Constantly poorly since starting nursery! Any tips on how to avoid or just accept the inevitable?

[BeckyBoo16]

My 11 month old has been going to nursery 2 days a week for the past 4 weeks in preparation for me going back to work tomorrow.
He’s been constantly poorly since he started, always seems to have a runny nose, a temperature and a cough, he’s was so poorly one week I collected him and had to take him to urgent care as he deteriorated quickly. He got diagnosed with an ear infection and has been on antibiotics so had a week off nursery and was fine, went back this week and is poorly again!

I do work with children so I knew he would get poorly when he first started but I didn’t think it would be every week. Should I just accept the inevitable that he’ll be poorly every week for a while until he builds up his immune system or is there anything I can do to help prevent it aside from general hygiene etc.

Anyone else have this experience when their little one first started at nursery? Thanks!

Not quite the same because it was school nursery, not childcare nursery, but my dd1 had loads of time off nursery when she started (having never been in a childcare setting before), but it tailed off once she started school a year later. She also brought everything home for dd2 to catch at a young age, so conversely she never had any time off nursery at all.

Yes, we have had three sickness bugs and he's only 15 months. And even worse, we've caught them too! Plus countless colds and viruses (he's been going for six months).

Baby probiotics might be worth a try - we get a powder from holland and Barrett and mix it in his milk at night. So far, since starting those, he's been healthy, and I'm hoping it lasts.

I think it is pretty much inevitable. Don't overschedule your weekends so everyone gets some rest.

Totally normal... my DD was ill constantly when she started, managed 2 months, Covid hit, we were all at home for 9 months, where she was fine completely, then started at a child minders & it all happened again! I give her a daily multi vit & 1ml of Vit D in her drink, not sure how much it does but at least I feel I'm doing something. Interestingly her Doctor told me that since Covid what used to be minor illnesses have become harder for them to fight off.

Totally normal for starting nursery for the first year. We also caught so many bugs from her, never been so ill in a year.

After that it should tail off, except the snotty nose from October-March every year!

Mine (aged 3 and 1) started in February and they've been constantly ill. I'm so fed up of it but at least we're past the stage of nursery sending them home every time they're in as they 'don't look themselves' 🙄.

I caught something from then and have been ill since March/April and can't get rid. I feel awful but luckily the kids aren't as ill as I am.

No idea how to avoid it as nurseries are so unhygienic so we've just accepted it as normal.
For example the kids are supposed to wear indoor shoes but they don't so there's constantly dirt on the floor where they're sitting and playing with toys. They're also allowed to attend with conjunctivitis so my DD keeps catching it.
And then they wonder why the kids are always ill.

Hi OP

so sorry you are going through this, ours is 11 months and was the same

We have, touch wood, managed a few weeks without anything major.

it’s been constant sick bugs, colds, covid, hand foot mouth

I took him to GP at my wits end with catching it all myself as well, they said it’s normal and have to just ride it out

we try and give a multi vit and get him in the sunshine to help things, as well as Nilaqua on his hands when he goes in and is picked up

Its made me so anxious, when I never was at all before, it’s crazy

Best of luck with it all and hoping everybody is well soon! Xx

It’ll get better. We had a difficult first year, with a number of ‘proper illnesses’ (D+V, covid, HF+M etc) for the first 4 months, which then led right into winter and so permanent low level coughs and colds. Agree with a PP - plan lots of down times at weekends for recovery. Winters are tough in nursery no matter what (DS, DH and I were snotty for about 5 months straight this year) but overall year 2 has been a lot easier than year 1 for us.

I remember when I first went back to work (ds1 was 8 months old), in the first half year, there was barely one single week that I worked all the way through. But since started primary school, he was barely sick (until COVID!).

Some nurserys are worse than others. My son went to a local authority nursery for a while and was literally ill every other week. I moved him and he hasn't been ill since.

At the LA nursery there were more children from deprived backgrounds and i guess as a result more illness. Its very sad when you think about it.

Also when DD gets in from PS we put her in the bath straight away & chuck her clothes in the wash. Again not sure if it does anything but at least we feel like we are trying to get rid of any germs!

Thanks everyone! Feeling reassured that most people have experienced the same thing. I did think it’s probably just something we’ll have to ride out, he’s passing illnesses onto me now as well so having to take time off work sick already and only been back off maternity for a couple of weeks!

Hopefully in a few months it won’t be as bad!