Thoughts/discussion on sickness after gym, MDO, preschool, etc...

babypuplove

DD #1 has been sick A LOT over the last six months or so.  She was never sick her first year of life, then we joined playgroups and got out more, and the sickness started once in a while.  After her sister came along last summer, she started getting sick more often, and this past winter, she was literally sick almost weekly.  In the last month or two it has slightly slowed down, but hardly.  I have pinpointed that she almost always wakes up with a fever 2-3 days after a visit to the gym daycare or her MDO/preschool program (she only attends on Friday mornings).  She almost never gets sick on Wed or Thurs.  It's almost always on Sat, Sun or Mon.  

I've decided to quit the gym, which is killing me because I LOVE going, but realistically we hardly get to go.  The cycle is two days at the gym, 5-7 days of illness, a few days off, then two more days at the gym, then another illness.  I'm tired of it.  I also think her Friday MDO is responsible as well, and her last day is next Friday (for the summer).  She starts up in the real preschool two mornings a week in the Fall (same school).  I am seriously considering pulling her from the preschool altogether, but I know that may be extreme.  DH and I were thinking that we would send her in September and October, then if the illnesses continue, we will pull her about two months in.  Hopefully quitting the gym and having the summer off of school will help.  

So, after my long thought process, is anyone else experiencing this, especially after having a second child?  Or after trips to the gym/school/etc.?  One of my friends said that after her second child came along, her first child started getting sick all the time, and she attributed it to the baby picking up a lot more germs through licking things, sticking things in her mouth, etc, and passing them to the toddler.  This kind of makes sense to me, but the MDO and gym seem like more likely culprits.  

I know everyone says that she'll either get sick now or when she starts Kindergarten, and I completely understand that, but she is sick ALL THE TIME.  This can't be normal or healthy.  We seriously only keep our plans/obligations about 30% of the time.  It's getting old fast.  Just today my MIL picked her up for the weekend, took her 30 miles away to her house, and called me four hours later to tell me DD felt warm and was acting funny.  I drove all the way down there with a thermometer and meds, took her temp, sure enough she had a fever, and brought her home.  We canceled our date night and sitter for DD #2.  UGH.

Everyone says that one of the "perks" of SAH is avoiding the illnesses that daycare can cause, but that obviously isn't true for us.  Although, I'm sure glad I SAH because I don't know what kind of job would allow me to take off weekly for a sick child.  At least we're able to sit around the house in our pjs when she's sick, but I am tired of doing it weekly.  This just sucks.  Thanks for letting me vent, and feel free to add your two cents!   

 

Mrs.Hizzo

You addressed it already in your OP, but as my pediatrician says, "pay now or pay later." Kids get sick. A lot. I don't mean to sound insensitive, because I know how badly it sucks. DS#2 was sick constantly from the time he was a newborn, because of all the places we went and the stuff DS#1 brought home. His immune system has gotten much better since he turned two. I kept him home when he was clearly miserable or contagious, the rest of the time I just brought a lot of hand sanitizer and Kleenex.

Rebekah1021

Could be from the gym or MDO. Also, you can get germs from going to the store, post office and anywhere and everywhere in between. You need to ramp up the hand washings and clean your toys more often. 

Are you a germaphob? My friend who is a germaphob has the sickest kids ever. Her poor kids never built up an immunity. 

babypuplove

Definitely not a germaphobe.  I'm very "middle of the road" with everything.  And it's not usually runny nose, coughing sickness, though DD does get those fairly often, it's the fevers.  We've had her tested for everything under the sun and the only thing they came up with was iron deficiency (which doesn't cause fevers), so she now takes a vitamin.  She eats a well-balanced diet, loves her fruits and veggies, etc, so I just don't get it.  I will try to be better about making her wash her hands.  Every time we leave school or the gym, I clean her hands, but it obviously doesn't help.  I'm just not sure what to do.  It seems so excessive.  

babypuplove

Mrs.Hizzo:

You addressed it already in your OP, but as my pediatrician says, "pay now or pay later." Kids get sick. A lot. I don't mean to sound insensitive, because I know how badly it sucks. DS#2 was sick constantly from the time he was a newborn, because of all the places we went and the stuff DS#1 brought home. His immune system has gotten much better since he turned two. I kept him home when he was clearly miserable or contagious, the rest of the time I just brought a lot of hand sanitizer and Kleenex.

See, we're the opposite.  DD was never sick her first year, was sick on and off the next six months, and right before she turned two she started getting sick all the time.  The baby has gotten sick a handful of times, but not anything compared to my toddler. 

cepcep

I know exactly what you are going through.  My DD went to Mom's Day Out and got sick every time.  We also got sick every time we went to the kid's museum.  There were 3 days between Thanksgiving and April 1st that all 4 of us were well at the same time.  It was a terrible winter as far as illnesses are concerned.  It really started getting me down.  DH had more colds/sinus infections this year than in the last 10 years combined.  

