Endless coughs, cold and tummy bugs

[TheNeverEndingIllness]

Will it ever end?

DD is 7, Year 3. Been in school 4 days out of 10 since half term, last half term she managed a grand total of 12 days in for the entire half term.

Since Christmas we’ve had

• Covid – which saw her in hospital for 48 hours
• Several colds where she’s been up all night coughing
• A Chest Infection
• An Ear infection
• 2 tummy bugs

She’s also missed several half days for appointments. She has asthma and a joint condition, but is also dyslexic. So being off school is doing her no good - for sickness over 3 days school send work home but she can't access any of it

But she’s woken this morning and complained of a headache and tummyache. I’m hoping she’s just overdone it with her joint condition but I’ve had to keep her off as I can’t risk her being sick at school.

I don’t get paid if I don’t work (0 hours) and I’m a single parent. I’m so worried I’ll lose my job and end up sanctioned by universal credit which makes up over 50% of the household income

Don’t ask why ExH won’t take some of the sickness, he doesn’t have contact in the week at all (through his own choice) and never has her if she’s ill, it all falls to me.

This is worse than when she started Nursery as a toddler. Most of the time she was well enough to at least do a few hours so I could work but she’s just so ill.

Will it ever end?

Guessing no-one else having this issue

My son has been the same hes only in reception though. His school have ended up putting him on half days as he was just not getting better. He seams a lot better and been in for the last 2 weeks half days without getting sick. His inhalers have been used to the max until this week . So hes starting to improve. Hes had covid 2 times which has really messed him up he struggles with every bug going and takes so long to get better. Its so hard I don't know if school would be able to help or if its possible for you. But you definitely are not alone

@Buzlightyear1

My son has been the same hes only in reception though. His school have ended up putting him on half days as he was just not getting better. He seams a lot better and been in for the last 2 weeks half days without getting sick. His inhalers have been used to the max until this week . So hes starting to improve. Hes had covid 2 times which has really messed him up he struggles with every bug going and takes so long to get better. Its so hard I don't know if school would be able to help or if its possible for you. But you definitely are not alone

@Buzlightyear1 They won't consider half days because they do core subjects (English and Maths) some afternoons if the teachers not there in the morning, I've asked.

Aww thats rubbish, I have been very lucky bug also my son is a lot younger. Its so frustrating and horrible seeing them ill constantly isn't it. He now doesn't want to go as hes so used to being home which is another problem with not going regularly. I was told by the dr to give him liquid vitamin instead of the chewables as they are better so been doing that to, in the hope of bosting his immune system. Its so hard though my ex isn't allowed unsupervised time so its left to me. Its just hard and rubbish isn't it. Sorry I wish I could say something useful hit have been stuck to

@Buzlightyear1

Aww thats rubbish, I have been very lucky bug also my son is a lot younger. Its so frustrating and horrible seeing them ill constantly isn't it. He now doesn't want to go as hes so used to being home which is another problem with not going regularly. I was told by the dr to give him liquid vitamin instead of the chewables as they are better so been doing that to, in the hope of bosting his immune system. Its so hard though my ex isn't allowed unsupervised time so its left to me. Its just hard and rubbish isn't it. Sorry I wish I could say something useful hit have been stuck to

@Buzlightyear1 School are usually great, and I do get their objection plus DD is hard enough to get into school as it is because she hates it - which is probably why she gets so ill in the first place. It's a school in general problem though rather than the school, I changed her school for another reason, and she prefers this one only slightly more than the other one.

I am so sorry to hear this. You are in a very tough, very unfair situation. I am afraid I have very little practical help to offer, except I have had fairly asthma all my life so might be able to think of something to help there.

Do you feel her asthma is well controlled most of the time? What triggers it? (I'm guessing coughs and colds is one trigger. Same for me.) I don't have allergic asthma but mould and gas fires set me off. You may not be able to do anything about it but what is your environment like and is there anything that might make her worse?

@deplorabelle

I am so sorry to hear this. You are in a very tough, very unfair situation. I am afraid I have very little practical help to offer, except I have had fairly asthma all my life so might be able to think of something to help there.

Do you feel her asthma is well controlled most of the time? What triggers it? (I'm guessing coughs and colds is one trigger. Same for me.) I don't have allergic asthma but mould and gas fires set me off. You may not be able to do anything about it but what is your environment like and is there anything that might make her worse?

@deplorabelle Coughs and colds make her worse, and pollen. Otherwise she's well managed. I suspect she has a slight dog allergy as she's always a bit sneezy after being at her dads but I can't do anything about that.

It's good she is well controlled; that's a credit to you.

At the first sign of a cold, treat the snot as aggressively as you can with steam and olbas (or similar) as you can sometimes head off a chest infection or ear infection that way. And take heart that spring is coming and hopefully there will be fewer bugs going round then.

She hasn't been sick today just tummy ache and headache so think it's likely either her joint condition or a touch of constipation.

She's not eaten anything though.

Am I reading that right.

She has been in for 12 days, no absent for 12 days?

