Do you have kids who are almost never ill? What do you put that down to?

[EssentialFattyAcid]

I am interested in why some kids hardly ever get ill. If this is your child, what do you put it down to?

[ceebeegeebies]

Apologies - I suppose I feel my 2 aren't ill because they are hardly affected by coughs and colds - it is usually barely more than a runny nose.

[ZombiesAteYourCervix]

. just utterly random chance. got nothing to do with anything at all. some kids get colds, some don't. some puke, some don't. nothing you or anyone else can do about avoiding or trying to stop them.

[HecateGoddessOfTheNight]

My eldest is almost never ill.

I attribute it to all the slugs, snails, mud and cat litter he ate as a toddler.

[Shakey1500]

Ds is 4 and rarely ill though ironically he seems to be coming down to something today. Last cold he had was Nov2010, has never had the trots.

The only consistent thing I can attribute it to is....brocolli. He loves it. I used to hide it in mashed potato (He used to think that mashed potato was flecked with green) but now he eats it as it is. I've never given him any vitamin supplements as yet.

[EssentialFattyAcid]

ceebeegeebies no apologies required - I never said what I meant!

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

Top doc backs picking your nose and eating it

Picking your nose and eating it is one of the best ways to stay healthy, according to a top Austrian doctor.

Innsbruck-based lung specialist Prof Dr Friedrich Bischinger said people who pick their noses with their fingers were healthy, happier and probably better in tune with their bodies.

He says society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking and encourage children to take it up.

Dr Bischinger said: "With the finger you can get to places you just can't reach with a handkerchief, keeping your nose far cleaner.

"And eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system.

"Medically it makes great sense and is a perfectly natural thing to do. In terms of the immune system the nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria are collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine.

"Modern medicine is constantly trying to do the same thing through far more complicated methods, people who pick their nose and eat it get a natural boost to their immune system for free."

He pointed out that children happily pick their noses, yet by the time they have become adults they have stopped under pressure from a society that has branded it disgusting and anti social.

He said: "I would recommend a new approach where children are encouraged to pick their nose. It is a completely natural response and medically a good idea as well."

And he pointed out that if anyone was really worried about what their neighbour was thinking, they could still enjoy picking their nose in private if they still wanted to get the benefits it offered.

[EssentialFattyAcid]

So is there much point worrying about 5 a day and so called "healthy habits" I wonder, or should we all relax a lot more?

[Blueberties]

Healthy diet, lack of vax, just about enough bf and not having ab's.

[ruddynorah]

Mine are never ill. Both bf to about 8 months. No vitamins, just generally ok diet, not fussy eaters, not always 5 a day. House clean enough but not spotless. Never given them antibiotics, never taken them to docs for anything.

[Blueberties]

Jeez I didn't read the thread, just the op.

Mrs deVere how very terrible, I am so very sorry, how devastating.

Yes, it is wrong to be blithe and say "it's all down to me and my decisions" when actually fate can deal very cruel blows.

[thefirstMrsDeVeerie]

Exactly

If something vile is going to get them there is nothing you can do.

I am therefore far more relaxed re 'what ifs' around the health of my children than I used to be. People expect me to be more worried not less. But what is the point in wasting years fretting when there is nothing to be done.
Far better to enjoy their good health.

That is not to say I cope particularly well when they are ill, which is not often, I dont, I panic like a loon.

Feed them, keep them cleanish, look after their skin, eyes, teeth. Dont let them eat poisonous substances.

Love them, enjoy them.

What else can you do?

[Blueberties]

Wise words MrsdV

[thefirstMrsDeVeerie]

Please no one feel like they should say stuff.

I just reacted. I do that. I am not as bitter and twisted as I sometimes appear
And I certainly dont want to stifle debate.

I DO feel strongly that a moment worrying about what might happen is a moment wasted.

When it hits it is relentless and you soon realise that it is beyond your control.

So why worry now?

