Has anyone's child caught herpes or other viral illness from nursery?

[Peridotty]

I was wondering what the chances are of my baby catching a disease at nursery. I am scared she might catch the coronavirus, hand foot and mouth disease, herpes, etc from other children. I know that at that age the babies are putting things in their mouths so it's an easy way to transmit disease. Do the teachers allow sick children to go into school? Do they clean the toys after the baby's put it into their mouths?
I know that herpes is pretty common and 50-60% of people have it, but I don't have it and neither does my husband and we would prefer that she doesn't get it either.
Has anyone's baby/child caught something from other kids at nursery? Or is it pretty rare for babies and toddlers to have those kinds of diseases?
Should I wait until she is past the age where kids put things into their mouths before contemplating nursery? The alternative is a nanny.
Thanks.

[VeggieSausageRoll]

Mine has been in nursery since 10m (is now 2) and has only ever had chickenpox, which most likely came from nursery but it was pre covid so he was also doing lots of groups etc. as well, so may not have been.

[anonforthespies43267]

Yes kids do catch things, colds, sickness bugs, hand foot and mouth, chicken pox etc but unless you’re going to keep your child at home with a nanny 24/7 and never go to soft plays, baby/play groups, out in public where kids randomly lick things then you’ll struggle to keep them germ free.

[anonforthespies43267]

People should keep their kids at home if they’re unwell but not all of them do and they can’t possibly clean every toy every time a new child touches it or puts it in their mouth.

[Sophagain]

Quite unlikely that they catch cold sores which I suppose is the only herpes strain you would ever have cause to know about. Pretty likely to catch hand foot and mouth if that’s going around but I don’t think that’s super common. I wouldn’t stress about coronavirus. Generally yes they will pick up viruses but surely a nanny would take them to the playground etc and they’ll get sick from there.

[unicornparty]

They need to be around germs to boost their immune system

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

At nursery/school, over the years, mine have mainly caught colds and stomach bugs. One DD also got impetigo. They have both had chicken pox and scarlet fever, which I'm 90% sure we're not caught at nursery/school. (CP probably from cousin. SF no idea, but no one else has it at school beforehand, and we had been on a flight the week before)

They do need some exposure to germs to build up their immune system.

[Peridotty]

Thanks for your replies!!
I am not too worried about illness that she can heal from but things like herpes has lifelong implications.
@Sophagain mentions that cold sores are unlikely... that's reassuring to hear.
The nurseries that I have toured said that due to covid, they have been washing the toys every hour and also not using soft toys. That should limit the spread of disease right?

[Zippy1510]

Why are you so concerned about herpes? What strain
of herpes is concerning you? Coldsores are rare in children/ I haven’t heard of any nursery related outbreaks as it usually passes via direct contact? And obviously genital herpes isn’t going to happen. Chicken pox is also a herpes strain as is shingles? I’d only really class chicken pox as the common one there.

[Stonecrop]

You can get a vaccination for chicken pox privately

[Peridotty]

Herpes simplex types 1 and 2 concern me.
I read that if a worker with a coldsore changed a baby's nappy they could pass on genital herpes.
Also, the nursery that is my favourite had a person with TB back in 2016. So that kind of disease also worries me!!

[MindyStClaire]

100 percent guaranteed they'll pick up illnesses at nursery. Mostly just coughs and colds, the odd stomach bug, probably hand foot and mouth and chickenpox will both be going around at some stage. Never heard of herpes but I guess technically anything is possible.

If you don't use nursery, they'll still pick some illnesses up in other venues unless you plan to keep them completely isolated.

And even if you do, they'll just pick up everything going at school.

They need to get sick and build their immune systems. It's not fun, but it's fine.

[Zippy1510]

I’m a microbiologist. TB is VERY rare it’s not a common childhood illness. You are also not going to get genital herpes from someone with a cold sore changing a nappy. In a similar way that you don’t get genital herpes from a toilet seat- there needs to be direct contact (so for example spreading cold sore by kissing). HSV1 is oral and HSV2 is genital. There is not going to be transmission of HSV2 in an nursery setting- it spreads through sex. And unless someone with an active coleslaw (and it has to be active) is going around kissing the children there isn’t going to be an HSV1 outbreak either.

