Constantly sick in daycare!

Sorry for the rant but I'm really over my son getting sick at daycare. I had him at home for the first year of his life and he had one throat infection. Since he started FDC two months ago, he has been sick constantly with colds, coughs, bronciolitis, fevers, you name it! People warned me that he would get sick but I just can't believe it and am starting to wonder whether it's even worth me working. I'm off today, not getting paid, because he is too sick to go to FDC and yet I still pay for it so I'm pretty much worse off.

I think the thing that annoys me is that when he is sick, I keep him home, however, the number of times I have dropped him off there, and seen the state of one or two of the other kids, I have known immediately that I would be collecting a sick child at the end of the day. It's just so frustrating and I feel for my poor boy.

PLEASE TELL ME IT GETS BETTER! Or that they are least stop getting sick so often. I know it's winter and all, but it just seems crazy!

:hug: It's frustrating isn't it!! I know it seems never-ending now, but it does get better. Kids go through a phase of getting everything that goes around when they start somewhere new - day care, kindy, school etc. It usually lasts a few months then settles right down. And the good news is that once they have gone through it at day care, they usually don't go through for it so long when they change to kindy, school etc.

If it's any consolation, this build up of immunity is really good for him.

DS has been going to day care since he was 10 months old. He's now 2.5 years and hardly gets sick from there - they just have to build up their immunity - by getting EVERYTHING for like, the first year or something.

Miss M is now a year old and has been going since she was 3 months old. She's battling another cold/flu type thing at the moment - but DS hasn't got it. So she hasn't quite built the same immunity up yet :)

Sorry! But it does get better :hug:

DD was like this the first year or so of DC but now she rarely gets sick or misses days of school (in Yr 3 now).

DD1 didn't have that kind of contact till kindy/preschool even then it was only 3/5days and came home with everything.. now at first year of school she has been sick every winter month for weeks on end. So i totally feel for you! Im frustrated by the parents who send sick kids to school and im frustrated with the pressure from the school that DD1 should be at school learning and not at home with a bad cough.
On a recent look at supplements i noticed they had like some kind of "daycare defense" or something like that?? Im hoping this all gets better as she builds up immunities and learns to wash her hands more often at school. But im a pinch away from getting her a flu shot!

It happens to lots of children. Some more than others, but it does eventually settle down for most.

Talk to your FDCarer about it, let them know you're not happy with it (talk to their boss if you have to) and see if that helps.

Otherwise, I hope it gets better soon! Is your work OK with you having time off or working from home?

Thanks Everyone.

I have spoken to the carer and the rules are that kids can attend unless they have vomiting, fever or green snot, but I would have thought they'd have cracked down with all these nasty flus around this year.

Work have been ok but I've only been there 2 months and don't yet get paid for sick/parental leave, and having to pay day care regardless and losing my wages is making things difficult.

I have a great support network (mum is going to take him tonight so we can get some sleep) and I think I'm just "over it" to be honest. I just want him to have a full week where he isn't sick with something and it just seems impossible. A few of my friends have taken their kids out of daycare because of the constant illnesses.

Does it get better in the warmer months? I'm sure there are still nasties around but surely in Spring/Summer they would have to get sick less? I appreciate all of your comments. It does give me some hope :-)