[SazZaVoom]

MrsDV, how utterly devastating for you and your family . You speak wise words though.

My DH always says if you can't change something it is not worth worrying about.

[DeWe]

Dd1 has hardly been ill at all. She had chickenpox (very mildly) at 3 years, and pneumonia at age 8, made much worse by not telling me she was feeling ill and doing a weekend of ballet shows and a swimming party before she admitted she wasn't alright.
But she will carry on through pretty much anything, so when I say she's hardly ever ill, it could be she just continues through it. In year 6 now and including 2 years of preschool, she's missed 7 1/2 days through illness, which includes the chickenpox and pneumonia.

Dd2 is a drama queen. She regularly is "nearly dead" from something. I've learnt to ignore it as she's fine as soon as she sees her friends. She's only twice been sent home from school ill, and once she was very definitely trying it on. Afternoon in bed solved that one.
However she was born with an abnormality, so she misses a certain amount of school through that. But she's in year 3 (including 2 years of preschool) and has missed through illness very little. But she had a good amount of illness, including chickenpox badly, before she started preschool, probably due to more contact in having a big sister.

Ds is in reception and has had one year at preschool. In that year he missed more school than the other two have in their entire times put together including the whole of February. He gets ear infections... and ear infections... and nothing else but ear infections. He has pretty constant ear infections when he doesn't have grommets in.
He reacted very badly to the 2 month jabs, and the ear infections started within the next month, so I've always wondered if that is connected, but it's probably just a small ear canal.

[MayDayChild]

Hope the neighbouring mansion isn't causing more stress MrsDv.
My two both spent 9month to 16 month (DS Age) now with constant nose streaming but I think it's teeth. Once or twice a year it goes green. I dot do anything though and never had anything more serious. DD had tonsillitis once.
DS just had terrible bout hand foot mouth.
I am clean house but not clean hands ifkwim.
Both breastfed. No smoking.
I was never ill as a child but got glandular fever age 15 and have been a real sickly whatsit ever since always catch the going cold which hits me much harder than whoever gave it to me.
Genes AND luck!

[iarebaboon]

Not owning a thermometer and being generally fairly unobservant

[kickingking]

Luck. DH's hardy constitution, non obsessive cleaning of house routine, fresh air probably help.

[SouthGoingZax]

I have 2 year old twins.

We've had 2 colds and 1 night of vomiting since they were born. No other illness.

Luck, not being at nursery or school (yet) (they are 2 and a bit), breastfeeding for the first year, being a bit grubby and around animals, they love fruit and veg.

I think not being around loads of other children has helped (live in the middle of nowhere)

[gingeroots]

mmmm - DS 19, never ill , genes maybe as I'm never ill ?
Other than that ,bfeeding ,sleeping ( tho not much in first 4 years of life ),vitamin pills .

[lborolass]

In relation to general coughs/colds/bugs and not serious conditions ime the children who suffer most seem to have mothers who are obessed by looking out for the smallest sign of a sniffle, whipping out a thermometer and then going on about it so much that the poor child is talked into an illness.

My DCs are never ill and I put it down to genes (my parents and siblings are never ill either), bf, generally lax attitude to cleanliness, lots of fresh air, generally good diet BUT who knows, it could just be luck.

[racheyroo28]

I would say being outside every day walking the dog and good old dog spit to build the immune system! :)
And of course a good diet!

[Mandy2003]

"Scarevola: Luck, filth and parents who refuse to take any ailment seriously."

Zombies: I am a believer in 'carry on unless you are actively puking or bleeding'.

Yes I agree. When DS was younger I worked outside the home every day. He seemed to absorb that he really shouldn't get ill.

I've only kept him off school if he has a temperature, and he has only vomited twice in 12 years. Only childhood illness has been chicken pox. My health has improved drastically in the way of catching colds etc since he's been born too.

[bibbitybobbitybloodyaxe]

I have absolutely no idea why my dc are so robust. Sheer good luck?