Nursery and colds

[Laur89]

Hey, my oldest DS is nearly 3 and has been going to nursery for about 8 months now. Since he's been going he brings a cold in approximately every other week. This then naturally spreads to my 7 month old DS. It's relentless as the colds keep setting my 7mo back in terms of sleep and general progression. The poor lad had a cold at 4 days old and then almost every other week since then...

Is it normal for this amount of colds to come in from nursery etc? Is this just something we will have to accept and get used to? It just seems like an endless cruel cycle. The oldest has a good balanced diet with a lot of fruit and veg, would introducing vitamin supplements on top of the balanced diet help both boys fend this off? Thanks!

My DD was like this but I’d of expected/hoped it would have settled down by now. I thought children were supposed to have vitamins although we are a bit hit and miss about taking them every day; it definitely can’t hurt though

I would definitely be giving them some vitamins.

Colds from nursery are standard, but that does seem excessive. What are the hygiene standards like at the nursery? Is your DS a fingers/things in the mouth sort of child?

Yeah its normal. When my son started nursery he had a constant runny nose for maybe 5/6 months. It then all cleared up and hes fine now. Its good for the immune system! I was really concerned at one point and took my son to the GP, who said they either get it all now at nursery or get it all when they start school.

Totally normal! It's a general rule of thumb that the first year of nursery you're constantly fighting off colds. After a year it tends to calm down quite a bit. Hopefully with your youngest getting colds it may not happen as frequently if he starts nursery (fingers crossed).

Oh its advised that all children under 5 (I think?!) are on some sort of daily multi vitamin too. Might help a bit.

My son started nursery aged 1 and the first 6 months were brutal. Constant colds and viruses. He's been attending since nurseries reopened after lockdown 1, and had a few runny noses that have barely bothered him and that's been it. I think their immune systems take a hit of at first and then it settles down. I teach in a primary school and you can always tell the little ones who haven't attended nursery as they get taken out with illnesses at the start of the year. While those who've been regular nursery attendees seem to have more robust immune systems.

All children under 5 and over 6 months should take vitamins unless they are having over a certain amount of formula milk.

Cold from nursery are normal unfortunately.

Yep, another one saying normal. My DC is 3 and we don't get them to the extent that you are having but I think that's because she's been in nursery since she was 9 months old, the first 9 months or so were the worst, it felt like she was constantly unwell! It gradually lessened over time but she still does frequently pick stuff up, at least every 3 months or so and often more frequently especially over the winter months.

Yes it's normal unfortunately. DD is 3 and it's finally settled down now in time for DD2 to start. The winter when she was 18 months or so and I was pregnant with my asthma all over the place was truly, truly miserable.

They do say the kids who have been in nursery have an easier time with the germs when they start school as they've been through it already so I cling to that.

Yes, it's really normal for the first year or two. It's slightly less the 2nd year. Mine is 3 but has been in nursery since 11 months. He's barely had a single cold this past year, but that's because he's built up that immunity in the previous years. It happens to them all at some point. Probably better to get it out of the way now rather than when school starts.

DH, DD and I were ill for about a year after she started nursery, one after the other. It was a nightmare!