Could it be the nursery's fault

[Cannyapper]

My 18 month old has been in nursery since September. It is not an exaggeration to say that every time she goes in she gets ill. Every time. HFM x2, tonsillitis, colds, viruses etc etc. I have got ill each time too and have ended up having so much time off work. Family are suggesting that she is getting too ill (one not ill week since September) and questioning whether it's the hygiene of the nursery. Do you think this sounds like too much illness? Would be so grateful for your feedback. Feeling exhausted and fed up.

Completely normal, my 1 year old is poorly every week following nursery, and my oldest was the same. The good thing with DD is by the time she started school she was rarely ill - may be a coincidence but I put it down to her immune system being built up from going to nursery from 15 months.

Totally normal. In first 6-ish months we had impetigo, hand foot and mouth, conjunctivitis, norovirus and chicken pox. Also you learn to spot nursery kids as they all have snotty noses!

Whilst the first winter at nursery is nearly always as you describe, the good news is that it really helps them at school. Both my DC were like this for nursery first winter but have barely had a day off school for illness as a result. (They are teenagers now)

From sept - Jan (since starting preschool) my son has had: impetigo x 2, HF&M (for the second time), chickenpox (for the second time), an ear infection, a 6 week long hacking cough, along with about 4 other little bugs.

Kids are grubby.

kids are grim they always have their hands in their mouths (at best) then touch everything, they put toys in their mouth, literally just stand there and sneeze and cough on each other just bleh but she will start to build up immunity.

I wouldn't say that's normal. I've had 2 in nursery since 1yr (eldest now 4) and I've had 1 lot of HFN, maybe 1 virus per winter and both have the occasional mild cold. Ds has had 4 days off due to sickness in 3 years and dd none.
Personally I'd change nurseries.

I promise you, my daughter was the same. She’s 5 years old and is still the same now. She’s just had a tonsiladenectomy so hoping it improves

I feel your pain! We've had HFM 4 times in 2 winters, it's totally normal but totally miserable. Yes it's coming from nursery but there's not a great deal to be done about it.

People keep telling me that at least they'll have a good immune system and won't miss much school!

Oh and butt worms! Can't forget the butt worms! 😫

Yes, very normal ime. DD started nursery in the autumn too and got every bug going. I wonder if that makes it worse because they aren't getting outside or opening windows as much due to weather (totally understandably and would be the same in any nursery). We are a year and a bit on now and she has been much better this winter although still had a couple of colds. I don't think my son had so many issues but he went to a childminder so didn't mix with quite so many other children.

It's just bad luck. I went through this with DD1. Myself and DH were so stressed from it all. Unfortunately some children just catch absolutely everything. DS was rarely unwell and DD2 has just started the constant sickness phase at 3 as she only started pre school in September

It is totally normal but doesn't last forever.

I imagine the cohort of lockdown babies and toddlers are being hit particularly hard, in the same way that the common cold seems to linger at the moment.

See it as your child experience of nursery in regard of health, is helping to build up his immune system

Perfectly normal Really

As everyone is saying, it’s normal. In our case, it’s taken 12-18 months to reach long periods between sickness. Just wanted to put that there because people normally said by 6 months it will get better and I was beginning to think it would never happen!

It's really normal and it's definitely worse for the COVID cohort because they've had even less exposure to normal bugs. My 2 were constantly bringing stuff home too, but even there the difference between DC1 and 2 showed because DC2 got stuff that DC1 brought home and went through the ill stage much faster as a result.

They have both got cast iron immune systems and had virtually no illness during their school years.

My nearly 3 year old is constantly snotty. But at least he doesn't have to have a covid test every month anymore, as was the policy when he first started. 🤬

Sorry, to clarify - every temperature had to have a covid test.

Nope normal. Went through this with my first. Bad times.

YABU but I get it, it sucks.

You need a childminder

Hi OP, just to add to the consensus - it's been a rough winter!! My little one at nursery turned 2 in Jan and older brother is in Y1 at primary school. Between early Dec and this week we've barely had a single day where someone wasn't (a) feverish; (b) coughing until they puked; (c) running green snot like rivers from each nostril. Sadly DH and I included in that list!

So it IS normal for them to get everything at first, and beneficial to their immune systems, but it has been especially bad this winter in my opinion, quite possibly due to post-Covid bugs/immunity situation.

Our nursery is very good at encouraging a lot of hand-washing and I'd say has good (not obsessive sterilising gel or anything, but good) hygiene practices in place. It's made no difference to us.

Best of luck! Roll on spring :)

It will get better in the Spring.

This.

My DTs did not attend nursery, they did three mornings at playgroup in the Village Hall (do such groups still exist?), then full time kindergarten at three. Neither had a single day off school from 3-11, and I can’t recall more than a couple in secondary school either. Maybe we were just lucky, but I don’t see that nursery gives an advantage.

It will improve!
When they start in Reception it begins again!!
This is Parenthood!! With our family, finally settled down in Secondary. Then of course it’s Uni…..