Problems with Daycare and Illness

Kids will get sick a lot when they first start daycare. It is annoying and sad for parents to have to disrupt their schedules to take a child home and watch them feel miserable.

The good news is, they are building up their immunity and this too shall pass. The longer they are around other kids, the more their immune system will build. By the time they are 3 or 4, they will get sick even less.

My singleton went through this and by the time he was 4 rarely got sick. Now he's in first grade and last year I think he missed one day because of being sick. This year none so far. And he is bringing home the sickness to my twins so they are building up their immune systems too.

Just remember this too shall pass. I wouldn't rush to take them out of daycare, but that's my opinion.

I have 3 year old twin sons who were in daycare until this summer. One of them had a very similar experience as your son, including the hospitalization. We tried several times to take a long break for him, only to have him get very sick after we went back. We took him out this summer and hired a nanny and will try to do some part time preschool next fall and hope for the best. Some kids just don't have the constitution for group care right away. If you have any options for home care, try it for 6 months to a year and see what happens. Otherwise, just know that all of the studies show that kids that stay at home get just as many illnesses when they start school as kids who were in day care did when they were younger. This has been true of my oldest who was sick a lot in day care but is almost never sick now in school.

Wow-does your post sound so familar. This happend at the last daycare we were at. My son had the flu 3 times last year and roto-virus all in his first year. Not to only mention a whole list full of infections that he had. Looking back I think we should had switched to a new center sooner. Unfortuantly you need to find a center that has a stricter sick policy for the childen. Some parents dont care they just take their children sick. It used to totally frustrate me. Good luck!

It's a running joke at my office on when the daycare is going to call for me to pick up my 2.5 year old boy. He is sick all the time since being in one. I have gotten to the point that I keep a record of when and why they call me so if it seems to get out of hand I can deal with any issues. It seems like they call me 1-2 times a month! Good Luck! Not too worry! :)

C.

It is normal until he builds up his immune system. Better to be "sickly" now than school age

I think it all depends on the center and the type of parents the center attracts.

About the center - question their sanitizing/cleaning methods, do quick examinations on your own when you drop off/pick up your child, check the changing table, the toys, and look at the other kids (do they have green snot coming out of their nose, etc.)

About the other parents - unfortunately, at some centers parents will send their kids in despite the sick policies that are set forth by the center.

One thing you can do is start lingering at the center when you pick up your child. Just get to know the people who are caring for your child. Not only does it have the added benefit of them really getting to know you and you getting to know them, you also get to watch how they change diapers, clean bottles, pick up after the kids, and look at the other kids in the center (goopy eyes? green snot? vomiting?). I lingered a lot in the beginning just to check things out, and it actually was a wise decision - I feel that I have a great relationship with my son's teacher and they are more in-tune with his needs and my desires.

I don't think it's unusual for colds to go around this time of year. I do know of a friend whose son ended up having a low tolerance for things like that - he doesn't have asthma, but has resp. problems and his immune system was tested as not working as well as it should. To be honest, I think they're still looking for the complete answer, although he's much healthier now. He couldn't go to daycare, but was cared for by his mom, and later a nanny.

So, it doesn't sound impossible to me that a kid might not be able to be healthy in daycare, but it also doesn't seem unusual to have a lot of colds on first starting daycare. My second son had something new every couple of weeks for his first year of daycare (he was also almost 1 when he started). The question is, does your son react worse than average. I don't think there's a way to totally avoid passing germs around in a daycare setting (although you should make sure they are following normal guidelines for keeping everything clean.) Good luck - it sounds very frustrating.

I can totally sympathize with your issue. My son started daycare last year when he was 6 months old. It felt like he was sick all the time. If anything was going around daycare my son got it. My husband and I are both teachers so being called out in the middle of the day was hard. I would get VERY frustrated when doctors would tell me that we needed to get him out of daycare because for me staying at home is not a financial possibility at this time. I asked my doctor why my son seemed to get more sick than the other children and he told me that "some kids just catch stuff and some don't". We had my son tested for EVERYTHING including a compromised immune system. The good news is that all of his tests came back normal, we just have a kid who tends to get sick.

This is his second year in daycare and things have been MUCH better. He still gets sick from time to time but not even close to how often as last year, and he recovers sooner. I think they just need time to let their little immune systems build up. I have been told that by kindergarten he will be super healthy. I know it is very frustrating but just hang in there, it does get better.

