Children constantly poorly this winter

[ExcitingTimes2023]

Anyone else’s children been constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY poorly this winter?

I have a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old. It may feel worse as this is my first winter with 2…. But my God this winter has been testing. Since November one or both of them have been poorly. And I’m not talking about a lingering cough… I’m talking virus after virus after virus.

So far since the beginning of November

1. Toddler had a temperature just as baby was brought home. I don’t know how but everyone else manage to avoid this one.
2. a week or so later toddler had a temp of 40 and sick during the night. My then 4 week old caught this one and developed a chest infection needing a week of antibiotics.
3. Just as baby started to get better toddler brought home another virus (just a cold) but passed that straight to baby who was already unwell.
4. both of them had fevers on and off over Christmas.
5. January brought more colds, though luckily nothing worse then A snotty nose and cough.
6. Into feb, another nasty virus. Toddler poorly for a week. Baby developed bronchiolitis and and all over viral rash - needed antibiotics and steroids.
7. Toddler D+V - luckily with hot washes and constant hand washes the rest of the house managed to avoid.
8. Yesterday toddler has a fever and baby full of snot and a horrendous cough again.

poor baby has spent his first few short months on this earth poorly and miserable. Has never been able to shift his cough as the next virus takes hold. Toddler starting to struggle aswell with the relentlessness of it all while trying to adapts to having a sibling. I don’t think there has been a single week where they felt well since November. No one is getting any sleep as toddler and baby waking through night due to being unwell, and me and partner are catching at least 50% of them too. But obviously we just have to get on with it to care for the littles. It’s just been relentless and I feel I’m reaching the edge of what I can cope with. I’m feeling tearful all the time and just so fed up with it all x

Poor you and your poor kids. We had this - badly - with DD. Everything she caught went to her chest and resulted in an A&E trip for oxygen with sats in the 80s. I remember sobbing to DP in the kitchen one night that I couldn’t take it any more, the worry and exhaustion. I now have a 1 year old who, touch wood, has been ok so far but this winter will be his first at nursery and I’m absolutely dreading it. I actually think I have a touch of PTSD, I go into a panic if either of them cough or feel a bit warm. Hugs 🫂

We’ve had an absolutely awful first winter at nursery for my now 20 month old, constantly sick since October and me catching everything too. I can only imagine how much worse it would be with a newborn as well.

Nearly 4 yo and 8 month old baby. DS1 has been in nursery since just before 1, so this is his 3rd winter in childcare.

This winter has been absolutely horrendous. DS1 has generally been a pretty robust child re: illness and has had barely any time off nursery/pre school until this year. He’s been off with D+V, hand foot and mouth and covid since October and has had a permanent cough/cold in between. Needless to say the baby had caught everything and has had more than one trip to paeds A&E, something we never had to do with DS1. It’s been the hardest thing about having 2 DC without a shadow of a doubt. Roll on spring…

My little girl is nearly 18 months it we've had an awful time too. I think its been about 3 months straight of one illness or another now. Literally one day break then the next one kicks in. Ive been catching them all too and like you Im reaching breaking point. Ive forgotten what it feels like to not be sick and I think my body cant get a chance to recover because theres no time to rest when you have poorly little ones. Hoping the warmer weather soon breaks the cycle!

The is my life too!
Was at doctors last week and even he said this winter has been really bad for the amount of virus’ go round said normally a bad time of the year but it’s been extra bad. Positive is that it’s March now so we should be heading to the end 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 both mine were ill last week tag teaming me 🙄

Poor you.
Presume your toddler goes to nursery?!
Could he/she take a break from the bug fest pit for a few weeks to give you all a break? 💐

Yes. Toddler has been at nursery since she was 9 months so it’s not like she is just being introduced to the germ factory. It’s just been so relentless x

I feel your pain, 18 month old and an 8 year old, tonsillitis, chest infections, colds, sickness bugs, random temperatures. Our nursery said it's been a particularly bad winter illness wise with the kids there

Hey, do your kids always get a fever each time? My 22 month DS has been ill since mid Jan first with the flu (diagnosed via swab at A&E) after a 12 day temp. Then he had 10 days fever free then another illness with temp this time only 36 hours of fever and today ( 20 days after last illness) he has got yet another temp. I imagine it's another cold brewing but is this normal? Am I the only one with kids getting a temp every time they are ill?? I'm exhausted and concerned.

