High quality masks work. Whether at school or at home trying to avoid spread to others in the household.

I know that's tough with little kids who often can't wear one well. But with older kids it's a really solid option.

Also wash hands immediately after coming home as a rule. Every time you walk in the door, wash hands.

Showers and fresh clothes right after school so you're not spreading whatever is on clothing or their body around the house.

There's a lot of research that indicates our immune system is impaired after covid, no matter how mild. I do think we're seeing much more illness than ever before, and it's a good idea for all of us to do what we can to avoid further issues from covid as well as everything else that's going around

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal. As they say, you pay now (in daycare/preschool) or pay later (in early elementary).

This. The good news is that DC is developing a solid immune system, which eventually will help reduce illnesses.

why do people keep repeating this? repeated viral illness does not strengthen your immune system or reduce illnesss

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true?fbclid=IwAR15gmqIMhd4CTG9TQcMyaXpWhiOiKXIn9qxOtTq0-u02liSl2y-fle5paM

Why do people keep repeating that repeated viral illness will strengthen the immune system of their babies or toddlers? Because they do not have any options. These parents have to work, they have to leave their kids in daycare. Can they say that the place they put their children to get care actually makes them sick? What can they do? Not everyone can stay at home and take care of their children.

Umm the link that was posted isn’t saying what you all think it’s saying. It says viruses don’t have as much benefit but bacterial infections do. A LOT of what kids are sick with is bacterial. And even with viruses, my kids get secondary bacterial infections (like lung or ear).

The people saying it will go away in elementary- nope!!! Maybe it’s a post Covid thing but my dd started school after Covid and has been sick nonstop. Her school is so dirty and kids constantly throwing up. She actually gets my younger kids sick.

But yeah in daycare my kids are sick probably every 3 weeks from November to April.

Oh and as a parent I’m sick nonstop too. That’s the part no one told me about. Last year I got strep, pink eye, entero virus, RSV, Covid, flu and probably more. Vomiting is the worst in my mind and my whole family was down and out with that 2x last year.

OP I am 53 years old and have rarely suffered any virus or other communicable illness in the last 23 years since I stopped attending school. I’m a clean freak including hand hygiene and wasn’t sick once in the last 8 years I was working in healthcare settings.

I started working with kids in an educational setting four weeks ago; four days after I started I woke up with a viral infection which morphed into a bacterial infection - I was sick for 11 days. I went back to work and four days later I woke up with sudden onset severe joint pain which four days later was diagnosed as covid and I am now out sick for three more days while I take Paxlovid (terrific stuff, aside from the nausea and diarrhea) and recover.

I work with kindergartners and 1st graders. They run up to hug me and cough right into my face - as they do to each other. They’re keen to wash paint off their hands after crafts, but are unconcerned with snot on their hands whether it is theirs or someone else’s. They are delightful and fun and they are walking germ vectors.

Plan on dealing with communicable illnesses on a regular basis until your kids are MS/HS age and potentially even then because while they might learn to wash their hands better and more frequently, the air in schools is a mist of expelled virus particles and most schools are poorly ventilated.

Enjoy!

OP, I feel bad for your baby.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal. As they say, you pay now (in daycare/preschool) or pay later (in early elementary).

This. The good news is that DC is developing a solid immune system, which eventually will help reduce illnesses.

why do people keep repeating this? repeated viral illness does not strengthen your immune system or reduce illnesss

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true?fbclid=IwAR15gmqIMhd4CTG9TQcMyaXpWhiOiKXIn9qxOtTq0-u02liSl2y-fle5paM

Why do people keep repeating that repeated viral illness will strengthen the immune system of their babies or toddlers? Because they do not have any options. These parents have to work, they have to leave their kids in daycare. Can they say that the place they put their children to get care actually makes them sick? What can they do? Not everyone can stay at home and take care of their children.

