aforgivenman
New member
@esta Agree, the first year of daycare I believe there were a grand total of 3 (separate, not continuous) months where one of us three were not ill. We caught almost everything LO had, and the kicker was that it would hit her hard but pass quickly in a few days- while husband and I were left sniffling/coughing/dragging for a week or two.
In her second year (and post- ear tubes) it’s been significantly less.
In her second year (and post- ear tubes) it’s been significantly less.
alyoshakaramozov
New member
@clarrisa Sounds similar to us. We started in June and I did a happy dance when I realized we did the first 3 full weeks without sickness!
There was a runny nose here and there, but our daycare allows attendance as long as the child is willing and able to participate. I think we've rang sick for 3 days since the beginning of June. Not too shabby.
My brother's kid on the other hand is sick weekly and missing days alllllll the time. Probably depends on the immune system going into it.
There was a runny nose here and there, but our daycare allows attendance as long as the child is willing and able to participate. I think we've rang sick for 3 days since the beginning of June. Not too shabby.
My brother's kid on the other hand is sick weekly and missing days alllllll the time. Probably depends on the immune system going into it.
@bellamas We had a ~6 month stretch when he was sick a LOT, and yes we got sick a lot too. The first summer, it felt like he was sent home 2-3x/month for one thing or the other (our daycare is also particularly strict about it). I felt like we lived at the pediatrician. It was awful, and we questioned our childcare decision (and our sanity) many, many times. I used to think I had a good immune system, lolllll.
...then, it just kind of stopped. When everyone else got RSV and various bugs in the fall, he somehow skipped it. Nothing all winter. We went in for his 2 year appointment and the doctor said "wow, you guys haven't been here [for a sick visit] for more than 6 months" and I couldn't believe it. He still gets some boogers and colds, and I'm sure this fall the usual bugs will go around, but I can say with confidence that it is so much better (KNOCK ON WOOD).
TLDR: It will suck for a while, but hang in there!! It does get better, it really does.
...then, it just kind of stopped. When everyone else got RSV and various bugs in the fall, he somehow skipped it. Nothing all winter. We went in for his 2 year appointment and the doctor said "wow, you guys haven't been here [for a sick visit] for more than 6 months" and I couldn't believe it. He still gets some boogers and colds, and I'm sure this fall the usual bugs will go around, but I can say with confidence that it is so much better (KNOCK ON WOOD).
TLDR: It will suck for a while, but hang in there!! It does get better, it really does.
lostconfused
New member
susanv1994
New member
@bellamas Monthly all winter and once in July.
Ensure you are well rested and get a well-balanced diet to help avoid catching it yourself... who am I kidding, stock up on tissues, tea, vapour rub, probiotics, ginger, vitamin C, cold meds, and any other placebo that will make you think you are feeling. Every ounce of prevention I attempted was defeated by a well placed sneeze to the face or my chest being the best place to sleep while oozing mucus and looking me in the face to cough. Legend has it they get sick less when they stop licking everything and learn to wash their hands.
Ensure you are well rested and get a well-balanced diet to help avoid catching it yourself... who am I kidding, stock up on tissues, tea, vapour rub, probiotics, ginger, vitamin C, cold meds, and any other placebo that will make you think you are feeling. Every ounce of prevention I attempted was defeated by a well placed sneeze to the face or my chest being the best place to sleep while oozing mucus and looking me in the face to cough. Legend has it they get sick less when they stop licking everything and learn to wash their hands.
pizzaaddict
New member
@bellamas I cannot emphasize enough...
ALL
THE
TIME!
It was literally like every other week for the first six months. Then it slowed down gradually to once a months maybe at the one year point. And when he got sick, the whole house got sick.
I've never been so sick in my life as I was that first year of daycare. We're at the 1.5 year point now and it's slowed down considerably, but he just got moved up a "grade" (he went from the 2.5 to 3 year old class) this week so I'm preparing myself for whatever virus I know will be coming home this week.
I will say though, that I have noticed that when we do get sick now, it's not as severe and we do get over it a lot faster. It used to be that every single cold was a high fever and ear infection that would require a trip to the pediatrician and antibiotics. Now it's usually just a couple nights of a runny nose and sniffles and that's usually as bad as it gets.
ALL
THE
TIME!
It was literally like every other week for the first six months. Then it slowed down gradually to once a months maybe at the one year point. And when he got sick, the whole house got sick.
I've never been so sick in my life as I was that first year of daycare. We're at the 1.5 year point now and it's slowed down considerably, but he just got moved up a "grade" (he went from the 2.5 to 3 year old class) this week so I'm preparing myself for whatever virus I know will be coming home this week.
I will say though, that I have noticed that when we do get sick now, it's not as severe and we do get over it a lot faster. It used to be that every single cold was a high fever and ear infection that would require a trip to the pediatrician and antibiotics. Now it's usually just a couple nights of a runny nose and sniffles and that's usually as bad as it gets.
camidiscerns
New member
@bellamas My first started daycare at a year old and in the first five months of daycare he had gastro twice, three colds, five double ear infections, covid, and pneumonia.
