Illness - how much is "normal"

[Jodiesmum]

My daughter is 18 months old and over the past 6 months has been ill at least 8 times, probably more like 10. I thought things would improve when spring came but she's still getting ill every 3 weeks or so and it seems to be the same thing every time - a day of bad temper and not eating followed by throwing up (usually just once or twice), followed by a high temp (40-41C) which can last anything from 36 hours to 6 days, average 3-4 days. Oh, and terrible diarrhoea too. What's really getting me down (apart from seeing her suffer plus my own sleep deprivation) is not knowing whether this is completely normal for her age (as many people including several doctors have said) or whether we should be asking for her to be checked out (and if so, for what?). I so don't want to be the neurotic first time mum, making a fuss about nothing, but at the same time I don't want to ignore something that could/ should be treated. She definitely seems to get ill a lot more than any of her little friends and it bother me that it's the same thing every time. I wonder if she could be reacting to something we're giving her to eat or drink but have tried all the obvious things (eg cutting out cows mild) with no effect. Any advice/suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

[angharad]

DS2 is a similar age and over the past 6 ms we've had loads of weird illnesses, hand, foot and mouth, rubella, etc..Has your DD recently started nursery, all mine had a phase of constant colds for the first few months they were there? My gut instict as she kkeps having the same problem is to keep a food diary and seeif there's an obvious trigger.

[hmb]

When my first child was 18 months old she was contantly getting minor illnesses. In her case it was coughs and cold, with rivers of snot and a bad temper (and that was only me !). I mentioned it to her GP and he told me that there are about 200 viruses that cause the common cold, and until you have met them all, you keep getting the colds on a regular basis. If you have a good health visitor, have a chat with her about it.

Dd went to lots of toddlers groups etc with me and I am sure that this helped 'give' her all the colds. I think that there are some theories that this sort of thing is a good idea, as it 'switches on' the immune system in the correct way.

HTH

[PamT]

My 2 DSs were both premature and suffered badly with ear and chest infections during their first 2 years, which is a nightmare when you work full time. They always seemed to come down with something when they were teething - a frequent occurance in those first 2 years.

[threeangels]

My son is now 19 mo and seems like hes sick every other week. Hes always catching colds. His doc said hes probally proned to having a very low immune system. He hasnt had anything major (flu a few times though). He just gets these annoying head colds with the runny nose, conjestion and irritability. The throwing up that much would have me wondreing if it could be somthing in the foods shes eating. Angharad had a good idea about the food diary. Also if she attends daycare. Sickness is a never ending thing. My ds has been well for 3 weeks. We have not been at church for that amount of time due to everyone else sick in the house. The first day we go back my 19 mo old has a bad cold 2 days later. It drives me crazy that hes been sick so much unlike my other two

[MalmoMum]

Ds is just starting at Swedish nursery and the one he will be attending puts the children outside for their midday sleep to reduce the incidence of colds and infection.

It's based on some research but I don't know what. Sounds like what my mother did when we were young, doesn't it?

And, yes, it includes Swedish wintertime...

[hmb]

Sounds like the treatment my Grandfather had for TB! There is nothing new under the sun

[GillW]

DS's British nursery does the midday sleep outside thing too (providing it isn't actually raining). Helps that they're in a very peaceful rural setting I suppose - it probably wouldn't work if they were next to a railway or motorway.

[MalmoMum]

No, there is nothing new under the sun! This is something they have started to do in the last 2 years from what I can gather.

Part of the point is that it is whatever the weather: sun, rain or snow (though the all the weather where we are involves wind and more wind). Not got the direct experience yet but the idea is not to coop them up all the time in centrally heated rooms to make a nice cold and flu soup. Outdoor gear here is pretty serious but it gets the children out everyday.

Anyhow, yet to find if it makes any difference.

[Jodiesmum]

Thanks Angharad for the food diary idea - I'm definitely going to try that. It's interesting everyone else seems to be talking about lots of colds and coughs whereas DD hardly ever has these, just the throwing up and
high temp thing. Makes me think it must be something in her food (though God knows what as she only eats about 5 things total), especially as we don't ever seem to catch it off her.

[Jodiesmum]

Thanks Angharad for the food diary idea - I'm definitely going to try that. It's interesting everyone else seems to be talking about lots of colds and coughs whereas DD hardly ever has these, just the throwing up and
high temp thing. Makes me think it must be something in her food (though God knows what as she only eats about 5 things total), especially as we don't ever seem to catch it off her.

[SofiaAmes]

BRRRRRRR. Sorry, but I'm sure putting your child out to nap in the swedish (or english for that matter) winter should be considered abuse. I've got goosebumps just thinking about it. My northern mil suggested that once when my ds was very young...I presumed she was drunk at the time (not unusual for her)....
Jodiesmum, my friend in nyc has the same problem with her son (2 years old) (ie frequent vomiting/fever episodes) and has had him thoroughly checked out by the paediatrician. (she too tried varying his diet, leaving out milk, etc. but nothing worked) It seems that this is just normal for some kids and that they do grow out of it.
I know that vaccinations are controversial for some, but I found that after my son had the meningitis shots (I also gave him one that was standard in the usa, but not here) he stopped getting ear infections (which he used to get with every cold) and his colds were far less severe. He goes to a childminder and still manages to catch everything going, but seems to get a much less severe version than the other children.

[MalmoMum]

Law here covers child abuse quite specifically!

[KMG]

Jodiesmum - sometimes the symptoms of a virus can depend on an individual's immune system, to some extent, and some people are more susceptible to a particular sort of virus. My eldest son tends to get a very high temperature and colds very frequently, my younger son doesn't get a high fever, but at the first sign of a virus throws up. He also gets a lot of coughs.

My younger son has been ill a lot lately too, and it gets very wearing, doesn't it? You have my sympathies.

Just to encourage you - my eldest was ill a lot when he was 1-3, but it pays off in the end. He's nearly 5 and I can't remember when he was last too ill to go to nursery - it doesn't happen now at all. So he obviously built up his immune system when he was young.

[Marina]

Putting your child out in the fresh air to sleep, even in winter, was a precept of Truby King, a New Zealand paediatrician who was a childcare guru I think in the 30s. My mother was a Truby King baby so she put me out in my pram (well-wrapped in winter, she assures me) for a sleep right from the word go. Mothers and babies were also encouraged to spend as much daylight as possible on the covered verandah at the nursing home where I was born, she tells me.
The neighbours thought she was crackers. BUT I do rarely get colds, so maybe she was right.
I think Truby King was also responsible for the idea that crying is essential to develop a baby's lungs, and for the four-hour strict feeding schedule.

[CAM]

yes Marina, my mother put all 4 of us outside in prams and later "to play" every day whatever the weather and none of us were "ill" children. I must admit I used to put both my dd's outside in their prams in spring, summer and autumn but in the winter I just took them for lots of walks.Fresh air is vital and being outside tires them out like nothing else.

[buttercup]

jodiesmum - although a food allergy might cause sickness it is very unlikely to cause a temperature. it sounds like she is just getting a lot of common colds. Mine does too, one after the other.

[buttercup]

jodiesmum - although a food allergy might cause sickness it is very unlikely to cause a temperature. it sounds like she is just getting a lot of common colds. Mine does too, one after the other.

[buttercup]

jodiesmum - although a food allergy might cause sickness it is very unlikely to cause a temperature. it sounds like she is just getting a lot of common colds. Mine does too, one after the other.

[buttercup]

shit. sorry for triple posting!!