I asked the Dr. about it and he said it gets better around age 4.  I did skip MDO once (I decided that we should try to avoid the sickness) but other than that I don't let it stop me.  My kids love getting out and doing all of our activities.  I am really hoping next year will be better.  

MomtoSAB

I'm not sure if it's the same in your area, but our pedi said this has been one of the worst winters she has seen for illnesses in the 3 and under crowd.   I have a 3 yr old and twin 1 yr olds and it was the same as you - at least one of them, more often all of them, were sick from Dec through April.   Seriously - we've been through croup, flu, colds, rotovirus, two were hospitalized for dehydration due to illness.   So far May has been a bit kinder to us.  

My kids are not in daycare, do not go to a gym day care setting or anything like that.   My oldest started a one day a week preschool in March and we do try to do a one day per week play group with two other families.   It's just been a bad winter. 

 I think pulling your child out of preschool is extreme.     There will always be sick kids.   Vigilant hand washing is the only thing you can do! 

The_Jen626

I think that getting sick is just a part of life.  It sucks, but it is what it is.

DD has been a daycare kid from 10 weeks-2 years, and she is rarely sick.  I, on the other hand, have had a bad run lately and have had 3 colds in the last 6 weeks.  There's no rhyme or reason to it.  I feel better for 2 days, and then have a bad cold again, it sucks!

I certainly wouldn't quit the gym, preschool, etc, because your kid is getting sick.  What are you going to do when she starts kindergarten?   

Have you talked to her doctor at all about the frequency of her getting sick?  Because that seems like a lot to me.

Do you overdo it with the hand sanitizer?  Because that can make you get sick more often.

ToBeMrsT

I've heard that the first year of school/preschool is the worst and it's normal for them to be sick a lot.  DS starts preschool in a couple of weeks and I'm really dreading it because I *am* a germaphobe, but I know that I have to get over it.

The_Jen626

babypuplove:

Definitely not a germaphobe.  I'm very "middle of the road" with everything.  And it's not usually runny nose, coughing sickness, though DD does get those fairly often, it's the fevers.  We've had her tested for everything under the sun and the only thing they came up with was iron deficiency (which doesn't cause fevers), so she now takes a vitamin.  She eats a well-balanced diet, loves her fruits and veggies, etc, so I just don't get it.  I will try to be better about making her wash her hands.  Every time we leave school or the gym, I clean her hands, but it obviously doesn't help.  I'm just not sure what to do.  It seems so excessive.  

Is it just a fever?  Could it be teething or something else?  Do you give Tylenol and a warm bath for the fever?

cjsbdl

We have the exact same problem.

My son was healthy as a horse in his first year, started MDO last fall on his birthday...he got sick within a week of his first day at "school" and has been sick almost constantly since, with only 3-4 days between illnesses. It is so exhausting. I was hoping it would taper off, but it hasn't, really. And any time he gets congested he gets an ear infection. He's getting tubes next month.

I have threatened to my husband to pull him out of MDO so many times. We rarely get to go anywhere fun or do anything fun as a family because he is always sick. The last three trips we've planned out of town have either been cancelled or shortened because he was sick.

I'm just over it.

I have talked to our pedi about it because I'm honestly concerned there is something wrong with his immune system, but she assures me it's normal.

Sigh.

The only thing that has kept me from pulling him from MDO is that he loves it sooooooooo much on the days he actually gets to go. But now we have a baby in the house and the poor thing has had two bad colds already because he brings everything home to her.

I guess I'm just venting with you, because I really don't have any answers or advice. I'm in the same boat.

sophie206

I feel like we've had a worse than normal flu/cold season this year. My LO has been sick constantly since November. We only do Story Time and normal activities - shopping, eating out ect., so I have no idea where she picks everything up. I have been sicker this year than the last 5 combined and not with normal cold/flus- strep throat, scarlet fever, 2 bouts of viruses with high fevers, and a sinus infection.

ilovelife

I have no experience with this, but I used to be a teacher, and whenever two or three kids got sick at the same time, I scrubbed my classroom down. Could it be that the cleaning schedule at preschool and the gym aren't up to par? Do they clean toys every day?

*Lo attends a gym class once a week, and of course he sticks everything in his mouth, but they clean the toys daily. You should check on the cleaning procedures.

Dochas

I might skip the gym only because it would kill me to pay for it and not use it.  But keep the MDO and see if she's able to make it to that.  I think (in my very limited experience) some kids just get sick more than others.  If your LO is one that seems to catch everything you have to try and live around it. 

I stay home with just the 1 and he's never been sick besides 2 small colds.  We go to playgroups, gymboree and yoga.  They all shove the same toys in their mouths and we don't freak out about it (much!).  So he is exposed to things.  The dr. just commented about how we made it through the whole winter without even calling the office.  2 other moms I know stay home with babies the same age and their kids have been sick often.  The working Moms I know all seem to be a mixed bag of illness.  One has a baby that goes to an in-home sitter on a part time basis and he is sick all the time.  Another sends her daughter to a large daycare center full time and she has never been sick. I wish there was something you could do but there probably isn't. 

