Nursery Bugs...how long is this going to last?

[baffledmummy]

DD (8 months) has just been settling in at nursery for the last 2 weeks so I can return to work soon. We have been really fortunate to date and she has never caught anything more than a little sniffle but I was told that she'd catch everything under the sun now she's started in daycare.

Anyways...it started already - last week had a cold over the weekend which got better during the week - then this weekend she had another cold, conjunctivitis and is grumpy and exhausted (but not able to sleep too well as she's so bunged up) It's only week 2 and I've had to keep her home today as she is so poorly.

She seems to really like nursery as well - she's all excited smiles when I drop her off and pick her up. Can anyone share their experiences of bugs and nursery new starts? Will it just go on for a few weeks and then become less frequent or are we doomed to weekends with a grumpy poorly baby for the next 4 years!

My little girl was poorly every few weeks (it seemed like all the time) this lasted 9 months. After then it's just normal, she's poorly a normal amount, not much.

Sorry OP but this happened to us for a good 9 months i think - it was relentless. Literally back to back bugs. I think my first year back at work I didnt have a single day of annual leave for myself - it was very frustrating. It was ridiculous actually, if I am honest .

But it does get better.

Hope your DD is well again soon.

Gosh 9 months! I guess it is helping build up her immune system...but...ohh....her sad little face...not sure I can cope with that for 9 months!

We had something every week for about 4-5 months, then it did get a lot better. I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was either going to happen when starting nursery or when starting school. Look after your own immunity - wash hands, take vitamins, and try not to get ill yourself as well!

It was 4 months for us; November to February inclusive. My twins were like zombies :( It did improve when spring came :)

About 4-5 months here, just permanent sniffles now!

My ds is only 11 weeks so I can't comment on nursery but my while doing my teacher training and my first full year teaching every holiday I came down with something. As soon as I could rest, I was ill.
I guess it is the same for the kids and their bodies get use to fighting off the germs. At least the warmer weather should be in its way so hopefully less colds etc... But he prepared next winter!

Mine started nursery in April two years ago, age 8 months. Constant illnesses till June, but then a lot better. Over the first full winter at nursery he was then off for a total of three days. So don't worry too much, things may not be too bad in the long run!

We had it from February to June. She would go to nursery Monday, fever by Wednesday/Thursday, sick all weekend. It was terrible. I looked into getting a nanny as it was so hard seeing her sick all the time, sorting out cover etc. She didn't miss as much nursery as you might think as all the bugs seemed to appear coming into the weekend! But it settled- the bugs spaced out and lasted less time. Then we had an amazing run of only 2 short lived bugs until this February when we had another month of illness which seems to have run its course now. It's really hard OP, I sympathise.

A year after starting regular toddler groups ours catches everything going (and then passes it to us). Somehow you just muddle through with one if you always being under the weather.

They say it takes about a year.

Mine had a pretty much constant cold with various other bugs chucked in for the first year at pre school. But since they started reception they haven't been ill yet.

For us it was awful for the first 4 months (which coincided with the late autumn/winter) and then got a lot better. Having 2 weeks off (at Christmas) seemed to make a big difference - I think it gave her a chance to recuperate and for her body to get its strength back before going back into the germ-pit!

For us it was 4 months (coincided with the onset of winter as a lot of PP have said) but at that stage I had to look for a childminder instead - I couldn't cope with my DC being ill and miserable all the time, I just felt that it wasn't fair. Try and be vigilant about hand washing so that the rest of the family don't start contracting the bugs. I sympathise, it's very tough.

it was 3-4mo of continuous colds plus at some point in the first six months we had hand foot and mouth and also chicken pox.
Since then he's been fine, a lot of runny noses but nothing that actually makes him feel rubbish. And we've never had a real vomiting bug (touch wood).

I reckon this takes until age 6 when the immune system is much more efficient and will have tackled a variety of stuff.

Thanks all....I was expecting bugs but was still taken aback and feel awful for her - so far since starting nursery she's been off the same number of days she's made it in (not proving hugely cost effective!)

Yeah it was around 6 months here. But he's 3 now and hasn't been off sick from nursery for ages. I can't even remember when he last was! So it does end. It's awful though, especially when you are just back at work. Shit timing all round!

Oh god my 3 year old is starting nursery next week. I keep imagining she's going to come home the first day with chicken pox! When we came for our first settling in session most of the kids had streaking noses.

Probably about 6 months here too. Dd started one day a week at 9mo and then gradually built her days up as she goes ft. She started in Dec though and it was bad till July. But our nursery has a very very strict policy on high temps so she was off every other week from March- July. My dd always seems to spike a temp when teething too so that never helped.

We had lots of cough cold type virus things as opposed to anything else though. It does get better and helps build their immunity. We've only had one virus since September so much better than last year! Having said that I've had the dreaded call to collect her today as she has spots on her tummy/back... Looks like pox!

Oh Jonesey good luck with the pox...hope it's not a bad dose.

You're doomed, I'm afraid. DD has been going to her nursery for just under two years. Along with recurring colds she has had Chicken Pox, Hand Foot & Mouth, Impetigo, one pretty nasty chest infection, one vomiting bug, several other unnamed infections that caused a high temp, and has just in the last 10 days recovered from Scarlet Fever.

I'm told it means they'll get less ill once they start school. I bloody well hope so. She's absolutely fine though - no long-lasting effects from any of them, so I just chalk it up to experience.

Imogen your poor DD! That is what I am scared of. She's bound to have the best immune system by the time she gets to school...but oh so hard to see.