It got better after the winter holidays, he'd only get sick maybe once a month or so with something requiring him to be home. When Spring came around it was like the beginning of the year all over again, constantly sick with colds, ear infections, scarlet fever, gastro..
If my child got sick, I would almost always get sick. Every time he had gastro, so did I. He had a cold, then I'd eventually catch it as well. I even got conjunctivitis which I haven't had since I was a child myself! My partner on the other hand hasn't got sick once.
I have a really poor immune system and my partners is rather strong it seems. I catch everything
It got better after the winter holidays, he'd only get sick maybe once a month or so with something requiring him to be home. When Spring came around it was like the beginning of the year all over again, constantly sick with colds, ear infections, scarlet fever, gastro..
If my child got sick, I would almost always get sick. Every time he had gastro, so did I. He had a cold, then I'd eventually catch it as well. I even got conjunctivitis which I haven't had since I was a child myself! My partner on the other hand hasn't got sick once.
I have a really poor immune system and my partners is rather strong it seems. I catch everything
seville90210
New member
@bellamas My 21 month old has been in daycare since he was 12 months, the first 6 months were awful. Like every 2-4 weeks he was sick with something, a cold, pinkeye, ringworm. I have never been so sick as I have this past year, I seem to catch his bug and he gets over it much quicker than I do. This summer hasn’t been bad at all though, he hasn’t been sick in a few months!
@bellamas I teach preschool and both my kids are in school. We actually don't get sick that much. Like some coughs or runny noses, they've had some ear infections, and vomiting and covid (but neither caught at school.) My husband got sick right after they started but I didn't because I teach and I'm exposed to this thing daily. I'm not like everyone else here who seems to be sick a lot. I seriously don't think we've had anything often.
Wash your hands all the time. Have your kids wash hands the second they get home. Take baths and change clothes daily. Wipe down high touch surfaces like lunch boxes and toys and doorknobs. That is how you keep things at bay.
E because I hit upload too soon.
Wash your hands all the time. Have your kids wash hands the second they get home. Take baths and change clothes daily. Wipe down high touch surfaces like lunch boxes and toys and doorknobs. That is how you keep things at bay.
E because I hit upload too soon.
catlover88
New member
@bellamas Hahahaha. A lot. He started attending full time when he was 12 weeks old. He’s 2.5 years old now and it’s only recently slowed down (he’s finally staying with a core group of classmates who move up to the next room as a group) plus it’s summertime so we will see how the cold months go.
Edit to add: I got sick a lot too when he started as I was postpartum in a post-COVID/masking world and had no immune system myself.
I take vitamin D and an immune gummy plus a multivitamin daily to try and keep myself somewhat healthy. Son take a multi and half of an immune support gummy daily.
Edit to add: I got sick a lot too when he started as I was postpartum in a post-COVID/masking world and had no immune system myself.
I take vitamin D and an immune gummy plus a multivitamin daily to try and keep myself somewhat healthy. Son take a multi and half of an immune support gummy daily.
sweetzybitz
New member
@bellamas We’ve only had our 15 mo in daycare for 3 months and she’s had an obvious cold once and then a periodically runny or completely stuffed (at night) nose for a month straight soon after starting. I was also pretty stuffy at night but never actually felt sick. She’s been good since. It’s funny to think back at how concerned I was when she got her first cold at like 8 months. Now I just roll with the punches cuz I’m pretty sure this shit never ends haha.
@bellamas I feel like my little boy was consistently Ill for about 2 years at nursery and my wife would catch it about 80% of the time also, it was quite depressing. We actually took him to the gp a few times thinking it was something serious but they always assured us it was just back to back illnesses he was catching from other kids. He’s fine now, we’ll see how it is when he starts school in September.
kjvbeliever87
New member
@bellamas We were sick a lot for the first like 3-4 months with some of the illnesses before pretty bad. Eventually it became less and less. We did get a another wave of illnesses about 15 months in but never got super sick. It was more annoying than anything. Now when we go to the children’s museum I see parents trying to prevent their toddler from playing dress up with the shared costumes and I’m like there’s nothing here he hasn’t already been exposed to in 2 years of day care.
Just make sure you’re getting good sleep and eating well.
Just make sure you’re getting good sleep and eating well.
frozenhockeypuck
New member
lawrence90
New member
@bellamas We started at 11 weeks. Mine didn't get sick at all until he was older and more mobile. At that point he had a new cough or sniffle every few weeks. Almost never had a fever or anything serious though. A few times I got significantly sicker than the baby/toddler. My husband has a better immune system than me and rarely got sick. Stopped getting sick much this spring/summer, but I'm waiting to see if it comes back around once the weather changes again. He's 28 months now.