Daycare and illness

If your babies are or were in daycare how often are they sick? DD has gone for 2 weeks total and has an ear infection, tonsillitis and upper respiratory infection. People warned me this would happen, but so soon?!

Now I'm sick too (which isn't a big deal but it makes caring for her tougher). Also, I stopped sending her the second I had an inkling she wasn't feeling well as to not pass it along to the other kids but I get the sense that I may be more considerate than others....

Daycare and illness

At first, like once a month. Now far less frequently.

Daycare and illness

DD is 13 months and in daycare full time Monday thru Friday -- she usually always has a cough/cold/runny nose (sometimes minor and other times moreso). She's also had 2 ear infections, although those aren't contagious. She also had coxsackie which is highly contagious. She wasn't as sick as often when she was in the infant room because the babies aren't mobile and they're not sharing toys/swapping germs. She's now in her 3rd room which has kids from 12-18 months and she's been sick more often. It makes sense though -- the kids are literally all over each other -- hugging, high fiving, sucking on toys that someone else just had in their mouth, stealing each others sippy cups, etc. We've had about a 10 day stretch when she had absolutely nothing and its the longest we've gone. As far as sending them vs. not sending them, as long as DD doesn't have a fever and isn't vomitting, she goes to daycare. And when I say fever, I mean over 100. I (nor does my pediatrician) consider 99.9 a fever -- kids run warmer than adults even when they're healthy. I don't think its about being considerate -- I think most parents keep their kids home when its necessary, but its unrealistic to think parents will keep their kids home anytime they have something (like a cold) that someone else could catch. If that were the case, DD would hardly go to daycare. It's also not financially feasible. DD goes to a licensed facility where I pay for the full week even on days she doesn't attend. Finally, DH and I just don't have enough sick days to stay home with her for every little thing.

Message edited 6/3/2016 8:14:24 PM.

Daycare and illness

Depends on the kid. My DS is 2 and has been in daycare since he was 4 months old. When in daycare, he more or less has a constant runny nose (Sept-June). Other than that, he has been relatively lucky (yay - BFing!) - I've actually been sick more than him. I swear I get everything that is going around daycare - like every single stomach bug!

As for sending sick kids to daycare, there is no way I keep him home every time he has a cold. I would literally NEVER go to work.

Daycare and illness

My DD has been in daycare full time since she was 6 months old. For the first 6-12 months she was actually not sick that often. A cold/ear infection/stomach bug here and there, but I actually remember thinking to myself that I thought it would be way worse.
Fast forward a year to now when she is in the toddler room and she constantly has something. So far this year she has had several ear infections, multiple colds, like 3 stomach viruses, coxsackie and roseola. Oh plus pink eye several times.

I also feel that I get sick way more than she does. Both DH and I have had pink eye several times since she's been in daycare and I feel like I walk around with a constant cold.

I couldn't possibly keep her home all the time. As long as she doesn't have a fever and is otherwise herself I send her. Yes, I feel guilty at times, but she got it from some other kid and they all just pass germs around. Yay for building immunity!

Re: Daycare and illness

Oh dear lord, I'm getting depressed!

And a nanny. I think I'm getting a nanny

But no, I totally get not keeping a kid home for a cold. A bacterial infection, though, is a different story and a child should be kept home for 48 hours after starting antibiotics.

Re: Daycare and illness

Posted by LuckyStar

Oh dear lord, I'm getting depressed!

And a nanny. I think I'm getting a nanny

But no, I totally get not keeping a kid home for a cold. A bacterial infection, though, is a different story and a child should be kept home for 48 hours after starting antibiotics.

Daycare and illness

Between the ages of 10 months and two years my son had EVERYTHING. Right before he turned two he had a fever every three weeks from April to June. He was sick constantly. Now at almost five he gets the occasional illness.

I was a teacher for more than ten years, so that definitely helped my immune system. I catch things from him every once in awhile, but thankfully it's not too often.

Re: Daycare and illness

DS was basically sick his entire first year, then only a couple of times since then.

DD has only been sick once and she's been in daycare since last August, so it really varies.

Daycare and illness

The entire first year I think she was always sick. At 3 she now has an insane immune system and barely gets a sniffle.

Daycare and illness

My DS was sick 3 weeks out of most months. Never had an ear infection it anything more than a cold but I think that depends on the kid. Some are just prone to certain infections/illnesses

Re: Daycare and illness

both of my boys were always sick from 8 months - 18 months / 2 years.
After that ..........these kids almost NEVER get sick, and if they do, they fight it off like champs.
It stinks, but it IS true when people tell you they are building their immune system. In K the SAH kids were sick constantly, while the daycare kids never missed a day of school - It's just a matter of when they are exposed to it