This is very typical with a daycare center. I used to work at a center when my oldest son was a baby. He did not go there with me, but was still ALWAYS sick! After trying to figure things out with his doctor, we realized it was the daycare that was making him sick. I was told to change my clothes, and if I could, shower before picking him up from my sister in law. I did that, and things improved, and improved even more when I quit working at the center. As an aide there, I saw how kids would come to daycare. Bright green boogers pouring out of their nose, fevers, vomit.... Many parents need to be at work, so they will send their kids as long as they can get away with it, it can be quite disgusting!
I would look into a home daycare for your son, if possible. Good Luck!

We just begun my toddler in daycare, in October. She has already had 3 colds already. Last time, she was so sick, she had to be out of daycare for 1 week while she recuperated. Now, she is snot-free for the last 7 days, counting...

This is the worst time of the year for colds and viruses. Esp if you child has not been exposed before. Daycare, no matter how clean and sterile they strive to be, still is in the end a 'total germ factory.'

However, your son's case sounds a bit extreme. I question their methods of sanitizing. Perhaps try another daycare, or a home nanny. Especially if his frequent sickness is costing you time off from work and causing more stress for everyone, a home nanny/babysitter may not be a bad idea at this time. Then perhaps try daycare again in the spring, when viruses are not that rampant. I've heard of many people withdrawing their kids from daycare due to frequent sickness and missing too much work. They all have been happier and more at peace of mind with a home sitter.

Is it normal for children who are exposed to other children to get sick more often at first, I think so. Is it normal for your son to be THAT sick? I DON'T think so. I choose to be a FT working mom and both of my sons are at daycare (2.5 yrs and 4 months). I can tell you this little story...

At 8 weeks, we had son #1 (Jacob) at a center and he was sick ALL the time. Colds, ear infections, pink-eye, seriously we were at the doctor at least twice a month. We moved to a new home and changed centers when he was 6 months. Aside from the ear infections (he needed tubes, eventually) he was/is rarely sick.

::knock on wood:: my 4 month old (Ryan) has yet to be sick. Again, ::knock on wood::. Lol.

Both were/are breastfed only and I know that helps a lot. But, the choice of center seemed to be a huge factor. We went to many centers and didn't realize that the 1st one we chose was as bad as it was. Now, being a more experienced Mom, I can see what some of their issues were.

The center I'm at now is great and they are so clean. I really love it. The fact that your DR said to keep your son out of daycare worries me. S/he must think there's a link, you know?

Good luck.

T.

Do they sanitize their toys at the end of everyday? Kids that young don't wash their hands after they sneeze, cough, etc. If the daycare is not sanitizing the toys, the kids are just spreading the germs that way. I would ask the teacher their policy on hand washing and toy sanitization. They also need to clean the changing table after EACH kid.

Our little one was also sick all the time. Now she is being watched by a SAHM. She goes to the sitter's house everyday and it's the same cost as daycare was. You might want to check around to see if any moms would be willing to do this. The only downfall is if the sitter is sick, but we have had far fewer sick days this way.

Yes when my kids where in day care all the time back to back they would be sick. So one day i investigated and the never where cleaning the building properly so i took my kids out. Also check the cleanlyness before you pick a day care meaning check the cleaning supplies and everything. Also shigella goes around so fast in day cares you can be sick for a month with that. They need to make sure everyone washes there hands even adults. There are nasty people in this world.

I had the same issue with my son, and just when he was able to become "immune" and start fighting colds, he got a bacterial virus from the changing table they used. So ofcourse, i took him out. With daycares, kids will always be sick, and yes the teacher says it builds immunity, but its hard with the little ones and plus work. I visited some daycares afterwards to see better options, and just staying there for an hr or two to observe, i did not see what i liked. I dont if this will help, but best option is babysitter.

Totally normal - that's why many people opt for home daycare cause this is what happens to a lot of kids during their first cold season in daycare settings. Good luck and maybe consider the other options to keep him well a little longer. Also, bf pretty much eliminates them getting sick so if you can do that as much as possible that would definitely help. My close friend had her daughter who was even a preemie but she bf and sent her full time to daycare and she did not get sick the whole winter because she was sharing so many immunities with her daughter. I don't know. I don't have any other ideas to elliminate illness in daycare?

We have had the same experience with our grand daughter, the pedi recommended the same, stop daycare and see if she stops getting ear infections and colds. She is forever with a runny nose, cough or sneezing, very sad to say!!!