive for THC because a caregiver was smoking a vape pen inside the classroom. In one instance, a toddler accessed and inhaled a caregiver’s vape pen, and inhaled the dangerous chemicals.

The lungs of infants and toddlers are incredibly sensitive. If a teacher is vaping THC or nicotine near a child, they are forcing the child to inhale these chemicals, which can cause lethargy, respiratory issues, and heart disease.

Edible THC products are also a safety concern at daycare centers in Southlake. These drugs look identical to regular candy in the eyes of a toddler or young child. Kids can easily ingest the substances when caregivers bring them into a daycare center and leave them in an accessible purse or on a low shelf. These drugs can cause breathing problems, hallucinations, and increased anxiety in young children, hospitalizing 23% of children who ingest them, per the American Academy of Pediatrics.

What If My Child Receives the Incorrect Medication Dosage at a Daycare in Southlake?

Even with approved medications, daycare negligence can be deadly. As we previously stated, the minimum standards require a daycare center to have your written permission to administer any medication, even over-the-counter brands like Tylenol or Benadryl, to your child.

Without proper training, a caregiver might give a toddler an adult dose or a double dose of an approved medication because they didn't check the medication log. This safety failure can lead to a child visiting a local emergency room, such as Methodist Southlake Medical Center or Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Southlake, for overdoses.

When these incidents happen at daycare centers in Southlake, they are dangerous and illegal. 

How Can I Hold a Southlake Daycare Center Accountable for Drugging My Child?

If your child is involved in a drugging incident at a daycare center in Southlake, the minimum standards call this a breach of duty. This means you paid the daycare center to keep your child safe and protect them from getting harmed, and the center failed you.

In legal terms, we call this negligence because your child’s injury or suffering was easily preventable. The daycare center did not comply with the minimum standards, and your child was harmed.

You have a legal right to file a daycare injury lawsuit to hold the center accountable for failing you and your child. Taking legal action is one way for you to receive damages for your child and family who suffered because of the Southlake daycare center’s failures. Damages include:

• A child experiencing a loss of enjoyment after the daycare drugging incident
• Out-of-pocket medical expenses for your child’s initial and long-term medical treatments as a result of the drugging incident
• Pain and suffering for the child and family
• Costs for play therapy and other long-term resources that help your child process the traumatic experience in a healthy way

Because drugs like THC are illegal, you may also contact the Southlake Police Department to make specific caregivers answer for bringing prohibited substances into the daycare center and exposing your child to the harmful substances. This would result in a separate criminal investigation. Get additional insight into that part of the process in this article.

Do not navigate this tough and overwhelming daycare drugging incident alone. Contact us for a free case evaluation by calling 214-699-4409 or emailing us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to speak with you or get started on your case. Our daycare injury lawyers in Southlake are ready to listen and advise you on the best path forward for your family.