How long does the wave of back to back nursery bugs last?

[Shedpudding]

Since April (DS does three afternoons) we've had two viral throat infections, bacterial throat infection, countless colds and coughs, ear infection. It's literally a week at nursery, then he's off the next week. The most we have managed is two full weeks of sessions and I thought we were through it, only for him to come down with something that weekend.
It's like clockwork.
He also has a fever with EVERYTHING so gets sent home at the drop of a hat because of their policy - I also feel like it makes it more obvious that he's ill if you see what I mean, as otherwise when he has a sniffle I probably wouldn't worry, but then the fever pops up so I worry that he's got a nasty infection.

I'm exhausted, DH is exhausted, poor DS gets into the swing of going then ends up at home feeling rough for 3-4 days and missing his next two sessions.
I think I'm going to end up losing my job because of the amount of time I've taking off as our only childcare help is....nursery.

Do they just lick each others faces and eyeballs in there? It's been 4 months just under (he started end of April) and every time I've asked the GP about this level of illness (It seems so extreme to me, especially in summer) he said it's to be expected.

Please tell me it didn't last too long for you? DH does his fair share but his work are more sympathetic than mine - I swear they think I'm making it up because it's so constant!

About 12-18 months normally. It is very common and normal for this to happen.

I’m not sure but I have found the summer months are worse for bugs than the winter months which is not what I would have expected.

thanks @ItsSnowJokes that feels so long right now. I'm probably sounding very melodramatic I'm just so tired and frantically trying not to let work slide at the same time. I'm also worrying because family members keep saying how 'sickly' he is and am I sure there's nothing wrong with him? Which is very helpful. Or acting as though I must run some kind of disgustingly unhygienic household for him to get unwell so much (me, not DH obviously, because the house is clearly just my domain. Love these chats!).

@vincettenoir this is what has completely thrown me! I've been absolutely dreading winter already, thinking how much worse can it be?!

DS started nursery when he was 1. In the first six weeks, he had tonsillitis, conjunctivitis, two colds, a stomach bug and an irritable hip (which I didn't even know was a thing before!). It did then get a bit better, although this winter, which was the first since without Covid restrictions in place, he managed to get chicken pox, Covid and croup twice within six weeks.

So yes, it is normal, and it does get better generally, but there'll still be patches of lots of illness. We're lucky that DS doesn't tend to spike a fever easily, nursery are fairly sensible about letting them attend with a sniffle and DH has a flexible civil service job.

I've often wondered if they just lick each other all day too!

I've never heard of irritable hip either?! It doesn't sound nice!

The fever is so tricky because he shoots up to mega fevers with the proper infections and gets an elevated temp with every cold or sniff of a germ. Nursery starts calling you about it at 37.9 so we've got no hope! They also only allow 15 minutes for Calpol to work before they're asking you to pick them up, and it always takes at least an hour with DS. It's all fun and games.

The first year of childcare was pretty horrific for us. Luckily nothing serious but just constant colds and coughs. She had covid for her first birthday.

It’s been much better since about March but I’m expecting it to get worse when winter hits again.

luckily our nursery are sensible about letting them in, we’ve only had to keep her off a handful of times. It’s always a bug she’s picked up from them anyway so it’s not like she’s taking anything new in!

About 9 years.

I have never known a summer as bad as this one for illness (both children and adults!) but do remember DS not managing a full week in nursery the first winter he was there. DD did a little better (probably because she started older and DS had already shared a lot with her).
It wouldn't surprise me if they lick each other, young children are disgusting! Babies can't cover their mouth when they cough/sneeze and toddlers aren't much better. At 2 my DD's idea of handwashing was to wave her fingers under the tap for 2 seconds.

Urgh - it's relentless!

Re. Worrying about your job - I really hope your DH is taking an equal amount of days off for child sickness.

Are you taking unpaid parental leave or using sick days?

Sorry - just saw above that your DH is doing his fair share

Thanks everyone, quietly sobs I was hoping to hear only another few weeks haha although I know nobody can tell me that for sure. It's got to the point where I keep him off the session before we go away so he's not ill on holiday.

DH has done loads, starting later, finishing early, taking time off, taking him to doctors etc. I've taken unpaid leave and also some holiday because of the sheer amount of time it's been.

Someone else actually said they've never known a summer like it for bugs so maybe we've just been unlucky. He's got suspected asthma as well (inhalers and gets a cough with everything) so I think that probably makes it easier for him to pick up things or for them to be a bit worse.

But christ there isn't enough coffee in the world at the moment, I feel like an empty shell.

With my eldest it settled once he reached 3 but for him it was the odd ear infection and colds but without fever. With my twins it was horrendous. They started at the age of one and they were out more than in. Viral induced wheezes, ear infections, chickenpox, hand foot and mouth, tonsillitis. Random rashes too plus d&v. I longed for a cold which didn't cause a fever. One would become ill then spread it to their siblings. It only settled once they started reception. Lots of their friends have been off loads but they seem to finally have a good immune system.

My DD was like this and it lasted a year or so for the constant fevers but then she got regular ear infections for a good while too. It's hard. I used to get very stressed.

The good news is that she never catches anything now she is at school. She hasn't even had covid. Your DS will have an amazing immune system. You have my sympathies.

Looks like I just need to grin and bear it then.

he’s just got over a really nasty ear infection and now is coughing more than he has been. Honestly it feels so relentless at the moment!

A year. The good thing is once they get to school they're pretty robust.

I’ll cling onto that.

Im so fed up of the comments we keep getting from friends and family.

he’s just got over an ear infection and now he’s coughing. It really feels relentless.

at least he’s a cheery soul and generally only appears really unwell when he’s sick or hits a 40 fever.

We hoped for this. And then covid hit and with all the social distancing and isolation when she started last year she has caught every bug going. 1 x stomach bug, 2 x covid, 1 x flu and numerous coughs and colds.

Hopefully now things are back to normal ish people won't catch stuff when they start school.

I think Covid has a big role in all of this tbh. Not only did he not get a cold til he was 9 months old, he also got Covid earlier this year and that’s when all the coughing problems started (even though he didn’t get a cough with Covid!)

If you're breastfeeding I'd keep going OP as it will be helping.

www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Breastfeeding-Benefits-Your-Babys-Immune-System.aspx

Sadly I'm not as I had a milk supply issue after six months :(

Bracing for a night of interrupted sleep with the cough that has flared up a bit again tonight. You'd think I'd be used to it now!

I could have written your post OP. Hospitalised with tonsilitis, then an ear infection with high fever, bad cough, just got over that and now we have another cold with a fever and conjunctivitis. Started nursery nearly 3 months ago. Just wanted to see (hoping) if it got any better in the last year.