HarrietNJMommy

I must be the exception to the rule. My kids hardly ever get sick. We do get the stomach bug, for the past 3 years (and DS avoided it the past 2 years and only got it this year), but really nothing else. And my kids's classes (DD#1 and DD#2) have had ALL the illnesses pass through (strep, pinkeye, head lice, stomach bugs, flu, etc.) - but my kids haven't gotten any of that, except for pinkeye - that was unavoidable..........

DD#1 got her first and only ear infection at age 4.5. DD#2 and DS have never had them.

I was worried when DD#1 started preschool (at almost 3), because I had an 18 month old and was 6 months PG as well. We didn't have any issues though.

Because of the 3 kids, I am involved in a lot of activities. I feel the same way as the PP -  "pay now, or pay later". 

I'm sure that when my oldest starts K in September we'll go through some more illness, but hopefully short-lived. 

babypuplove

She has all of her teeth so it's not teething.  I gave her motrin last night, and she is fine today, just a little tired from being up a lot last night, but the fever has been gone for about 14 hours.  Weird.

What's strange is that I used to be the mom who said "My baby never gets sick!"  She was never sick her first 12 months or so.  It was only around her second birthday (after we started the gym and MDO) that she started to get sick a lot.  She never had a problem with getting sick from music class, swim class, or any playgroups.  Also, neither of my girls has ever had an ear infection, and my 10 month old has only been sick maybe 2-3 times, and I think only a fever once.  So it's really just my toddler.  The gym is actually really good about cleaning the toys in the infant room, I've seen their system, but I don't know about her school.  

I will quit the gym, because like Dochas said, it is a waste of money.  We're averaging about four trips a month, and my membership is $80/month.  I am not okay with paying $20/visit for the gym.   

bim38106

DD1 was sick all the time after she started going to preschool 2x/week at 18 months (right around the time DD2 was born). Her pedi said, like already mentioned, if it doesn't happen now, it'll happen later.. Just like they tell new teachers: you'll get sick a lot the first year, then it'll get better.

DD's pedi said it'll last about a year until their immune systems work up. And he was right. DD is on her second year of preschool and was hardly sick this winter.

Dochas

I was just thinking - I stopped getting sick when I quit my gym.  They are germ factories.  It really could be something she's picking up there.

Just thinking of a way to keep your sanity without the gym right now - Is there a Stroller Strides franchise around you?  It's a good workout and it's cheaper than $80.

passar3588

I feel your pain I'm going through the same thing this spring. My DD1 started preschool in the fall. I expected her to get sick more because of going to school 3 days/week and she did.  My kids probably had 2-3 colds in the fall which didn't seem like a big deal. They weren't sick at all from December through February, but March started a HORRIBLE cycle of sickness for us. Someone has been sick in my house every 2 weeks since the first week of March. My DD1 is sick for the 4th time in three months! She has a horrible cough and a fever. I feel so bad for her because she missed school Friday, will miss school tomorrow, and Wednesday is her last day for the year.

My DH and I just cannot believe that she's sick again,  which means that our other 2 kids will probably be sick by Tuesday. I guess I'm going with the "pay now or pay later" philosophy and I'm hoping that we have a better year next year. Oh, and I'm not necessarily a germaphobe, but I'm pretty rigid about my kids washing hands when they come home from school, playdates, library, whatever and washing hads before meals.

babypuplove

Dochas:

I was just thinking - I stopped getting sick when I quit my gym.  They are germ factories.  It really could be something she's picking up there.

Just thinking of a way to keep your sanity without the gym right now - Is there a Stroller Strides franchise around you?  It's a good workout and it's cheaper than $80.

Thank you so much for reminding me about Stroller Strides!  I did it for a few months after each of my babies was born, and loved it.  I gave it up to join the gym about six months ago, but will definitely sign back up.  I won't get the same break from the kids that I get at the gym, but being outside in the fresh air will be so much better for all of us.  :-)

Dochas

babypuplove:

Dochas:

I was just thinking - I stopped getting sick when I quit my gym.  They are germ factories.  It really could be something she's picking up there.

Just thinking of a way to keep your sanity without the gym right now - Is there a Stroller Strides franchise around you?  It's a good workout and it's cheaper than $80.

Thank you so much for reminding me about Stroller Strides!  I did it for a few months after each of my babies was born, and loved it.  I gave it up to join the gym about six months ago, but will definitely sign back up.  I won't get the same break from the kids that I get at the gym, but being outside in the fresh air will be so much better for all of us.  :-)

I signed up for the 3 month membership since the weather should have been nice.  It has rained every day since I did it! lol

jenn5-26-07

You may want to look into chiropractic care for your dd. I have a friend whos ds suddenly started getting sick all the time right around his first birthday- she started taking him to the chiro- they decieded to take him off dairy for a bit and put him on probotics. the sickies went away and he is now back on dairy. (this little boy goes to grandmas for daycare-is the only child there.)

I know if I wait too long between visits to the chiro for my kids they start getting sick/feeling yucky.