A nanny/househelp must do these 7 Screening tests before you hire her/him, what to consider when hiring a nanny, domestic help test
Mommies! Do you screen your nannys/ househelps for infectious diseases and drugs before hiring them?
What tests should your nanny or domestic help for hire run??
🔷 HIV 1 and 2
This is transmitted through blood or body fluids. For example, if the person shares sharp objects like razor with your family, or the person has mouth sores and shares tooth brush with your child without your knowledge.
Even with a first negative result, this test can be repeated after 3 months as there is a widow period of 3months before a negative person turns positive if infected).
This test should be repeated if the person has a high risk history such as sexually active, married in a polygamous setting, spouse or child died from an”illness”, divorced/separated, low educational status.
HIV can cause severe immune suppression leading to lots of infection. Note that there is no cure for HIV yet and a positive person would be on drugs forever.
🔷 Pregnancy test
This is not a reason not to hire your nanny, but you need to know what you are dealing with.
You can still hire her, but what if she has bad morning sickness, would you cope? You would be careful the kind of chores you give her and bear with her if she feels unusually tired.
You also need her to commence her supplements to help her baby.
🔷 Hepatitis B
This is transmitted through blood, saliva and other body fluids such as semen and vaginal secretions. It is even more infectious than HIV.
If the nanny is high risk (as explained with HIV), a repeat test can be done in 3 months (as it takes almost 3months for an exposed person to become positive).
Even if the nanny is positive, repeat again in 4 months. He/she may become negative if not chronically infected.
If the nanny is negative, you can now get her vaccinated against hepatitis B. Hepatitis B has no cure yet and can lead to liver cancer and kidney problem later.
🔷 Hepatitis C
Like hepatitis B, it is transmitted through the blood and body fluids, but not saliva.
If negative, you can repeat again in 3 months, if nanny is high risk.
It can also lead to liver damage.
There is no vaccine for it, however, it can be cured.
🔷 Syphilis
This is no longer very common but it still exists. So it’s better safe than sorry.
It is transmitted through contact with infected wounds and through sexual intercourse.
It can be treated and cured.
🔷 Domestic Help/ Nanny Drug Test
It is important to be sure that the nanny or househelp you have hired or about to employ is not a drug addict for the safety of your kids and household. Though expensive, drug tests like toxicology studies for cocaine, pentazocine, tramadol, and many more should be screened for.
🔷 Mental Health Assessment
Of course you don’t want to hire a nanny or house help that has an undiagnosed mental disorder. There are reported stories of nannies in Nigeria that have physical abused and probably caused the death of babies only to be later discovered that they had some psychological issues like schizophrenia depression, psychosis.. Please don’t fall victim.. Ensure that a doctor do a mental state examination on the nanny you are about to employ. Save your baby the stress.
Your family doctor may help with this process and there are many centres and clinics that carry out screening of domestic staff in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Benin, Port Harcourt, Kano… and other parts of Nigeria and worldwide.
CREDIT: Pediatricians Give Answers
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