[Peridotty]

@Zippy1510 thanks for your reply! very helpful. I found this on a website: Herpes (oral & genital) cannot be spread through inanimate objects such as spoons, glasses, razors, towels, bed sheets, etc. Herpes can only be passed through direct skin-to-skin contact with the infected area such as kissing, oral sex, genital-to-genital rubbing, vaginal, and anal sex.

Does that mean that you really have to kiss in order to spread the illness and it's not just through touching toys?

[Fandabydosey]

@Peridotty

Herpes simplex types 1 and 2 concern me.
I read that if a worker with a coldsore changed a baby's nappy they could pass on genital herpes.
Also, the nursery that is my favourite had a person with TB back in 2016. So that kind of disease also worries me!!

I would have thought that this would be highly unlikely as it has to be direct skin to skin contact. I would say 100% of staff use single use gloves when changing nappies. I understand your concern but children do get sick. Coughs, colds, slap cheek, chicken pox, hand foot and mouth. Most nurseries have a sickness policy. The nursery I work in won't even allow a child in who has had calpol because it could mask a covid symptom of a temperature. At the moment we have an hour to clean the room and rotate resources. We are using Milton and steam cleaning plus we have a cleaner too. Children need germs to build a strong immune system. Weather it is now or when she goes to school she will get poorly. It is part and parcel of having children

[Apandemicyousay]

What @Zippy1510 says (but without the coleslaw)!

[SBAM]

In her first year of nursery my eldest had colds, stomach bugs and hand foot and mouth (3 times, but luckily each time she’s been less affected). Since covid and the extra cleaning my baby who only just started nursery has had a cold and that’s all. For mine it was their first prolonged exposure to other children (beyond rhyme time/local playgroups).

[GaraMedouar]

My 3 DC were all full time at nursery from babies. They had coughs and colds plus chicken pox . Oh and molloscum contagiosum (sp ?) That’s it.

[Tumbleweed101]

I’ve never known a child get a cold sore from expose to others at nursery. They will catch colds and possibly chicken pox and hand, foot and mouth and other common childhood illnesses. There are regulations from NHS about how long a child needs to stay off if they catch any illnesses and nurseries will make sure that parents follow this guidance ie a child with chicken pox will need to be off until all the spots are dry.

[underneaththeash]

It's very common for children to be ill a lot when they first start nursery - all three of mine were.
Mine caught colds/viruses/chicken pox/HFM/scarlet fever. You can obviously vaccinate against chicken pox.
If you're worried about it, just get a nanny.

[problembottom]

DD had HFM, it went around her nursery baby room, the baby room of the other nursery in the village and the babies of some SAHMs too as many of us are friends and it can be contagious before you know they have it. Scarlet fever did the same but DD didn’t have it thankfully. She wasn’t ill at all in lockdown then got a bug as soon as she went back to nursery.

[Crappyfridays7]

None of my 4 kids get cold sores neither do I or their dad I think you either get them or you don’t, what’s more of an issue is very tiny babies coming into contact with herpes 1/2 and becoming very unwell.

They caught various illnesses in childhood, shared it about between them and passed to me. I’m a paeds nurse so I didn’t send them sick or go to work unwell and practise good hygiene at home & in work. However kids catch bugs and the majority fight them off and get better. I think knowing how to spot your child is unwell and how to help them is your best bet. Not panicking and when to call for help if you’re worried - even I freak out sometimes as I’ve seen the worst so I am looking for worse case senario.

Anyway, they need to catch stuff to build immunity and they will at nursery or playroup etc but going in unwell should be avoided however it happens kids can be infectious before they are symptomatic

[NerrSnerr]

We used nursery from age 1 for both children. My eldest got chicken pox from nursery (and passed it on to her baby brother). We've had hand foot and mouth as well. We've also had a number of stomach bugs, colds and general viruses.

It's normal for some childhood illnesses to be passed around in early years settings.

[IdblowJonSnow]

My eldest had a cold sore once between the ages of about 6 - 8. Shes not had one since. No idea where/how she caught it. She was with a female childminder who I trust implicitly before starting school and she isn't a huggy/kissy child.
So I accept it's rare but I expect she got it off a towel or cup.

[simonisnotme]

I have looked after children for many years, as pp^^ said chicken pox, stomach bugs, hand foot and mouth , possibly nits but not usually in younger children and colds/coughs
never known a case of herpes or cold sores being passed on/around

[Peridotty]

Thanks for your replies. Big relief to know that cold sores are rare in nursery!