How long did the inevitable 'nursery illness' last for your child?

[_Meep_]

Basically what the title says. My girl is nearly 4 and started in a childcare setting two days a week since February. She has been ill basically ever since, aside from one week (half term) where she was healthy. I used to think she must have a really good immune system as up until this point she has had no more than 1-2 colds a year, but since starting, she has had constant coughs, colds and fevers.

About a month ago, it got so bad that she woke up and couldn't speak properly - her words were slurred and she was forgetting the right words for everyday objects, unable to form a proper sentence etc. I spoke to our local SALT helpline who reassured me it was likely due to feeling rubbish, but we still ended up being referred to the paediatric team in Bath who checked for encephalitis and other neurological causes. Luckily, it didn't turn out to be anything like that, and her speech is back to normal now, but the illness continues.

She now has an awful chesty cough and a blocked nose - her mouth is constantly filling up with saliva as she presumably can't breathe through her nose or swallow comfortably, and she just sounds awful, despite being generally happy in herself.

How long is this going to last? I'm beginning to think there is something worse wrong with her now (thanks, anxiety).

 

[_Meep_]

Lol, well thanks everyone, very enlightening!

 

[IchigoMewMew]

DD started 2 days a week in january at 10 months old. Around February time she seemed to have 2 or 3 colds in a row but apart from that she's had maybe one or two a month. Not so much now it's warmer. She's currently got a snotty nose but mostly ok in herself. did she interact with other children much before? E.g playgroups etc, it might be that she didn't have many colds because she wasn't exposed.
EDIT TO ADD: Has she had all her back teeth through? DD sounds chesty when teething but it's the excess saliva in her throat irritating her (and sounding generally gross when she coughs) her chest is always clear when I listen with a stethoscope

 

[JessyG]

I'd say it calmed down alot after 6 months but the first year was pretty much full of colds coughs fevers etc here. My daughter started nursery at 2.5 years old (she did a stint at nursery at 9 months old but didn't settle so we withdrew her after 5/6 weeks and my mum had her instead).

 

[_Meep_]

DD started 2 days a week in january at 10 months old. Around February time she seemed to have 2 or 3 colds in a row but apart from that she's had maybe one or two a month. Not so much now it's warmer. She's currently got a snotty nose but mostly ok in herself. did she interact with other children much before? E.g playgroups etc, it might be that she didn't have many colds because she wasn't exposed.
EDIT TO ADD: Has she had all her back teeth through? DD sounds chesty when teething but it's the excess saliva in her throat irritating her (and sounding generally gross when she coughs) her chest is always clear when I listen with a stethoscope

Hi,

No, not too much consistent interaction. Lol, that makes me sound awful but she's very outgoing and interactive so she's done just fine and loves nursery and has a best friend there now. I do think that's probably why, and it's to be expected, but she just cannot catch any sort of break! She's already had a bout of adenoiditis from the constant infection, and also has some mild allergies I suspect, so she's just a mess!

She had all her teeth by 24 months, but I know what you mean as my baby is currently getting her first molars.

 

[_Meep_]

I'd say it calmed down alot after 6 months but the first year was pretty much full of colds coughs fevers etc here. My daughter started nursery at 2.5 years old (she did a stint at nursery at 9 months old but didn't settle so we withdrew her after 5/6 weeks and my mum had her instead).

Thanks, that's reassuring. I was betting on about 2-3 months of illness but looks like we may be in it for a bit longer. I can cope with that, as long as it goes away before she starts school. We are trying to defer until next year anyway, so plenty of time to build up her immune system, assuming they agree.

 

[ClairAye]

My daughter has been in a nursery setting for 2.5 years and still gets constant colds, she often gets temps up to 41°C with a cold so misses a lot of nursery because of it but she's completely healthy and never catches sick bugs when either myself or my eldest had one, it's just the damn colds. My son got a lot in nursery too but it seemed to calm down a lot once he went into primary school. Sorry to say it could potentially last a while longer yet!

 

[_Meep_]

Thank you, I'm glad it's not just my child tbh! She has never had a sickness bug. Never vomited or had diarrhoea. I had a crappy chest as a child, which turned into asthma which I eventually outgrew, so I think I'm sort of expecting her to take after me. She has eczema, as did I, but I also outgrew that, so I'm sure she'll be ok eventually lol.

