Our girls were in daycare before they were diagnosed, and it was a larger, "institutional" one, but a very good one. They did very well there, because the caregivers where very careful with hygiene issues. Later, after that center closed (small town, bad economy), the youngest went to a home daycare with only 5 kids (the older was in school by that time). Things were worse because that care provider just was not as sensitive to our issues. We switched her to a Montessori preschool and daycare with 20 kids, but with an excellent record of dealing with children with special health issues, from severe allergies to asthma. Again, things were better.
For us, the size has mattered less than the philosophy of the center. Both have done very well in daycare, emotionally and physically, as long as we had caregivers that were truly listening to what we needed. We discussed our decisions with our center, and they agreed that in the end, the outcome is what matters. Part of our situation, I should say, is that we live in a place with very limited options for daycare, and many of the home centers are not, in my view, of the quality I would want for my child. The preschool we send our youngest to is a 30 minute drive on way, which means we add 2 hours of commuting to our lives. Given that my commute otherwise is 5 minutes, it is a major pain. But for me, it is worth it ten times over to have her in the right environment.
For us, the size has mattered less than the philosophy of the center. Both have done very well in daycare, emotionally and physically, as long as we had caregivers that were truly listening to what we needed. We discussed our decisions with our center, and they agreed that in the end, the outcome is what matters. Part of our situation, I should say, is that we live in a place with very limited options for daycare, and many of the home centers are not, in my view, of the quality I would want for my child. The preschool we send our youngest to is a 30 minute drive on way, which means we add 2 hours of commuting to our lives. Given that my commute otherwise is 5 minutes, it is a major pain. But for me, it is worth it ten times over to have her in the right environment.
