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Original poster

Does anyone with small children NOT routinely catch the dreaded bug?

111 replies

WellErrr · 05/12/2019 19:43

I’m terrified of being sick. It’s awful this time of year, and worse since having DC - the bug is in their school at the moment and I am just privately living in terror of any of us catching it.

I just wondered how many have/have had DC going through school, and how often they/you catch it. Is it inevitable!?? I think social media can skew it as it sometimes makes it seem like the plague.

Thanks all.

OP posts:
Original poster
WellErrr · 05/12/2019 19:44

Ps - sorry but I really don’t want to hear really graphic stories of how you caught it every week for a year etc etc :)

OP posts:
joCmummy · 05/12/2019 19:45

Me. In bed with suspected pneumonia and antibiotics. Had everything this year. I now want hazmat suits for whole family from 🎅

MrsIronfoundersson · 05/12/2019 19:47

My kids are early teens and we have never had a sickness bug!

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ballsdeep · 05/12/2019 19:47

I don't think there's a lot you can do. Just wash hands, domestos everything and hope for the best

MrsIronfoundersson · 05/12/2019 19:48

Train them to do a hot soapy hand wash when they come in from school (and during the day if they can).

Greenmarmalade · 05/12/2019 19:48

I know how you feel! I think once their immune systems have developed a bit it’s much better. Much worse when they’ve just started. I make mine wash hands and change clothes as soon as they get home, and try to bribe them to wash hands before lunch at school!

Pipandmum · 05/12/2019 19:48

Don't recall ever getting sick from something my kids had. And they didn't get sick much actually. Did get lice once though!

Charles11 · 05/12/2019 19:50

Just make sure dcs wash their hands as soon as they come home from anywhere.
It’s A habit now for us and we’re not often ill.
We’re quite active and try to eat well. That might help too.

Camomila · 05/12/2019 19:51

DS is at nursery not school but he doesn't seem to get ill very often and when he does its not that bad...no tummy bugs so far this winter and just a few colds. Hoping it continues into the New Year as due no.2 in Jan!

ceebeejeebies · 05/12/2019 19:51

I pick up every single bug and germ my dc's bring through the door! It's miserable and one thing after another constantly until spring at least!

CottonSock · 05/12/2019 19:51

They about once a year. I've not caught it fully to date.

LER83 · 05/12/2019 19:52

I've got 3 children aged 9, 7 &4. I think I've only ever caught a bug off them once, and that was about 5 years ago. My youngest catches quite a lot but I've never got it despite him being sick on me several times. My eldest 2 are pretty hardy and I don't think they've had an actual sickness bug in years.

Original poster
WellErrr · 05/12/2019 19:52

Thank you. These are the responses I was hoping for..!

Just worked it out too (loser alert) - according to stats around 1 million people in the uk get norovirus each year. Which equates to 1.5% of the population. So you’re FAR more likely to not get it than get it (touchwood!!).

Sometimes Facebook and mumsnet make it seem like an epidemic that IS COMING FOR YOU and my anxiety just quietly skyrockets....! 😂

OP posts:
Kim82 · 05/12/2019 19:53

I don’t think I have ever caught a sick bug off the kids and when they’re ill through the night I sleep in the same bed with them so I can catch the puke in a bucket. I do lots of hand washing and bleach the bowl after every vomit. Seems to do the trick and stops the bug spreading around the family.

raspberryk · 05/12/2019 19:56

DD caught it at school had it at her dads and they all got it there, ds miraculously avoided it and so did we. I think we are a bit more hygiene conscious here at home though and we will only sometimes all get something.

TheCanyon · 05/12/2019 20:00

My 4 have had the sickness bug the the week in the run up to xmas for the last 3 years, two of them were down last xmas day. Seriously considering keeping them off the last week of school this year. I've not had a sickness bug since I was a kid, dh gets them all though. I get all their colds though.

MarshaBradyo · 05/12/2019 20:03

I hope not to jinx things by writing this on mn but we rarely get sick and I think I have been about twice (properly D&V ill) in last three decades.

Original poster
WellErrr · 05/12/2019 20:05

I hope not to jinx things by writing this on mn

This is my worry too!!

OP posts:
MustardScreams · 05/12/2019 20:07

Dd has only had one sickness bug when she started nursery.

Now I’ve said that we’ll both get it Confused

Hope you’re ok op, and you manage to swerve it!

Spudlet · 05/12/2019 20:08

We all got it in Feb/March of this year and it was awful, we were all ill at once. I was crawling across the landing to DS, pushing my bowl along with me 🙈 Then we were all just lying around the living room for days, too wiped out to do anything and not able to bear to eat. It was really awful. And I was being so careful about hand washing and towels and bedding and hot washes, but it got us all the same.

So yes, I totally get the paranoia that comes with it! If it goes around preschool again this winter I may even be tempted to keep DS at home until it passes Blush

Eminybob · 05/12/2019 20:12

I have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. DH and I rarely get ill.
The DC do get coughs and colds etc but neither has had anything too bad.
None of us has ever had D&V.

Whattodoabout · 05/12/2019 20:12

I get one every three or so years. I had one a few months ago so I’m hoping it’ll be three years until the next one, no one enjoys stomach bugs.

Pericombobulations · 05/12/2019 20:15

I also have a phobia of this. DS is now 16, but he only caught one bug in his years so far and that time we didnt caught it from him fingers crossed as there is one going round his school currently, so yes it doesnt mean they or you will catch it.

SubordinateThatClause · 05/12/2019 20:15

Come and join us on the emetophobia support thread in chat. You're not alone xx

bruffin · 05/12/2019 20:16

My DC (now adults)very rarely got sickness bugs. I read being blood group B can give you some immunity against norovirus. I know I'm B but not sure what DC are.
We seem more susceptible to colds though