 

[krissie328]

The first year was on and off colds. Now he gets sick frequently through winter and misses a lot due to fevers and vomiting.

We're changing him to a preschool in August so I'm hoping it's not a new round of bugs.

 

[Teri7489]

My daughter started last August and hasn't had a month since where she hasn't been ill. Between coughs, colds, ear infections and tonsillitis she's been off more than she's been there. My son has severe asthma and been hospitalised quite a bit so paediatrician has advised to delay his start at nursery for a year to give him a chance to develop his immune system a bit more.

 

[MrsC10]

The first year was pretty constant for illnesses. She would be off every few weeks or so with something else wrong and had colds what felt like constantly. Now, she picks up the inevitable colds every year and the odd bug.
Not looking forward to going through it all again with my son xx

 

[_Meep_]

Me neither, but I'm hoping the baby will at least build up some kind of immune system from all the crap her sister brings home lol.

 

[MrsC10]

That's what I'm hoping too. I suppose we'll find out soon enough lol

 

[catty]

Truthfully.... It never really went for my 2! My daughter had a green snotty nose for about 6 months solid it just became part of her face.
6 of them have just came down with chicken pox one being my son but he took it badly and ended up also getting a strepoccus infection and ending up in hospital.
We've had vomiting bugs, conjunctivitis, and many many colds but same time my kids just act normally with it and just get on with it (unlike me Im moaning constantly if I get so much as a cough)

 

[Twinkl3]

Don't think it ever stops

My daughters been going to nursery 3 days a week since she was 9 months old, she is now 4 and can have a cold several times a year ... you soon notice how many they actually get!

It seems like no sooner has she got rid of one, she has another.

Common colds is her main illnesses, she has probably only ever caught 2-3 tummy bugs in the whole time and chicken pox last year when she was 3.

Rest assured you're not on your own.

 

[laura109]

Hiya I remember when my now three year old started going to playgroup at a year old. She got three stomach bugs in ten months. It was horrible because we got it 48 hours later... She has just started nursery two months ago. I have been pretty anxious about her getting stomach bugs again as we have a small baby too.. So far she's had 3 colds. She had one bad day with a cold and the rest she was alright. Her cousin who is three months older has been at nursery from 10 months. She's constantly snotty and chesty. She's had conjunctivitis and hand foot and mouth and chicken pox. I interestingly read that it's not true that it's getting in out the way for school as a child's immune system is not mature enough to cope well with virus after virus..
It makes sense I suppose. I am still on the edge of my seat expecting a horrible stomach bug any week now. I hope your daughter is feeling better soon. It's hard when you are sending them for a reason or a break and you almost end up punished by having a poorly child for the rest of the week xx

 

[_Meep_]

Oh dear!!! God it's awful. I am truly dreading the stomach bugs and feel very fortunate that we've never had one in her life, but I know it's only a matter of time.

We've just got over yet another nasty cold, possibly the 4th or 5th since March now, I'm losing track ... I know she will have another one soon too, as that just seems to be life now!??!

Honestly, at times I've almost felt like I want to pull her out of nursery, which is silly I know, but it's just ridiculous coping with this. However, she loves it there and although we've been successful in deferring school for a year, I still feel it's really important that she learns about other children now to ensure she is ready to cope with school next year. The nursery staff are absolutely wonderful about her - so complimentary and forever telling us how special she is and how proud we should be of the person she is, so I know she is definitely thriving there and it's the right thing to do, but I can't help feeling a bit miffed at the parents who keep on sending their ill children in come hell or high water. Silly perhaps, but I just feel so sorry for my kids!

 

[CRWx]

Illness is part and parcel of nursery I’m afraid! My DD was constantly ill when she was little but she seems to have built a bit of an immunity towards it now- there is hope, lol.

Working in a nursery, if parents kept their children off every time they had a cold, we’d never have any children in whilst I don’t agree with parents sending very poorly children in/children beyond the realms of the usual cold, it’s just part of being a child I think. Even if you pulled her out of nursery, the same happens through school years! Although rubbish, it is inevitable! On a positive, at least she’ll have built up a bit of immunity for when she does go to school!