to not have realised that so much of childhood would be taken up by illness?

[toomuchillness]

Before I had DC, I knew that obviously DC would be ill at times but I genuinely didn't realise how much of their time they would spend in illness. I have one at school and one at nursery. Their noses seem to run for 6-7 months at a time virtually constantly from September to when the weather starts to get warmer. Colds, chest infections, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, vomiting, molluscum contagiousm, chicken pox, coughs which last for a month a time - it just doesn't seem to end

Everyone says it will get better when they get older. The annoying thing is I end up catching quite a few of the illnesses too

[ChoudeBruxelles]

Ds is nearly eight and isn't ill all of the time anymore.

[OpalQuartz]

My dd2 used to have constant colds. It was before she was at nursery and I now think it was because I took her to a soft play area every week and i think she was catching them from that. I believe my eldest caught swine flu from a soft play area actually. She caught it over a half term and it was the only indoor place we had been to (other than home.)

[deakymom]

mine is constant too then people say why don't you get a job? umm because the child is off school AGAIN childminders etc won't take him (which is good im not knocking them) and everyone else i know work yes i could have that unpaid parental leave thing BUT if my youngest is ill as often as my middle son was when he went to nursery there really isnt a point in me working he didnt make a full week in fact i switched his days so he only went four days a week just to make him look better he always got ill on a thursday night so i put him a full day and gave him friday off

[DaveMccave]

How is their diet? Take immune boosters and have a sugar detox. Only eat organic where possible. Do they have much sugar? Every time refined sugar is consumed, nutrient stores are used to digest it. Too much refined sugar Is usually the biggest cause of poor immune system. My 7 year old has only ever had chicken pox. (and with that, no temp, itching or illness). I don't think repeated infections is normal. Make sure they take probiotics too.

[Martorana]

Can I gently suggest that some and I repeat, some, of it depends on how you define illness? I would say that my children were never ill- but they certainly had colds, coughs, runny noses and molluscum from your list. I just don't, unless the child really feels ill, regard these things as illnesses. You take sensible precautions to avoid infecting others and then just carry on regardless.

[SummerRain]

I agree, that seems a lot. I have three kids, two with asthma and we've had a few medical issues over the years but we don't have constant snotty noses and coughs, I'd be seriously concerned about their immune systems if they did.

How's their diet? Do they get enough fresh air? Do you have central heating blasting constantly?

It's really not normal to be ill so much and you need to figure out what's going on as it can't be much fun for the kids either.

[SaveTheMockingBird]

I don't know the link between refined sugar and immune system, but we do avoid refined carbs and sugar as much as possible, whilst still allowing a small treat now and then, and we eat very little processed foods and my DCs are hardly ever ill. Maybe one day off nursery/school a year. Although when they were tinier (they are now 5 and 3) they did get ill more when they were both at nursery.
I don't give them vitamins or probiotics either.

[toomuchillness]

Diet is good, lots of fruit and vegetables. Very little sugar

Regular walks and physical activities

Central heating about average. Even when cold, we still go for regular walks

[SaveTheMockingBird]

My 3yr old does have a runny nose occassionally, but that's not an illness surely!?

[SaveTheMockingBird]

I think some people are just prone to illness more than others, i.e genetic even if you eat healthily and excercise plenty.
Me and DH are hardly ever ill either.

[toomuchillness]

runny nose is not an illness but with coughing and a fever, it becomes an illness

[Martorana]

"runny nose is not an illness but with coughing and a fever, it becomes an illness"

Only if the child feels ill, surely? I think a child has to tell you that they are ill, rather than the other way round.

[toomuchillness]

Only if the child feels ill, surely? I think a child has to tell you that they are ill, rather than the other way round

Even if they have a fever?

[Martorana]

Yes- why ever not? If a fever is high then a child will feel ill. If the child doesn't feel ill, then carry on, is my philosophy!

[MrsDavidBowie]

I must have been lucky as mine were ridiculously healthy and still are.
Never had d and v, average 2 days off a year due to sore throat/earache.

I put it down to garlic/onions in everything

[Jinty64]

In almost 19 years of parenthood I have had 4 days off work with children being Unwell so i dont think it is a reason not to have a job. 1 day when ds1 (then 4 months) had a high temperature and 3 days off when ds3 had chicken pox. Ds1 kindly had chicken pox whilst I was on maternity leave with ds2 and ds2 hasn't had it (that we are aware of). They have had one sickness bug 5 years ago at Easter when I was on holiday anyway.

I appreciate that I have been very lucky but would not keep them off with coughs and colds which fortunately are rare anyway.

[redskyatnight]

DS was ill on and off for a few months after he started nursery.

DD also had odd bouts of illness in nursery (not so long lasting).

DS has had 3 days off school in the last 5 years.
DD has had no days off in the last 4.

I agree with those who say it gets better when they are older.

[Amber76]

I think some people are just more prone to getting sick than others - I can count on one hand the number of colds I've had in my life (age 37) and my 2 young kids have never been to a doctor. I am aware that can all change but so far so good.
I am a believer in eating fresh fruit and veg and taking vitamins.
I also don't have our heating on very often - others might think our house is cold but we like it. And I wouldn't bundle kids up in too many layers when going in and out of house.
I am minding them at home, but they have exposure to other kids every day.
Sorry for your situation - it does sound very frustrating.

[Onsera3]

I think it's not just childhood- it's nursery/school and this climate.

I moved here as an adult and had never suffered as many viral infections as I have here. It's the cold weather, the central heating and London life (eg crowded shops, trains etc) for me. Crowded playgroup for DS with 50 or more kids can be just as bad as nursery.

Family members have recently moved away and have noticed improvement in children's health. Hope for same for us soon!

[Cerisier]

Like Jinty- my two are very rarely ill and DH and I have each only had to take four or five days off in total for the DCs in 18 years. I am a great believer in washing hands when getting home and before eating. It seems to help keep the bugs at bay. I also don't take much notice of anyone feeling wobbly in the mornings. My mantra of "you'll be fine when you get there" seems to be self-fulfilling.

[BertieBotts]

Maybe it is a London thing? DS wasn't and isn't constantly ill, he's 5.

[BertieBotts]

And his diet and probably exercise wasn't/isn't that great, so it's not that he's super-healthy.

[BearsInMotion]

DD is constantly snuffly and had a week off with chicken pox, but I wouldn't say she's often "ill" - chicken pox (hopefully!) only happens once, so I took parental leave for that and only needed one other day off work in well over a year of full time nursery.

[PurpleSproutingBroccoli]

The trouble with "only a cough/runny nose", IME, is that many nurseries don't see it that way. Any rise in temperature when my dd was that age, and they would call me to take her home. Childminder places were like gold dust. During the winter there were months at a time where I could only work part of every week, and that was with a dh who was having to take time off as well. Dd was prone to ear infections - at 15 she's just had a graft to repair one eardrum, which was permanently perforated after bursting so often. We were on this awful cycle of cold... sent home with temperature... ear infection... 3/4 days off... back to nursery/work... day or two of health... the next cold. In the end I had to give up work, which meant moving to a cheaper area with fewer job prospects. My career never recovered. It really is a huge deal for some people.