Nursery viruses - when will it end???(((

[Crosby]

Im at my wits end here

Started nursery back in august (2 months ago) and she has been sick non stop. She goes for 2 days, catches something then off sick for 2-3 weeks. First it was a gastroenteritis with runs for 2 weeks, then it was another bug with a high temp and vomiting and rash, then it was a cold, now its another gastro with vomiting and runs (vomiting now third day its exhausting).

What the hell? What do i do? I am missing work, she is always sick, who is winning here?
Do i change nurseries? Do u persevere with this one? I know she needs to build her immunity but it kills me when she is ill. 4 times in 2 months isnt fun (((

Helpppppp please (((( do i just jack it all in and give up work till she is at least 18 months? (It will be very hard financially and i will need to find a new job when im ready to return as my current one will not accommodate)

Suggestions please?

 

[donnarobinson]

My kids are the same there 4 & 2 they wasn't ill all summer and went back to school and nursery and were ill within a week don't think there is much you can do sadly . Don't matter what nursery there at kids will always get poorly x

 

[RaquelDee]

Unfortunately I think this is just the reality of having a baby in childcare. Anecdotally, it seems to be much the same even for kids up to around 3 or 4 years old, so I don't know that putting it off will help much. My LO was in daycare from around 6 months, and the first 3-4 months were just horrendous, pretty much as you describe. But I will say that after that, things settled down. She still picked things up but doesn't seem to get as sick and recovers a lot more quickly. She's 14 months now and has only had one 'sick' day since turning one. I don't think there's a lot you can do. I try to make sure I thoroughly clean her hands as soon as we get home (certainly before she eats) and I think that helps a bit. I've also heard probiotics can help boost immunity but haven't tried this myself. You have my sympathies, though, it totally sucks.

 

[happynewmom1]

I feel your pain. Our 6 year old started school in August and we have been having colds and stomach bugs constantly going through here. It passes to his siblings and to my dh and then he gets something else and passes it along. Thankfully I haven't gotten any of the stomach bugs but the cold was nasty. I am already a sahm so I'm not sure I can help you there. I did just start all 3 kids on probiotics so I'm hoping that helps. Big hugs

 

[Wish85]

I think that's pretty normal and not a reflection of the nursery. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's just what you have to go through unfortunately. My son was sick so much that his recurrent ear infections, after each cold, turned into glue ear and he needed grommets put in and adenoids out at 17 months old. This was after him being on 13 lots of antibiotics while we waited for the surgery.

Not saying this to scare you, it's just so you know you're not alone. Now, my son is a very healthy, happy 3 year old who barely gets sick. Hang in there mama, it will get better x

 

[noon_child]

I think first three months are the worst, then it settles down and they only seem to get sick if it is something actually diagnosable like Chicken Pox etc.

Everyone respecting the 48hr rule (don't go back for 48hrs after the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea) is crucial in my opinion when it comes to sickness bugs. If one parent brings their kid back too quick there is the potential for another 20, 40, 60 parents having to take a week off work.

I have no idea if it is related but my LO has been in school for over a year now and hasn't picked up a single illness (other than standard low level cold) - so don't know if those first months at nursery gave her an immune system of iron....or possibly I've just jinxed myself

 

[MindUtopia]

In about 2 years. No really, it does depend on age and also if they have older siblings, but my daughter started at 9 months and she was sick pretty much from November until May of the first two winters. (As was I, I was literally sick for about 7 months of the year straight both years). This past year was better though and so far so good this year. The first two years of it were rough. I don't keep her home though unless she has a fever or vomiting/loose stools, which is actually rare, or something like chicken pox, obviously. I've had to keep her home a few days here and there and then for a week with chicken pox so far, but generally she doesn't run a fever, just miserable, and in that case, I send her and they are happy to keep her as long as she is not feverish. You might though just want to have her see a doctor because 2-3 weeks at a time with a stomach bug is actually quite a long time. My daughter has only had one twice (she's nearly 4) and both times it was over in about 48 hours.

 

[Itsychik]

Sorry, I have to agree with most of the PP's. Everyone kept telling me about "building resistance" but tbh, I don't believe in that at all. My DS1 was hospitalized for 8 days when he was 6 months old because he caught the RSV at daycare, not to mention constant colds/runny noses in the winter months (and I catch everything they bring home). DS1 is 5 years old now and I've never noticed any resistance to anything...

We made a change from a daycare center to a child minder (where there's a max of 6 children) so they're not exposed to quite as much as they were at daycare...but if any of the other kids are sick then mine pick it up too.

Hope your LO gets better soon

 

[lilmisscaviar]

I worry about this with my children too. My DD just started school with 17 kids in her class and she was sick within the first couple weeks she started. It must have been a strong cold bug because she downed the whole family. Everybody recovered quickly except her. She had it for about 2 weeks whereas we only had it for a week. I think it took so long to get rid of it because she was going back and being exposed to it. I believe that it does help build their immunity to some extent but as others have said there is a limit. I'm not sure if changing nurseries would do any good. You could try maybe looking for one that limits the kids there or maybe try giving her lots of vitamin C to help with her immunity. Maybe she just needs a little more vitamin C than other children do since it is a vitamin that metabolizes quickly. Staying home with her most likely won't do her much good since she'll eventually have to go to school with other kids and the whole ordeal will start over again, but I would just try gradually exposing her to see if she'll build up an immunity on her own that way. So sorry you're dealing with this