Illness, nursery and hygiene

[MintSource]

DS is nearly nine months.

I am probably very PFB.

He is starting nursery part time for a month before I go back to work. After four days of settling-in, he contracted Gastroenteritis, which has been doing the rounds there. We expected he would pick things up.

We are now on ninth day and although the d&v has stopped (for up to 3 days), it has started again. He's been checked by a doctor and is not dehydrated. I'm going to try some soya formula today as I have just read that gastroenteritis can cause temporary lactose intolerance. I've sterilised his toys, which I know is pointless if it's viral rather than bacterial, but nothing to lose.

Nursery sterilises toys once a week. They now have hand, foot and mouth going round, which seems pretty impossible to avoid/prevent.

I would love to hear any advice or voices of experience on whether/how it's possible to prevent DS picking up every single illness at nursery in coming months. I know he needs to build his immunity up but if there is something I can do to help prevent him getting sick repeatedly then I'd love to do it.

Or am I just hopelessly PFB?

Nope, not much you can do really. They all bring everything home and it comes from all over - siblings at school, parents at work, licking trolleys at Tescos, swimming, etc etc. My 2yo - whilst she has not had gastroenteritis or HFM - has had a nose like a tap this year and catches every cold going. It's just part of mixing with other kids and yes, building up their immunity. Stock up on calpol and don't put the muslins away, they make very good snotrags.

I am tempted to say you are being PFB but I won't because I am now 15 weeks into coughing (having had pneumonia) and 1 week into ANOTHER cold and I know how crap it is being ill all the time. Also I am 32 weeks pg so feeling even crapper than usual but am pretty sure that's not something you catch at nursery . I hope your DS feels better soon.

Forgot to say - YOU will catch it all too.

Happy times

So true! It's been one thing after another for us including impetigo which was horrible. I'm told they get quite healthy later I assume because they've already had everything

It's a good time of year to start nursery as most of the winter bugs are starting to slow down now, but yes, the first year, especially the winter is hard and I'd imagine with a baby even harder as they want to chew everything. I give my kids vitamin d drops as I read somewhere it coluld boast immunity, I have also given my dc the chicken pox vacination privately as at least that is one less thing to catch.

Sorry, but I agree with the others! DD was the same. Started nursery at 11 months and had a string of illnesses, gastroenteritis, chest infection, ear infection, repeat. Then it stopped a bit in the summer months. Then last October she moved up to the toddler room and it started all over again! New kids new germs.

My DD doesn't go to nursery but picks up everything going from friends' children who do go to nursery... Completely unavoidable I'm afraid unless you keep them away from all other children!

In face, since my NCT friends have stated to return to work and their children have gone to nursery, DD has picked up hand, foot and mouth, slapped cheek syndrome, impetigo and 2 stomach bugs from one or other of them!

Nothing you can do! DS has had HFM (And they regularly have signs up at nursery to warn you of a current case) which my dad also contracted following contact with DS, despite it being pretty difficult for adults to suffer from!
I've been off work 3 times in 18mo with conjunctivitis - DS hasn't had it but he's been generous with spreading the germs on to me!
Do short weeks on your return to work if possible - you are likely to both be poorly.

Thanks all.

I suspected as much....

Thanks for suggestions of vitamin drops etc - happy to hear any tips for stocking up the medicine cabinet please....

There is a certain number of viruses that all DC come into contact with and they come across lots of them when they first start in early years settings or schools. Once they've gone through them they have built up a good store of bugs they are immune to and it all slows down. You'll be immune to the majority of them because you've come across them before.

You can't do anything about it and their immune systems are perfectly able to cope. It's just a PITA.

Diaoralite. Although our Dr prescribed it so it was free. Other than that just calpol and nurofen. Or cheaper alternatives.

My DS started nursery last September. Every couple of weeks he had a cold, chesty cough, d and v. Christmas and new year were vomaggedon. 2 days off with every loose poo or vomiting. Nightmare.

He has now been well for 7 weeks. This is our record. Of course DH and I both have the most important weeks of the year coming up at work, so he's bound to be poorly again. My guess is chicken pox.

DS caught various things when he was at nursery (conjunctivitis was a favourite but he also got hfm, chickenpox, and headlice). The good news was that DD caught nothing but the odd cold and a mild bout of chickenpox even though she went for much longer hours.

The best thing you can do is not to use anti-bacterial stuff (wipes, spray) at home (except round the toilet) as that will weaken his immune system.

If your nursery has a good and well-enforced policy (eg parent pick up mandatory for certain symptoms) on highly contagious illnesses like d&v type viruses then hopefully you'll avoid the worst, but do prepare yourself for a bumpy ride health-wise.

DD spent about 3 months constantly ill when she started nursery, although it was all colds rather than anything more nasty. And I got most of them, not fun.

That said, it's one of the reasons we sent DD to nursery. Apparently kids who've not been through the constant illnesses at childcare get everything in their first year of school instead.

Thanks all.

Interestingly, I have two friends with babies the same age who are not at nursery, have no siblings and don't go to playground etc. One has d&v and has had around five cases of conjunctivitis. The other has just got chicken pox.

My ds doesn't go to child care but we do stay and play and toddler groups and he's had one d&v virus and impetigo since Christmas. My friends whose children are in nursery rarely go a month without something. There's no avoiding it really- even if you didn't go to toddler groups (for a start I'd go mad!) then dp picks stuff up from colleagues whose kids are in nursery. When I took ds to the gp with impetigo he put the blame on a soft play centre and said that if they were shut along with nurseries were shut his work load would half! We now call ball pools "impetigo pits".

Definitely to be expected. They are building immunity at that age and nursery is a real melting pot for illnesses. The first 6 months at nursery are pretty grim from experience (for baby and parents) but they come out of nursery with rock solid immunity which will serve them well when they start school. My two have been through every illness conceivable, including a few I had not heard of pre-children such as molluscum contagiosum (this is a dreadful virus and can last 18+ months). Good luck x

Gawwwww the first winter was by far the worst for illness for our boy - multiple gastro bugs, snotty colds, tonsillitis, ear infections, a cough that went on ad-infinitum, so I can completely relate.they build up their own immunity but I spose vitamin drops wont hurt. Good luck!! And yeah - I caught loads of stuff too

Mine had a constant cough/cold for the first 3 months after starting nursery and has had conjunctivitis about 3 times this year. I think it's par for the course unfortunately and I just view it as toughening up his immune system.