Anonymous wrote:This is why my premise twins were told by their drs no daycare ever. We had a nanny and then when they were a bit older added part time preschool. We looked at a few and asked what their sick policies were. We settled on a great one that is strict and doesn’t hesitate to send kids home so kids are actually rarely sick. We’ve had 3 kids go through it and the youngest is still there. I compare this to the policy at the daycare my bff used where kids could still attend with up to 100.5 fevers. We actually stopped getting the kids together bc one of hers constantly had a gross nose or cough.

Please share the name! My immune system was destroyed after EBV and have autoimmune stuff now too. I'm strictly avoiding covid and any other viruses for my toddler and me for as long as possible ( until she'll eventually need preschool and be exposed to everyone sending their sick kid)

I remember this phase. Kid was sick for a week, then I would be sick for a week...maybe then a few days of health...then she would be sick again. Over and over and over. It won't last forever. Your daycare is probably cleaner than your house. It's the kids that are sneezing and coughing and touching each other. They put their hands in their mouths constantly. It's a freakin cluster.

This is why my premise twins were told by their drs no daycare ever. We had a nanny and then when they were a bit older added part time preschool. We looked at a few and asked what their sick policies were. We settled on a great one that is strict and doesn’t hesitate to send kids home so kids are actually rarely sick. We’ve had 3 kids go through it and the youngest is still there. I compare this to the policy at the daycare my bff used where kids could still attend with up to 100.5 fevers. We actually stopped getting the kids together bc one of hers constantly had a gross nose or cough.

I asked my older brother if his kids got sick as frequently as mine, he said no. They are in high school now. Poll your older relatives and see if this is this case because I’m frankly over it. I think daycare should call out parents who bring sick kids to school. Why are they allowing this?

Anonymous wrote:Related question for parents. How do you protect yourself and your other children from getting sick if one of your children are sick? Our DC is also sick every 2-3 weeks and then the sickness just circulates in our home. And everyone is miserable… there must be a better way to make this cycle stop. Help!

We just deal with it and that is why it’s exhausting because you are not 100% while trying to care for sick kids. It makes me wonder if all is sickness is newer post covid because I’ve never heard parents speak of such frequent sickness in kids. I find it rather alarming myself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal. As they say, you pay now (in daycare/preschool) or pay later (in early elementary).

This. The good news is that DC is developing a solid immune system, which eventually will help reduce illnesses.

why do people keep repeating this? repeated viral illness does not strengthen your immune system or reduce illnesss

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true?fbclid=IwAR15gmqIMhd4CTG9TQcMyaXpWhiOiKXIn9qxOtTq0-u02liSl2y-fle5paM

+1. Say it louder for the PP who is smug about her 5yo niece getting sick. Fwiw, my kids also stayed home and attended PT preschools and they get sick a lot less frequently than their elementary-school classmates.

Daycares are a necessary evil if you can’t afford better, but don’t tell yourself there is some long-term benefit to immersing your infants and toddlers in a petri dish.

Related question for parents. How do you protect yourself and your other children from getting sick if one of your children are sick? Our DC is also sick every 2-3 weeks and then the sickness just circulates in our home. And everyone is miserable… there must be a better way to make this cycle stop. Help!

What happened to my daughter after she picked up EBV.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal. As they say, you pay now (in daycare/preschool) or pay later (in early elementary).

This. The good news is that DC is developing a solid immune system, which eventually will help reduce illnesses.

why do people keep repeating this? repeated viral illness does not strengthen your immune system or reduce illnesss

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true?fbclid=IwAR15gmqIMhd4CTG9TQcMyaXpWhiOiKXIn9qxOtTq0-u02liSl2y-fle5paM

The hygiene hypothesis isn’t necessarily true but there are a subset of viral infections that provide long term immunity (some of the HFM diseases, etc). If you get them at 3 you won’t get them again when they’re circulating your 1st grade class.

But yeah, a lot of daycare illnesses are just colds and RSV and those infections won’t help prevent colds and RSV 2-3 years later.