God yes! My 3yo latest ailment is an ear infection. 18mo has his 117th cold of the season 😆

I feel unreasonable saying this, but I'm also sick and tired of my clothes constantly being covered in everyone's snot.

@Bobskeleton thanks. I suffer with health anxiety so I'm so concerned and that fact he has had his 3rd fever in the last 6 weeks! I'm so tempted to see the doctor but DH says he is fine and it's just back to back viral illnesses. Just woken with a 39 temp. How long do your DC fevers last? I honestly am terrified that its something worse given the number he has had

My little one constantly gets temps. Raised concerns doctor said normal in first year of nursery

In the same position here too. Have a 2.9 DD and nearly 4mo DD and ever since I went in for an induction when DD was really poorly with a virus it's been one thing after another. My poor DS has probably had a grand total of maybe 2 weeks of his entire life where he's not had anything. He's currently full up eith cold and a horrible chesty cough. Cannot wait for some warmer weather and hopefully the back of all these horrible bugs and illnesses.

We've had 6 d&vs since September, 5 definitely from nursery as dd 2 always got them a good 24 hours before anyone else. Ds 5 has had strep once and tonsillitis 6 times. He's had an on off temperature for 5 weeks now (had blood tests last week for glandular fever). Waiting on a tonsillectomy. His antibiotics (required every time, he stops drinking fluids and goes floppy) give him diarrhoea for the full 10 day duration, so no school... we both work full time, fortunately with a lot of flexibility, or one of us would have been fired by now. It's odd because dd is otherwise (aside from d&v) extremely healthy, never suffers much with colds. Ds though is always sick or injured, very unlucky and clumsy child under multiple healthcare teams.

Never known anything like this year for d&vs. We're even sterilising ds toothbrush daily.

Yea touch wood we've not had any D&V just coughs and cold. My eldest currently has a hacking cough which he developed overnight but no temp. My youngest though has no cough but a 39 temp. How long do your DCs temps last? I never used to worry but after DS had a temp for 12 days I'm now panicking and losing all sense of proportion.

One of my dc has been unwell so much this year. Just had 3 weeks off school and attendance was low anyway due to illness. It’s been horrendous

If your worried then a trip to see the Dr sounds like a good shout, even if they say it's just another virus then at least you have some peace of mind, especially as 4 months is still so diddy!

TBH the fevers generally only last a couple of days but my youngest recently had a fever for around 4 days but it was a low grade one.

@Bobskeleton sorry my DS is 22 months so not so little is warrants a trip on day 1 of fever and he seems happy enough in himself. I just hope it goes in the next 24 hours! Just been constant illnesses this winter and I never had this with my eldest who is now 5.

Sorry @Aklein38 that's me not reading the thread properly!

It's always a worry when they are unwell, you just don't know what to do for the best sometimes. Hopefully it will pass soon for your little one so you can all get some rest and recovery

Forget the kids, I’ve been ill pretty much non stop since November! One nasty cold / flu bug and hacking cough after another, don’t think I’ve managed a whole week without being ill! I blame church and singing in the choir as really the only time I’m around people; dread to think what would be like if I had a small in nursery currently!

does anyone know what it is that makes this year particularly bad? My little one has had a constant cough since Jan ☹️

My eldest has never had a temperature in his life. My youngest throws off wild temperatures every single time he’s brewing something. I think it’s just luck (or lack of luck) of the draw unfortunately.

Yes.
My oldest started kindergarten in June
Baby born June 16 has been CONSTANTLY ILL
Older one also seems to be ill most of the time - so much mucus.
Already had two rounds of antibiotics by november (we then chose not to give her any more for subsequent infections even when they were offered
tummy flu, bad colds, fever, vomiting, ear infections, bronmchitis, bronchiolitis - everything.

I am so over it.

If we get three days in a row without no one sick and everyone healthy it's a cause for celebration and it never lasts. I feel I am an expert in fluid management now

It's the worst winter for winter viruses since before Covid. And toddlers are basically biological warfare factories.

Tell me about it. I've had 2 horrendous sinus things with fever and cough. We were all ill most of January and DS basically missed 2 whole weeks of nursery. He's had a constant runny nose with green sticky snot since then. My mum came to visit middle of February and got us ill again. I picked up another cold last week. It's relentless.

Was hoping the weather was finally improving but this weekend we were back to freezing rain.