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My son is sick AGAIN!!!

32 replies

grey129 · 24/12/2021 19:58

My son started nursery in August and has pretty much had a cough ever since!

Middle of November he had an upper respiratory infection and an ear infection, then followed another ear infection then was a really nasty chest infection which we ended up in a&e for! He had a couple of weeks off nursery to get back to 100%.

Sent him back into nursery this week, he only does two mornings. And now he's got a runny nose and a cough again!

I know they get sick a lot when starting nursery but the poor kid needs a break! It's never ending for him!!

Anyone else's kid sick every other week when starting nursery?!

OP posts:
User4748294496 · 24/12/2021 19:59

Yeah. All of them. It’s what happens 🤷‍♀️

thebearandthemare · 24/12/2021 20:02

Yep! Relentless. I’m so exhausted by it and they must be too!

lkandb · 24/12/2021 20:03

Very normal

TulipsGarden · 24/12/2021 20:05

Yes, I'm afraid so. It's really, really shit and this year is worse than usual because they didn't get their usual share of illness during the pandemic.

It's only this autumn (with an almost 3 year old) that I understood why women give up work. My job has been almost impossible to keep up with.

worriedandannoyed · 24/12/2021 20:50

It's thought but it's just what happens. If they don't go to nursery they end up ill a lot when they start school which means missing a lot of school. It's horrible but it does build their immune systems

Christmastree43 · 24/12/2021 20:56

This is us, it's been absolutely crap, every week she's come home with something, for about three weeks in a row it was a vomiting bug Sad it has been rubbish for her and I was also so ill for about a month, ended up on antibiotics and then caught literally everything going after that.

It's been really tough and you have my sympathy OP. I've also taken so many days leave from work (I only work 3 days anyway) which is rubbish but thank goodness my boss has been great about it.

I'm hoping it starts to ease up soon. My daughters been in nursery for about five months now. Ladies who've been there, when can you expect this to ease up??

RedRobin100 · 24/12/2021 20:58

Mine has had a runny nose and cough since he started in April (3 days a week) - but never anything worse.
He’s only been sent home one day due to the cough, but hasn’t missed any other days.

Keep saying I think we seem to have gotten off very lightly!
Not even one Covid scare which shocks me!

KitKatKit · 24/12/2021 20:59

Same here OP. Over it.

Kookookachuu · 24/12/2021 21:04

Same here, since starting in September he’s not had a single week without a cough cold or other horrific childhood illness (twice involving a trip to A&E). So awful and having to constantly test for covid makes it so much more stressful. Kept DS off nursery this week so he’s well for Christmas Day but he still managed to pick up a cold at the end of last week which is still going strong now. Really fed up.

SpiderFluff · 24/12/2021 21:06

Yup. Like PP I too can see now why so many people just give up work.

LincolnshireLassInLondon · 24/12/2021 21:10

Same here, OP. We saw a big improvement (from a very low starting point) around the six month mark.

growyourownjam · 24/12/2021 21:15

Unfortunately nurseries are germ factories. They use the socialising thing to attract parents but fail to mention their child will be permanently unwell due to all the kids there. I used to work in a baby room many years agoand got at least two or three bouts of norovirus every winter. Grim places they are 🤢

adoreyou · 24/12/2021 21:23

Yep I used to use most of my Annual leave in January to cover DD being ill .

It does get better as they get older!

LefttoherownDevizes · 24/12/2021 21:29

I had back to back mat leave so had two starting nursery at once.

I nearly lost my job, the longest run of consecutive work days I managed was 2 weeks in the first 6 months. And that was with DH and I tag teaming, problem was we then caught their bugs and were ill ourselves.

Totally normal, but is a mare

Horizons83 · 24/12/2021 21:31

Yep, mine started in June, just for two days a week, and ever since she’s been I’ll with something. I am not sure she’s ever managed to go two consecutive weeks in a row.

And then of course she’s passing everything to us too. Hand Foot and Mouth disease was lovely! Hmm

user290814356289 · 24/12/2021 23:24

Dd is the same. It's brutal for them and us.

jannier · 27/12/2021 18:56

Normal but worse thanks to covid as there has been less mixing to build up immunity.

PieMistee · 27/12/2021 19:08

I once had an 21 week run of a child off with chicken pox/swine flu/slapped cheek etc thankfully I was on maternity leave with DC3 or would have lost my job!

thebearandthemare · 28/12/2021 11:22

My LO spikes a temperature for everything, every couple of weeks or so it seems. Tons of snot. I’m worried that there’s something not quite right with his immune system for these temps to keep happening. Anyone else? We saw a doctor for a thorough check up a few weeks ago but I’m wondering if he needs a blood test. Such a worry.

jannier · 28/12/2021 11:53

@thebearandthemare

My LO spikes a temperature for everything, every couple of weeks or so it seems. Tons of snot. I’m worried that there’s something not quite right with his immune system for these temps to keep happening. Anyone else? We saw a doctor for a thorough check up a few weeks ago but I’m wondering if he needs a blood test. Such a worry.
You build immunity by being exposed to people and their bugs. Normally this starts gradually with introductions to family then a wider circle as you go about in shops and social activities. Covid stopped all this so 2 and 3 year olds will have the immunity of not much better than a 6 month old and will get ill much more. In big childcare settings you always get more bugs anyway but now thanks to covid it's much worse. Even adults are picking up more colds and bugs. Build up immunity by a good diet and continued exposure.
Badabingbadatinselbum · 28/12/2021 11:59

Yep, it is relentless. But it does improve. And they are definitely a bit more resilient by school age.

RobinPenguins · 28/12/2021 12:01

It wasn’t nearly this bad for us but that was a few years ago and everyone I know who had lockdown babies seems to be being hit much harder from less exposure early on. It will get better.

cantare · 28/12/2021 12:18

Yes, definitely. My DC1 started nursery at 3 and not only was sick herself all the time, but brought all the viruses home to her baby sibling. It's what happens when they start nursery and mixing with lots other children.
My DC2 wasn't sick as often as the first one when he started nursery, as he already had some immunity.

thebearandthemare · 28/12/2021 12:28

I think it’s the temperatures in particular that worry me. It just seems so alarming. I can understand getting ill frequently at the moment (as horrible enough as that is) but why so many temps?! Thanks for all of the support, feeling a bit broken by it all today and am very worried about managing illnesses and work again in the new year.

2pinkginsplease · 28/12/2021 12:30

Same happened in our household. However it's me as an early years practitioner working with all the children that gets everything going. Its part and parcel of nurseries