Are you children healthier than you were as a child?

[sweetkitty]

DS (7) has a sore throats and a cough, first time I can remember him having one. He's only been to the doctors once at 8 weeks old when he was given antibiotics. DD2 has never seen a doctor. DD1 caught her finger in a door and needed an op and DD3 had a huge infection in her jaw and needed an op. They are rarely sick maybe 2-3 times each.

Thinking about my childhood I had chest infection after chest infection, winters were always bad and I can remember the banana medicine (penicillin) I also had D&V a lot growing up.

I grow up in poverty, mould covered bedroom, no heating, parents who smoked 60 fags a day between them, unhealthy food.

Mentally, very much so. As a child I was an inconvenience/scapegoat and it caused great anxiety and depression. DS is very content and chilled.

I wasn't even thinking about mentally, geez don't want to go there, there's a reason I'm NC with my mother.

Physically he probably is too.

My mum was obsessed with weight so my food was restricted and I'd binge on random junk food because I was hungry and had no access to proper food.

I self harmed and was generally ignored when ill.

Yes because I grew up in London in the 80's. I was one of the privileged ones who got out into the country every weekend, I could always smell the pollution/lead fumes when we came back on Sunday night, I wasn't often sick though. My kids are growing up on a South American cattle ranch, so totally different and much healthier lifestyle but more wild so they've had broken bones

About the same. My parents came from poor backgrounds, my mum wasn't given a toothbrush until she was 14, so had a mouth full of fillings and her parents couldn't afford proper food. They worked hard to make sure we didn't have the same kind of childhood.

Mine are much healthier. I was an undiagnosed asthmatic who suffered from chronic bronchitis. I also had regular tummy upsets (and now, years later, have been diagnosed with coeliacs and Crohns).

Ds1 was also a bit atopic when little but touch wood no asthma and is generally fit and well. Ds2 gave us a stressful time in the first few months but, despite being under 5 consultants at one point, has hardly known a days actual sickness in his life. Never has such a fit and healthy child unnecessarily worried so many doctors!

Mine are (touch wood) healthier than me. I was brought up in a healthy environment and was well-fed but I used to suffer over and over again with ear infections and tonsillitis. I had lots of yellow and pink medicine. One DC has had an ear infection once, neither of them ever seem to have had a sore throat. I think the ear infection is the only time either of them has taken antibiotics.

I was thinking earlier that I'm so pleased dc 10 and 12 haven't inherited the dreadful hayfever i had at their age.

I was very healthy as a child. A couple of nasty ear infections and the usual childhood diseases, but that was it.

DD is healthier (touch wood - she's only 6 in Y1). She's only had half a day off school so far and bounces back very quickly from the occasional cold.

What makes this more impressive is that she was premature - born at 29+3. She really is incredibly lucky!

Dental really highlights the difference in my family
My grandma had all her teeth out and dentures at the age of 21 in the 50s
My mums teeth are dreadful but as an adult she spends a lot of effort and money on keeping them as healthy as they can be.
I have a mouth full of fillings but my teeth were quite healthy until I was a young adult. No ongoing problems
My dc (touching lots of wood) have pretty much perfect teeth, other than DS having some slightly weaker enamel on back ones. 10 and 8 and no fillings.
Public Health success story in although I do know there are a lot of children having decayed teeth extracted :(

Good question.

My kids have much better teeth. My parents let us eat far too many sweets.

They are not as active though. Not by a long way. However, they do a sport which makes them very strong with excellent core strength.

Sweets aside, my Mum tried to enforce healthy food. No red meat, lots of veg etc. I was compliant but my brothers weren't.

Overall, about the same.

Mentally - who knows? I always knew I was loved unconditionally. Hopefully, my kids know that too.

DS doesn't have 3 adults smoking 20+ a day, every day in the same room(s) so doesn't have constant chest & throat infections.

Oh aye Iklboo - forgot about the smoking. My parents smoked around us when we were little. They gave up when I was about 8. I had my first fag at 13 and gave up just before first dc.

Hopefully, having never seen their parents smoking, my two won't start. Ditto the heavy drinking.

Mine have much better teeth
Much better quality food
Not exposed to passive smoking for decades

Mine are about the same, I never had antibiotics as a child until I was 19 whereas my children did but I think that's mainly down to fashion. My GP as a child was old fashioned and would recommend a 'wait and see' with pain relief for normal childhood illnesses which was better I think.
I had measles, mumps, german measles and chicken pox as a child but my DC's were vaccinated so only had chicken pox and I didn't go to the GP with that.
I was quite unwell with measles but didn't get any meds for it apart from some pain relief and tlc from my Mum.

Mine are about the same. I grew up in a village, and ate home cooked (albeit tinned veg), sweets once a week, blackcurrant so weak it may as well be water etc.

My kids have frozen or fresh rather than tinned, but otherwise eat pretty similarly to me (well, packed lunches are better these days - I'm from the jam sandwich/apple/penguin generation), although they live in a flat whereas I had a lot more outdoor wild space available to me.

Mine have better mental health & teeth.
Tummy bugs: omg, not so much in recent years, but when younger, eek, the kids had them loads. I never did that.

Colds & fevers may be about the same.