@Crunchymum

Am I reading that right.

She has been in for 12 days, no absent for 12 days?

@Crunchymum Yes last half term she managed 12 days in school out of over 30.

This half term out of 10 days she's managed 4 in school.

The rest of the time she was off due to illness. At one point last half term she was in for 1 day (A friday) then missed the rest of the next week due to a cold which caused a cough so school wouldn't have her in due to covid rules. That turned into a chest infection so she ended up missing 2 weeks, that was after she'd missed two weeks due to having covid.

Any tips on helping her get better anyone?

She seems fine today, but wouldn't have been well enough for school.

Sounds like she’s run down. What’s her diet like? Does she take a vitamin D supplement?

@Delatron

Sounds like she’s run down. What’s her diet like? Does she take a vitamin D supplement?

@Delatron Before she had covid it was very varied, now she flat out refuses to eat most things. She does take a Vit D supplement.

Ah yes Covid can have an impact on eating. I found DS was fussy for a while after. Maybe a multivitamin to tide her over for now unless she already takes one? Probiotics are good for the immune system too.

I think lockdown hasn’t helped. Children haven’t been exposed to all the usual illnesses and bugs to build up immunity and they are all coming back with a vengeance. Hopefully with spring around the corner things will improve.

@Delatron

Ah yes Covid can have an impact on eating. I found DS was fussy for a while after. Maybe a multivitamin to tide her over for now unless she already takes one? Probiotics are good for the immune system too.

I think lockdown hasn’t helped. Children haven’t been exposed to all the usual illnesses and bugs to build up immunity and they are all coming back with a vengeance. Hopefully with spring around the corner things will improve.

@Delatron She takes the haliborange softie gums, recommended by the GP but also is on a Vit D specific one prescribed (But I've seen them over the counter so will buy them next time).

Lockdown definitely hasn't helped! We had no illness at all for 2 years, she had a steady stream before then but not any more or less than her friends.

School have said today though that a lot of children are in a similar position and it's the reason they've removed the attendance figures from the newsletter because across the school it's really bad.

Doesn't feel great though when it's constant.

Yes I think it’s a consequence of lockdown then. Sounds like she’s getting enough vitamins. I think this will be the worst year but should settle down soon. Very frustrating though.

@Delatron

Yes I think it’s a consequence of lockdown then. Sounds like she’s getting enough vitamins. I think this will be the worst year but should settle down soon. Very frustrating though.

@Delatron I think because it's far worse then when she was at Nursery coupled with I'm on my own dealing with it (I was with her dad when she was at Nursery) it just feels never ending.

For a change I can't wait for spring and the warmer weather!

She's now refusing to eat again so she's going to be off school for awhile it's been a rule even pre-covid, if they refuse to eat they can't go to school.

I am done, I can't take this anymore. I'm going to lose my home because of her constant illness.

Oh @TheNeverEndingIllness it’s so tough.

Is it after Covid that she’s had all these subsequent illnesses? Maybe a check up at the doctors and bloods done? I think Covid can cause stomach issues too.

Would she drink a smoothie and you can sneak fruit/veg in there? Plus some calories. Even chocolate milk?

@TheNeverEndingIllness

She's now refusing to eat again so she's going to be off school for awhile it's been a rule even pre-covid, if they refuse to eat they can't go to school.

I am done, I can't take this anymore. I'm going to lose my home because of her constant illness.

How do they know if she refuses to eat before school?

Lockdown has a lot to answer for there is no natural immunity to 'normal' bugs, loads of yR off in our school at the moment.

I do think that some of the instances you've described I would have sent her in anyway.

@Delatron

Oh *@TheNeverEndingIllness* it’s so tough.

Is it after Covid that she’s had all these subsequent illnesses? Maybe a check up at the doctors and bloods done? I think Covid can cause stomach issues too.

Would she drink a smoothie and you can sneak fruit/veg in there? Plus some calories. Even chocolate milk?

@Delatron She's been to the doctors who said they can't do anything until 3 months post positive so 3 weeks or so to go.

She won't drink anything at all, says it all tastes funny.

Is there a workaround for her not eating? Temporary packed lunch (assuming she has school dinners?)

Why is she refusing to eat?

@nearlyspringyay *How do they know if she refuses to eat before school?

Lockdown has a lot to answer for there is no natural immunity to 'normal' bugs, loads of yR off in our school at the moment.

I do think that some of the instances you've described I would have sent her in anyway.*

They've sent her home even if I've sent her in. Have never taken DCs on antibiotics even pre-covid, so the chest infection and ear infection was an automatic exclusion until the antibiotics where done. DD tells them (she has memory issues so she'll say "I went to the doctor and was given medicine" and they'll assume it's antibiotics telling her not to say anything means she's more likely to tell them).

@Crunchymum

Is there a workaround for her not eating? Temporary packed lunch (assuming she has school dinners?)

Why is she refusing to eat?

@Crunchymum She won't eat anything at all, she's saying it all tastes strange. She won't drink anything either.