Toddlers bad immune system - always sick after going to the park?!

[BiscuitsMcSnugglepuff]

Hey all, just wanted to see if anyone has experienced similar with their LO or have any advice?

I have a beautiful 15 month old toddler but his immune system seems to be awful! It seems that every time I take him to play in our local park the next day he has a cold or a bug. I know it common for kiddies to pick things up but this is literally every time. Surely his immune system should be fighting illnesses off?

He does go out other places as well obviously, but I suppose the park probably has the highest concentration of sticky fingers touching everything 😂

He was exclusively breastfed to 6 months and still has a feed once a day (not managed to get rid of that last one yet) and I know that’s supposed to help the immune system.

I’m debating taking him to the docs just for a quick check over when he’s a bit better because it’s just getting silly!

Any ideas why this might be happening?

What does he wear to the park, head to toe?
Does he go to nursery?

I'd take him to the dr's

They pick up infections etc all the time at that age. My dc used to be ill every Saturday, regular as clockwork, but during termtime only.
Eventually I twigged what it was. Toddler group on Thursdays.

They do grow out of it eventually!

I know that they get sick all the time, but it only ever seems to be the day after going to the park! It’s just that bit too coincidental...

He is always well dressed, at the moment either I’ll pop a padded snowsuit over what he was wearing indoors with mittens and a hat or in the case of yesterday he was in a long sleeved vest, short sleeved t shirt, puffer jacket, thick stretchy trousers, hat and mittens... so he’s not exactly without layers!

I do think when he’s feeling a little less sorry for himself I will have to get him a general checkup, it’s just sad because he has a great time at the park but then is miserable in the days that follow

Any chance he’s allergic to something at the park? Dogs, a particular plant? Usually symptoms from a cold wouldn’t come on the day after IME

He doesn’t have a pet allergy, we have cats and there is a dog at his nanny’s and he is fine with them.

This time round it’s a big not a cold, grouchy and tired all morning then a temp of 38.8 after his nap

It does vary, he had a cold after a few of visits and bugs after a few others... poor little man

Oh dear poor him! To be honest the winter they turned one was the worst for bugs for both my DC. I think they were constantly low level ill. It’s the first time they’ve really mixed with other kids so their immune system is meeting lots of bugs for the first time.

If it’s still happening in the summer I’d be more concerned... wait and see?

Hmm, perhaps, I don’t know I am admittedly a massive worrier and I hate when there just seems to be nothing I can do to comfort him, he just constantly wants cuddles and because he’s so uncomfortable he keeps wriggling all over the place then being sad again because he wriggled away from said cuddles and clambers back onto my lap poor little biscuit...

It is miserable when your DC are ill and nobody really tells you about it in advance! But every minor bug he deals with now is making his immune system stronger and next winter will be better ... small comfort right now I know. (secong child gets all the bugs as a baby which is even worse in some ways!)

Haha something to look forward to no doubt...

It does just seem so constant poor little man, his cousin is a year older and he isn’t ill half as often! And he didn’t ever get any immunity from breast milk either (not that it is the be all and end all but is supposed to help in theory!)

His immune system is developing!

However you fed him, breast or bottle, he will get ill.

As previous poster has said this develops his immune system and he will get less stuff the older he gets.

It feels relentless when they are very little but it should get better

Sounds totally normal to me. Toddlers are developing their immune system.

Between 1 and 2 years was definitely the worst illness-wise with my DC too. It's unlikely he's catching bugs from the park if he's waking up ill the very next day though - colds take a few days to incubate and even tummy bugs tend to take at least 24 hours.
It's probably coincidence. Do you take him to any toddler groups, soft play, nursery, childminder etc.? These are far more likely to be places where he'll pick up germs from other children. The park is comparatively bug-free because it's out in the fresh air and exposed to rain etc.
Of course, take him for a check-up if you're worried. My DC were definitely less germy by the time they were about 3!

Sounds normal at that age, and good for the immune system development to keep getting exposed to common illnesses. As long as he recovers quickly in between bouts then I wouldn’t worry.

Thanks for the replies! He doesn’t go to nursery or any groups (though i know I need to put anxiety aside and take him to some playgroups... but that’s a whole other story!) so he won’t of picked them up there. We do go for a walk everyday, even if just to the shops we will always go for a wander.

He was scaring me last night though, he went down at about 7:15 (he was exhausted by that point) and actually slept nicely until about 3 when we had to dose him with calpol again and his fever had gone back up to 38.7 but then he would only sleep being held and every minute or two his whole body was jerking. It was horrible. Que google.

Thankfully this morning his fever is mostly down and there is definitely no lack of appetite so hopefully it will be a short lived bug... I hate him being ill

Sounds silly, but do you wash his hands when returning from anywhere outside?

I am astounded that so many people don’t wash hands and it’s not being overly clean- it’s just being clean and reducing infection risk.

My two ALWAYS wash hands when coming in from anywhere and home from school etc.

I will admit, probably not as much as I should... whenever they look grubby or he’s eaten I give them a good going over.

I did think that could be an issue, and the time before last when we went to the park we wiped his hands down on leaving and it was the only time he didn’t get ill... but then the last time we went he was wearing mittens that were removed on getting home to I naively thought he would be okay... more fool me!

OP I agree with @RedWineIsFabulous , I am so not bothered about DC being covered in mud, soil, food...
but we wash hands regularly, he even asks to do it now when we come home.
So before every meal, after going to a play group and park, and when we get home. We use warm water and soap.

Perhaps I will have to get that more in our routine... admittedly for the most part when I do wash his hands it usually with a warm wet cloth (we use reusable wipes) and soap is only reserved for particularly sticky situations. Which is funny because I myself am very particular with my own hand washing!

My ds is/was the same! Except for him it was after he had been to soft play. We went very rarely as I've two older DC who has outgrown soft play so it was pretty obvious when he got sick every time within 2-5 days of being there.

Tbh he has been the sickliest of my DC, he's had scarlet fever twice and when he gets a cold it's always a raging one with green phlegm and swollen tonsils

He's now 6.8yrs and (fingers crossed) this has been his best winter yet, barely even a cold, as his immune system develops.

There's hope for you yet op but it may take a few more years!

what do you mean by sick? runny nose, pink eyes, tugging at ears? just wondering if it is more allergies than illness?