Winter flu in children

[Toodlydoo]

I don’t know if anyone has any thoughts on this. I’m not in the UK we have had had more draconian covid measures so my DD (20m) hasn’t been to nursery, playgroups have been shut etc. So only really been to the shops/supermarket playground etc where everyone is wearing masks. My DH has been going to an open plan office where they have been quite strict with social distancing and isolation for people who have positive covid tests.

My concern is she’s never had the flu, not even a cold and she’s about to start nursery. I’m probably being paranoid but bit worried about how she will cope with bugs etc given that she’s never been ill. It’s obviously unusual times but normally kids pick up everything going and I’m worried she will get quite ill if she does pick something up as she’s basically had no challenge to her immune system.

Any thoughts on this?

Try not to worry op. It is inevitable she will pick odd things up. If it helps my children have never had the flu - they are 10&6! Colds, bugs and other viruses are pretty normal and usually short lived.

I remember when my son started nursery it seemed he picked everything up. He hadn't been to toddler groups or mixed with other kids before he started so it was a shock to his immune system and this was before covid! So it's not uncommon at all.

Dd never went through it. I guess having an older brother helped and she socialised a bit before pre school. She's never got ill much luckily.

The extra cleaning in education settings does help the spread of viruses. I've not heard of anyone in my area catching norovirus or anything.

Thanks Karlee, it’s been playing on my mind. Probably reading the newspaper too much!

I wouldn't worry too much about flu in isolation. It is a virus like any other. In 75% of cases, people have zero symptoms. And those who do have symptoms can just have mild sniffles. You can't say you've never had flu when most people have it without a single sneeze. People erroneously assume it's extremely debilitating every time. It can be very nasty of course, but it isn't always. In fact it isn't usually.

My dd was 3.5 before we moved from a v remote farm and she went to preschool. She'd had almost no bugs at all at that point. In 6 months, she did have a lot of bugs, including scarlet fever, chicken pox, tonsillitis and myriad coughs and colds. It was challenging and worried me a bit but by the time she started school, she was pretty hardy and was rarely ill in the primary years.

Little ones are offered a nasal flu vaccine, but she will more than likely pick up lots of viruses and bugs.
I think all kids will in the coming months. Fun! 🙄

I was worried about this as we still haven’t put my 18 month old in nursery and most of his playgroups are outside. The first time he went to an indoor play group he got sick Recovered, then a week later sick again after another group. That was around 15 months! He was fine. It’s never pleasant but it’s normal.

The flu is apparently more dangerous for babies and toddlers than covid. We are waiting until he’s done (flu vaccine) to put ours in nursery and this is one of the reasons why.

Until he’s 2*

They will get ill .. DD2 started nursery at 12 months this March & she’s been ridiculously ill. Nothing particularly serious but just one thing after another. Tonsillitis, colds, coughs, chicken pox, hand foot & mouth, norovirus .. She got quite severely dehydrated at one point & needed fluids in hospital and the docs said it’s been a terrible summer for childhood illness, basically a delayed winter as we were all locked down over actual winter!

But it is normal.. my eldest was constantly ill her first winter in nursery & she had the benefit of normal mixing in non-covid times!

They’ll cope just fine but it is rough on them & you! But it’s also necessary to build their immune systems!