Illnesses

[ThisNewMum]

I know it's the tale as old as time but viruses from nursery....

My son started nursery in Nov 2024 (11 months old) and I'm not joking when I say it's constant. He spent one week there and ended up in hospital with bronchiolitis for a week. We've had hf&m, norovirus, tonsillitis and various colds and other sickness bugs.

It's killing me watching my little boy constantly ill. He seems to always get a temp when he's ill and vomits quite easily.

I know everyone says it gets better in spring but what about next winter, will he be ill all the time again.

Constantly on the edge of just taking him out of nursery! Doesn't help that out of 25 days he's been off for 7 of them ill and I still have to pay for those days.

He's a good sleeper when he's not ill so all these illnesses are just ruining his sleep. He's always been a fussy eater but not it's sometimes impossible to get food down him as he feels unwell and then for him to actually keep it down...

Any advice from mums that have been through this? Words of wisdom or encouragement welcome 😅

If you have the option of going for small group care (a nanny, nanny share or small childminder setting) then I would. Small babies aren't really designed for this kind of group care.

If you don't have the option then push through. Next winter will be much better. He'll still be ill, but it almost certainly won't be like it is at the moment as he'll be bigger with a better developed immune system.

You have to stop thinking about the cost, of course you still have to pay- the cost is sunk, the money has to be paid whether he’s there or not.

it WILL GET BETTER. in the meantime, vitamin drops, wash his hands very regularly, feed him up when he’s not poorly- it’s shit but I promise it does get better, next winter will be nowhere near as bad as he’ll have built up some immunity.

It is rubbish though and I thought it would never end, but touch wood ours is 3 now, also started nursery at 11 months and rarely has to be off ill now.

The first winter was awful for us too with constant illnesses and terrible sleep from Oct to Feb. It got much better over summer and the second winter has had a few illnesses but so far not nearly as bad as the first one (fingers crossed as still a few months of winter left!)

I feel your pain OP

My 17 month DD started in September and had never been ill prior to this but has had virus after virus since the end of November!

It won't be any consolation now but mine picked up all sorts of bugs when they started nursery.
It got better and at primary school they probably averaged 1-2 days a year.

Youngest DS has about 1wk off for illness every month. We've had hf&m twice, croup, vomiting bug, conjunctivitis and the list goes on. It's a frustrating joke with the childminder that he's her easiest mindee as obviously they need to be paid if he's there or not. It does get less as their immune systems become stronger but goodness it's frustrating.

ETA - also helps when they get a bit older amd stop putting everything in their mouths, taking other children's dummy and are generally a bit better with hygiene!

You say you're in the edge of taking him out of nursery - does that mean you have the option? I would honestly consider what a pp said and see if you can find a smaller setting/private care when he is so young. They don't really need socialisation with other kids when they're so young so he won't lose out from that aspect.
We were lucky enough to be able to keep my daughter at home with a part time nanny until she was 18 months and she didn't get ill once. This was done with the blessing of my boss who said that from her experience, a part time nanny would mean we still could work more hours than full time nursery would because the child would be ill so much, and she was so right.
(then my kid went to nursery at 18 months and got every virus going, but at that age they are that much stronger and more robust, plus we felt that the socialisation was becoming important so that outweighed the negatives).