Does nursery really help build up children's immune systems?

[lightbulb3585838]

Or is that just said to make parents feel better about their DC getting ill all the time?
In the last four weeks DD has had a stomach bug, hand foot and mouth and has now just started with at least a cough and a cold. We all got the stomach bug and my husband got the hand foot and mouth (awful illness).

Have MNs found it really does help their immune system like you often get told?
Thanks

Well I remember when my two were in nursery they were ill lots, constant calls to come and get them, I missed a lot of work and it was hard.

School, neither have had more than a day off in 5/6 years! Everything seems to bypass them. They get the odd sniffle but that’s it.

Could be anecdotal but they definitely have strong immune systems. They eat well though and take vitamin d. That helps too.

Exposure to viruses and germs at a young age is meant to help build a strong immune system...

I suspect it just means they develop immunity to those particular illnesses earlier. If they didn't go to nursery, they'd probably have a similar spate of illnesses on starting school.

Following as I really hope so. In the last two months DD has had a chest infection, a virus, a UTI and is now coughing so probably the start or a cold or another chest infection. She's a little trooper but I feel bad for her.

I do believe that if children aren't exposed to things like this now they will be when they start school.

No it doesn't (or that's what I've found on research and asking my gp).

I. Order to fight an infection, the body produces antibodies. One antibodies are present, the body will not get the virus again. So in that way immunity is built up.
But it’s a slightly false claim as the infant would need immunity if they weren’t exposed it in the first place.

What does strengthen the immune system is being exposed to everyday dirt at home , so anti bac sprays and wipes apart from the loo are not a good idea.

It doesn’t make their immune system stronger but it does often mean they get the common illnesses earlier this getting them out of the way. You could catch a million colds or stomach bugs though and still not be immune to then due to their changing nature.
The smaller the child the more susceptible they are to these sort of bugs because their hand hygiene is rubbish and that’s the best defence.

My DD went to a nursery and was barely sick for her primary years. Maybe one or two colds per year and I think she only had one chest infection, she never got D&V once (although that could be just very good luck).

Kids that did not go to nursery, did seem to get sick more of often esp in in year 1 etc.

I don't think know it's about the 'strength' or quality of their immune system just 'have they previously been exposed to this' or not. Neither of mine went to nursery (I'm a SAHM)but both got the usual childhood bugs plus a spate of infections when they started pre school, or at least ds did then gave them to dd, so they had hand, foot and mouth, chicken pox etc. My nephew went to a childminer and was never ill until he started school nursery and now reception where he's had them all, just a bit later.

I'm not sure op. I felt like DS was ill constantly when he started nursery. He had no issues when starting reception and yet friends who had LO's that didn't attend nursery seemed to get everything going when they started reception. Could just be a coincidence. And either way they got sick quite a bit, it just delayed it.

Surely it's better for a 5yo to get ill than a 9mo baby? Just pondering.

Thanks everyone. Did anyone find after afew months the illnesses started to decrease or where they like that all the way through nursery?

The first winter at nursery was worst for mine (both started in autumn at around a year old). After that it gradually got better. They both got through primary school with an average of less than a day sick per year, DS was in year 2 before having a day off.

As PP have said, I do think it's probably due to having been exposed to those viruses earlier and subsequently already having immunity.

I also think some children are more prone to certain illnesses and not others. Anecdotally, growing up, I only ever had colds or stomach bugs (never even had chicken pox!).. DD (2.5) seems to be the same. I know friends whose DC have had so many ear infections, HFM and weird viruses that I've never even heard of (but hardly any sickness). Would maybe swap that for the inevitable sickness bugs we're bound to get this winter (not envy)

@kaytee87.. Hmm, swings and roundabouts probably.. On the other hand, babies and toddlers tend to be a bit more resilient and 'just get on with it'? I don't know if it's just DD, but whenever she has stomach bugs for example, she has always just been her usual happy self in between bouts of D or V (when she'll cry for maybe a minute after being sick then back to normal!). Whereas for me having a stomach bug is the WORST THING in the world.. So maybe the older they get, the more aware of how absolutely hideous it is.

All of mine did nursery.
I do think, looking back on it that I may have told myself that to make the misery and guilt more bearable!
Mine were rarely off school sick, but again that might have had more to do with me being a working parent with a self employed husband!

@lightbulb - Definitely worse when DD first started (even though it was Spring so there shouldn't have been as many about).. lasted a few months, then nothing until the winter, then after that not much. Until we moved and she started a new nursery, then again when she moved rooms.

@Silversun83 are babies and toddlers really more resilient? I thought they were far more prone to dehydration and complications and took far longer to get over a cold than older children. They just can't express how awful they feel.
Anyway as I said, I was just pondering. My own son has gone to nursery for 2 half days (now 1 full day) since he was a year old and has had his fair share of colds and last winter the full blown flu 

No I don't think so.
My own dd wasn't in Day care and she's only missed two days of school in two years.
Ive been working in a creche for the past 15 years and yes children that start generally pick up everything for the first year.

The first winter is the worst and then it gets better.

As others have said, I dont' think nursery builds the immune system, it just means they get get the illnesses out of the way earlier! Both DC hardly had a day off during primary school.

They won’t miss as much school. They don’t pause what they are learning to wait for the kids who have been off for a week or two with chickenpox etc, you’d be surprised how much they cover in reception and year 1. Also won’t have the school breathing down your neck over attendance performance.

DS went to nursery and had coughs, colds , chickenpox etc but all through school only had a couple of days off sick the whole of his school life

In my personal experience it’s not true. I didn’t go to nursery and neither did my DC (I was a SAHM until the youngest started school) and we all have strong immune systems. They’ve barely missed a day of school between them except for the chicken pox.

@kaytee87, maybe resilient is the wrong word, but they don't seem to dwell on it so much? Maybe it's just my DD.. has always been very happy-go-lucky, seemed to 'manage' things well.. as I said she's had a fair few stomach bugs and she knew instinctively when to eat/drink.. And she would have definitely let me know if she wasn't happy She was never really miserable when ill as a baby and she's been speaking well since long before she was two and has never complained of pain/has given indication that something hurts. (I know identifying/locating pain can be tricky though for toddlers).

My Dd is another who had a spate of illnesses upon starting nursery then that’s it. We find things like stomach bugs do take hold in a way that maybe they wouldn’t in a family who don’t use nursery but we only take a few days a year off with sickness so it’s no big deal

In a way I wish she was a bit more miserable/wanted to just sit quietly when ill (especially if I'm also not feeling 100% myself!) but she just wants to carry on as normal.

Depends on the child i think. Dc 2 has always picked everything up amd gets lots of virus and colds. Dc3 picked up alot in the first 3 months but hasnt since then which is nearly 2 years ago now.