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Original poster

When does immunity actually build up for anything ??!!

63 replies

rockandaharderplace · 14/11/2023 10:57

My ds is CONSTANTLY ill and he’s 7!

No underlying conditions, had bloods, eats well, has vitamins etc etc.

He isn’t getting a break. Since reception his attendance has never been better than 70%.

Constant tummy bugs, constant viruses with high temperatures, ear infections, tonsillitis , covid, etc etc etc. He’s not even getting over one thing before he gets another ?

The gp says it’s normal - the school say it’s not and they are pushing all the time about attendance. I’m so fed up of it and I don’t know what to do !!

OP posts:

RubyRoseVioletLillyJasminePeach · 14/11/2023 22:37

mumof1or2 · 14/11/2023 14:43

I second the suggestion of giving him a course of probiotics. Gut health plays a big part in immunities. My son was the same as yours, but since I started giving him a three week dose of probiotics twice a year we've seen a huge improvement.

Which probiotics do you use?

Finteq · 14/11/2023 22:39

Mummymummy89 · 14/11/2023 19:01

I hear what you're saying about covid etc but if you look on the face of it, if a child is constantly ill until they are home schooled, that's a pretty good indicator that their illness was a psychosomatic indicator of their unhappiness with school - perhaps not the ear problems but certainly the extreme colds and flu.

Psychosomatic illnesses aren't faking or malingering. They are literally the body struggling to cope because of mental stress.

I'm very very glad for your dc that they are happy and well being home schooled. But it does seem to me that school must have been making them unhappy (and therefore their body couldn't cope) rather than having too many germs for their bodies to cope.

Show quote history

I disagree.

On schools there are lots of things that can cause a child to get ill, that arent present at home.

Lots of sick kids at school. .Much more germs.

Also I find that waking up early/ getting less sleep also affects the child.

My kid aways gets better over the holidays and when back school- the coughs and colds start. And I'm sure the early starts have an effects too.

RubyRoseVioletLillyJasminePeach · 14/11/2023 22:39

rockandaharderplace · 14/11/2023 18:41

I think it’s just that he is prone to vomiting from temperature or gagging if has tonsillitis as he coughs , I suppose I could not tell school but he’s done it there sometimes so then they say he HAS to be off 48 hrs but then they don’t like the low attendance so I’m stuck unless I literally stop telling them as I do think a lot of the time it’s temperature or gagging or ear infections particularly seems to make him sick

I'd ignore the 48yrs after vomiting think op. It's not gastrointestinal if he just has a low gag reflex

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Kwasi · 14/11/2023 22:48

Is he your only child? I take it you either don't work or have free childcare. The only kids I know who have a lot of time off school have mums who don't work.

Notcookie · 14/11/2023 22:50

Just adding another voice to consider probiotics. There are some good supplements but I think it's better to eat foods that contain probiotics if possible. There are lots of kefir yoghurts that would appeal to children. Also kombucha (fizzy flavoured drink) that my kids love. There is a strawberry and peach one that they love. Can't get mine to eat Kimchi though!

Also, think about diet in terms of things like additives, artificial sweeteners, processed foods. This can make a big difference to overall health.

Safxxx · 14/11/2023 22:52

Taking antibiotics can cause gut problems, so definitely start him on probiotics supplements. Also cod liver oil

Octavia64 · 14/11/2023 23:00

I have a shit immune system.

As a kid I caught everything going and had lots of time off school but nobody really cared in the 80s.

I had an operation to remove adenoids as I kept getting repeated ear infections that kept me off.

Most kids have reasonable immune systems. Some don't, and these days they are much more reluctant to whip out tonsils, adenoids etc. which means that the kids have much more time off school.

Not much you can do about it to be honest.

I agree with writing the letter to school - most GP's will charge 25 pounds for writing a letter to school so just write to the school and say that the GP is not prepared to see the child for illnesses that can be managed with self care and that if they will pay for the letter you will happily take him.

(They will not pay for the letter but it gets them off your back.)

PinkTeaForMe · 14/11/2023 23:25

Look into working with a naturopathic doctor. They will be able to identify issues that your standard GP and blood tests can't.

Disorganisedmess2023 · 15/11/2023 04:43

rockandaharderplace · 14/11/2023 11:22

The gp said it’s guidance that they don’t do attendance letters for school and if they do it’s non nhs work so there’s a charge - will the school pay this ?

Will the tax payer pay of this? No of course not.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 15/11/2023 04:56

It's just the way it is for some. I was sick a lot as a child with ear infections and chest colds. I was otherwise a healthy and active kid. I think schools are way ott and need to back off. People get sick. 🤷‍♀️

MumOfOneAwesomeHuman · 15/11/2023 05:15

You mentioned he often goes in on antibiotics so guessing he has them often. This might be at the root of his poor immunity if his microbiome is getting wiped out regularly. I would try a really good probiotic for three months and see if his immunity improves. ION is great for a total reset.

I would also recommend an immunity booster like Sambucol and good quality vitamin D supplement in the winter to ward off colds. Amrita Nutrition sell high quality supplements & probiotics that work.

Motnight · 15/11/2023 06:43

Op does your child get tonsillitis a lot?

steppemum · 15/11/2023 11:46

bakewellbride · 14/11/2023 19:18

@WavyLines11 it's the opposite- the children who wash their hands loads are more prone to illness as they are less exposed to bugs and germs. The same is true for those who live in extremely clean homes where absolutely everything is wiped in antibac/ zoflora / whatever. Kids need bugs and germs to stay healthy (ironically).

Sorry but you are conflating 2 things.

there is some evidence that children who live in hyper clean homes don't build up immunity
handwashing. There was a very good study (and no I odn't have a link) with a school and handwashing. Done about 20 years ago now. They had 2 parallel reception classes. In one they taught the children how to wash their hands correctly using soap (most could not do it properly before) Then they made them wash hands when they arrived at school, everyone washed hands after breaktime, everyone washed hands before lunch, and after lunchtime play. They monitored the incidents of illness in both classes. In the hand wahsing class the days lost to sickness fell by 70%!!! Most noticeably was the drop in D and V.

Such a simple thing, but very effective. It is why on cruise chips they ask everyone to use hand sanitizer at the beginning of the buffet line, so that no germs are passed on through handling same serving spoons etc.
Apparently colds are actually passed on more through hand contact than through airbourne.

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