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Original poster

Sickness bugs - how often?

11 replies

Coleman93 · 26/06/2023 09:29

As the title really… I know it’s been a topic before but specifically

how many do your kids get a year?
how often do you catch it?
if it happens regularly do they eventually grow out of it?

I have a 17 m/o who has had 4 since December, I’ve caught 3 of them - luckily all fairly mild but I have sever emetophobia (fear of vomiting) so it feels like my whole life focus is now on worrying about when he’s next going to catch a dreaded bug and give it to me, which based on past record will be in about 2 months time!

OP posts:
Schum · 26/06/2023 09:53

My four generally were about once a year at the most. My oldest has always suffered the most, in both frequency and severity. Thankfully he’s 18 now so it’s much rarer. I’ve caught it maybe twice in that 18 years luckily but they have passed it to each other more often.

Original poster
Coleman93 · 26/06/2023 19:35

Thanks @Schum, good to hear for some it’s not as often as my worst fears…

anyone else out there happy to share their experiences and hopefully give me some perspective?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Coleman93 · 27/06/2023 21:45

Anyone else out there?

OP posts:
Swishswish26 · 27/06/2023 21:54

I don’t think there’s any particular way to predict and believe me I would if I could. DS15 has only ever had one sickness bug in his life whereas DD10 catches them on average twice a year- sometimes I get them too, sometimes I don’t but the worrying about it is almost as bad for me as the sickness itself.

itme · 28/06/2023 12:51

Some get them far more often than others. My DC tended to have one or two per year but others seemed to have them constantly and others practically never.

Bleach is your friend for dealing with vom bugs. Bleach all surfaces in the bathroom, change toothbrushes, wipe down touch points in the rest of the house with bleach solution. Norovirus is only destroyed by bleach, not other disinfectants. It helps to lower the chances of transmission.

MintJulia · 28/06/2023 13:33

DS has had one bout of D&V since starting school. He was 9, very poorly and off for a week. And he threw up once in my (new) car when he was 13. 🙄

Maybe one cold a year that needs time off school - usually close to end of Easter term when he's tired.

Other than that, nothing really. He's 15 so it still has time to go wrong I suppose.

I think once they get past reception, a bug has to be fairly nasty to take hold. Small children's hygiene isn't generally great so they come into contact with plenty of germs.

pattyparsnip · 28/06/2023 13:43

My first child I caught every bug he had maybe twice a year till he was 5 ,then his sister came along she's had a few but I've managed to avoid for 10 years till she caught one the other day ,and it's finally got the better of me I'm laid in bed feeling sorry for myself I too have emetophbia . I thought I was immune it's been that long .

Cotswoldmama · 28/06/2023 13:53

My boys are 7 and 10 and I think they've only ever had a sickness bug twice. A couple of times they've been randomly sick once and then been fine but I wouldn't count that as a bug.

Tailfeather · 29/06/2023 19:45

We definitely had more when DS was younger. They touch things, then put their hands in their mouth or put toys that other kids have been touching in their mouth. My son went through a phase of licking handrails! Gross!! We have fewer now he's 6. One this year and neither my husband or I caught it. (Great when they can be suck in the loo too!). It will get better. X

Original poster
Coleman93 · 05/07/2023 21:53

Thanks all for your replies

@itme bleach is my new best friend.. sound advice I’ll be following for sure!

@MintJulia im definitely hopeful that it won’t be a regular thing forever and that he will catch less once he’s older and hygiene is better for sure. Fingers crossed anyway

@pattyparsnip do hope you’re feeling better now? I always find the anticipation of being sick almost worse than actually being sick, so hopefully now you’ve got it out of the way you’re doing ok. I reckon 10 years is pretty good going though and I’m sure you’ll have another 10 years plus that are sickness free ahead of you!

@Cotswoldmama i was totally hoping I’d be in your camp of a LO who was rarely sick but I fear I’ve got a ‘sicky’ child, who aswell as having caught several vomiting bugs is also a random puker (when he has a super snotty cold, or a high fever, or just to keep me on my toes lol). But I can still hope for/dream of uneventful and sick free years ahead I suppose!

thanks @Tailfeather definitely hopeful it will improve as he’s older, it feels totally unavoidable at this age as he’s so little when he is sick there’s no escaping it, you just have to get stuck in and look after them don’t you, which usually results in me being puked on at some point or another, poor chap. When the day comes he can get to the loo in time I will breathe a little easier!

OP posts:
zzzz31 · 06/07/2023 01:01

My DD had 7 or 8 sickness bugs between the ages of 12 months and about 18 months. All through her second winter. I began to feel worried about it, thinking something was wrong… But it coincided with her starting at a childminder with a small but changing group of children, so she was picking up bugs all the time while her immunity was still building up…

After that year, she almost never had a bug again! She’s now 9. So I do think they grow out of it, once they’ve caught everything. Hang in there! 🤗

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