Surviving constant nursery illnesses

[roselemonade23]

Just that really, I've got two lovely DDs (4,2) who we adore. But feck me, they're always off nursery sick! Four colds since November, two trips to A&E with the younger one (who has an inhaler)

When ill, they're both ruddy nightmares. I resort to telly to keep them calm, warm etc. But then feel guilty. They're both their own worst enemies, running around with loads of energy and making themselves exhausted and more ill.

On top of this I run my own business, but it's always me taking time off while DH swans into work. Gah!

Anyone else going through this nonsense? Please tell me it gets easier when they get to school. Any advice?

Thank you 💐

I’m afraid this is quite usual. Unfortunately other people send their children to nursery when they know they are unwell and the other children pick things up. Your children should gradually develop immunity.

Hello,

no advice but solidarity. I have same age kids but boys and I’m exhausted. My 4 year old has missed 5 days outdoor nursery since start December now. I WFH but my 2 year old now has scarlet fever this week and has given me strep throat 😂😅

so now i’m off sick looking after then both and we are all on antibiotics. It’s a riot.

we’ve also had TV on all day after last week me trying to limit their screen time a bit. I think you just have to go into survival mode when they are ill, try not to feel guilty but I know exactly what you mean. Mine are normally outdoor loving balls of energy and they are just so flat and no energy at all. We’ve been having long playful baths to distract em and warm them up.

hope everyone’s better soon x

Ps. Meant to say make sure your partner takes some of the pressure too. We share it 50:50 as much as we can. I refuse to be the default parent for sickness and I do think that helps x

Make sure you are all having a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and veg, reduce ultra processed food, and add fermented food/drinks into your diet. Your gut plays a big part in immunity. And get outside as much as you can.

@Daisies12 yes I totally agree, I've been trying really hard to do less UPFs and more home cooked fruit and veg for every meal. I also give the girls a multivitamin, and a probiotic every day for gut health.
Problem is my 4 year old refuses a lot, and still only eats beige food, haha. 🙈

@Marshmallow87 oh wow sorry to hear you're all off and on antibiotics too. Sending solidarity and strength to you too 💐

My two year-old is currently off nursery with conjunctivitis at the moment, despite the GP saying it shouldn't prevent children attending childcare.

The nursery have their own policy apparently, and are free to be more restrictive than current NHS advice.

DH and I both work full time and having to constantly juggle nursery illness is one of the key reasons we will be staying one and done.

It does get better. They develop more immunity and as they get older they don't lick each other and every thing as much and dont wipe their snot over everything and that helps too - once they learn to use tissues and put their hands over their mouths when coughing.

i only have one but the first winter at nursery has been relentless and I have caught most of the bugs too. Between constantly being sick and some of the illnesses leading to terrible sleep I ended the year rundown and exhausted. I had loads of time off work and was basically too exhausted to do my job and making constant mistakes the rest of the time. Hope it gets better for everyone soon as not sure how much longer I can keep my job under the current circumstances! We also developed sone bad habits with too much TV and dummy use during the day (previously restricted to sleep times).

@AnonymousMusing the juggle is so hard isn't it, especially when it's one thing after the other. I find conjunctivitis is rife at the minute, and the eye antibiotics that we always get from the GP are hit and miss. Sending sympathy 💐

@AyeRightYeAre looking forward to this! I can't wait for them to stop sticking their hands and faces in everything 🙈

@wishIwasonholiday10 yes, it's worse when you're ill yourself and having to take care of grumpy, poorly little people. All while having to play catch up at work.
It makes me wonder what I did with all my free time before kids! X

No advice but we’re in the same boat. GP said to me on average little ones get 38 colds, viruses and bugs annually when in nursery.
We’ve been trying with all our might to keep our 20mo in a bedtime routine but when they’re poorly it’s just cruel when all they want is their mummy or daddy! I think since ours started in September I’ve paid more for him to be home than in nursery!
On average every other week I get a phone call when he’s seemed fine in the morning but is evidently unwell when we collect. The first month he was only there 6 days out of 15, November there was two whole weeks I had him off after being sent home and we’ve had 2 a and e trips along with one night his temp and breathing wasn’t right, 111 phoned emergency services! They phoned me Thursday morning this week and the first thing I said was ‘he’s only been back two days since Christmas and he’s already unwell!’
I feel your pain.

My gs was like that - the first year he was hardly there and they still had to pay the nursery fees. The nursery seems to have very strict rules about children being ill which considering that's the place they catch everything is surprising, and obviously not working!. Since September he's been much better but the first year was very difficult.

It does get better! My DS attended full time and once he went to school caught much less! He also showed signs of asthma. With the little one give the preventative inhaler without fair (speak to asthma nurse about upping it) and consider piriton in case allergies play a role. Sterimar is also really good for keeping snot to a minimum which can help keep the chest clear.

Wonder if it makes a difference the kids starting later. My eldest started at 13 weeks . My youngest at 6 months . Neither of them seemed to get constant bugs. Or maybe just lucky as rarely off school either

I was listening to something the other day that said during winter kids get 10-12 colds in 3 months which is one a week on average
We have been lucky that my daughter usually saves her illness for my day off and after a day of cuddles is well enough to go back the next day.

We have been in two nurseries and the first were much more keen to send her home and she got more illness whilst there. The second one they keep her more and she doesn't get ill as much. She's very good a masking though and often walks out of the door and starts crying she doesn't feel well but didn't want to stop playing so didn't say anything. That said there was one day when she had COVID (didn't know that until she got home) and she only managed 11 minutes as they called the moment I got home from picking her up.

Its shit, I get it, mine are 2 and 5 and have been there. But, I'm sorry, but YOU are YOUR own worst enemy if you're always taking time off whilst your DH swans off to work. He needs to step up a bit, whatever his job is.

it's shit
it's a phase and it WILL get better

the other parent needs to step up as well.
when dc were small on those days we would both do a shorter day, one starting at silly o'clock with a changeover at lunch time. that way we both got work done and didn't piss off our employers.

what you can do is take care of the badic needs of dc (you do that allready)

• sleep
• exercise (at least one hour mad running about, preferably outside)
• nutrition (consider ia multi vid supplement if fussy eater)
• hygiene (handwashing!)