Thread: Childcare - health v development

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Maybe his immune system is not yet in full swing
He should develop some immunity to bugs after a while but its worth getting him checked by your doctor

We've been trying to convince ourselves that might be the problem but why do I get everything he does?
Especially when it's 2 cases of gastro in a month .

I would have thought my immune system would have been developed by now .

Hey mate,

Welcome to the joys of childcare etc. As NM has pointed out your child will be exposed to a whole rash of things. The bugger is that you can tend to get it as well, immune system or not. I have got some awful bugs from my kids in the past. My youngest at 6 weeks will be the last that I have to experience that with when the time comes, the other 3 are now at school and not so much a problem now,

Regards

Stevo

Pretty mh normal - he is going to have to be exposed to the world of infections sooner or later, and as others have pointed out, you will get them from him.

I had my grandchildren and D-I-L for a month or so earlier this year - and my son reckoned it is the healthiest he's been since his first started daycare! As for myself - less said the better, although going to a very small school they probably got less than they would have in a bigger school, and the toddler did not go to childcare at all, so that was a help - from my point of view anyway, although it would not have helped her immune system development.

John

Yella peril

Just normal bugs, playgroups do teach kids to share from an early age, bugs are included. Owen has to build up an immunity to the bugs and the best way is to get them. All pretty normal, wait till he has brothers and sisters and you get the whole lot with it, thats fun.

Playschool is an important part of his social development, and a day for Leslie to regain her sanity. Yes it's expensive but it's easier to pay the bill than it is to live with a mad woman permanently.

Yellow peril is grose and exhausting for all concerned, but it's nothing compared to Chickenpox, nits or any of the other things he will bring home.

Originally Posted by Scouse

We're in a bit of a dilemma at the moment in regards to Little Scouse attending day care.

We started him on the 10th of April at the best centre we could near my workplace. It's the newest, cleanest & most professional looking place we'd come across. There's plenty for the kids to do & the staff all seem very good. The centre tour was great & it all seemed perfect for Owen.

Before day care, he had never been sick, nothing so much as a sniffle. Unfortunately, he has been sick every week since starting day care.
Sure, we expected him to get the odd cold & even the centre warned us that he might get sick for the first week or two.

He has had an ongoing runny nose from his first day there (he attends on Thursdays, he's always sick by Saturday) & the 2nd week he ended up with a bad case of gastro which I ended up with too. It took me 3 days to get over that but a lot longer for Owen. He had to miss his next Thursday as he was too sick to attend (we still have to pay).

Last week, he got another case of gastro. Again, it was passed onto me. I'm recovering now but he's still suffering. It looks like he won't be attending this Thursday too.


We're wondering if all these health problems are normal with day care. Of course, we expect him to get sick from time to time but this is getting beyond normal IMO.

As it is now, I'm on the verge of pulling out of this centre because he won't be there for the next 2 Thursdays after tomorrow anyway.
We're taking a few days holiday from 1st of June to maybe the 4th/5th of June. He won't be going to day care the Thursday before because we're worried he's just going to get sick in time for the holiday. Hopefully, we'll still be away for the 3rd Thursday (fingers crossed).

Owen doesn't really need to be in day care at the moment, he's only in there now so he's used to it for when he does need to go (in August) & we thought it might be good for him to be around other kids.
I'm sure this would be better if he was older but this is difficult with both parents having to work.


Has anyone else here experienced a similar situation with day care?

It happens when you first mingle with the great unwashed.
Our kids went through the same thing.

The only thing better than having two little germ recepticles is to have a wife that works with them as well. I seem to have a very good immune system these days.
Beware of the implications for the childcare rebate if you are pulling him out of childcare without a certificate. You only get 30 days a year absence without a doctor's certificate before it starts to impact on your childcare rebate.

Regards,
Tote

Hi Scouse,

Unfortunately it's a part of life when you start having kids. The more they get exposed to other kids, toys, etc, the more the likelihood of them getting sick.

Also, there are a lot of people in general who in the past few weeks have started coming down with gastro, vomiting & flu like symptoms, due to the public transport system sharing them around! So it's pretty normal at this time of the year as the seasons change.

One tip which may help you though. I remember one year my son was constantly getting sick. He'd get something, just get over it, then get sick again. I was a bit concerned as he didn't usually get sick, so I took him to the doctor for a check up. The doctor basically said his immune system wasn't getting time to get back on top, hence, as soon as he was exposed to more bugs, he'd come down with whatever was being passed around, because his immune system was still deficient. The doctor suggested a tonic from the chemist, specially designed for toddlers to build up their immune system. Unfortunately, I can't recall what it was called, but it worked a treat. He didn't get sick for the rest of the year. So it may be worthwhile talking to your doctor, or a good pharmacist.

Best of luck, & hang in there, it does get better!!

ps I am surprised by the amount of sickness from the daycare centre however, what's their policy on cleaning? All the toys etc should be thoroughly & properly cleaned each day.

Panda

Our 7 month old is in care 3 days a week, and so far hes had a ongoing running nose/cough for the last 2 weeks. We also have been sick in the household, so that wouldnt help. I think as long as they dont become dehidrated and it doesnt become a wet lung cough its just part of the territory.