Do they really build up immunities?

NJLH · September 2011

2 days of preschool and my DD already has a cold. I guess this is what I'm in for. Is that whole theory true on building up immunities? My friend swears her son got just as sick in kindergarten as he got all his years in daycare. Any tips for boosting immunity? Should I send her Tuesday if she still is snotty (not fever)? Thanks preschool mamas.

Spin313 · September 2011

Personally, I wouldn't send a snotty child to preschool...but not everyone is that considerate.

NJLH · September 2011

Our preschool class is pretty large (16 kids) so I guess we're in for lots of germs. I hope they wash during the day. I should ask the teachers that since my girls tell me nothing about their day (day= 2 hours). I've never been 1 to take them to kid activities with colds but I remember last winter all the boogery kids that would show up at their gym class and storytimes. I miss summer :-(

taylorkelley44 · September 2011

Yes they really do build up an immunity! It takes a while though!

And as for school, as long as she's in a good mood and able to participate, send her! You pay good money to send her to school, and i'd save the days you keep her home for when she's really sick. We as preschool teachers are use to runny noses, it's normal. Id say as long as she isnt feverish or overly clingy, send her on!

penguingrrl · September 2011

Our preschool went over sick policy at parent orientation. They said fever/vomit/diarrhea free for 24 hours but also explicitly stated that unless they had a fever there's no reason to keep them home. They're also funded by the state for the preK year and are supposed to follow the same sick day rules as the public school system, including not "promoting" the child from preK to K if they've had too many absences (not that it would matter since preK is not compulsory so they can't hold them back). Sniffles, a cold, etc are okay to come to school with so we will. They also start their day by walking straight to the bathroom and washing hands and wash them 2-3 more times during the 3 hour day.

kmhunt11 · September 2011

Year 1 of daycare DD had a cold every month. If you think that they last about 2 weeks apiece, your child will likely be sick most of the time. It will get better though. By spring, it was much better. By Year 2, she didn't really get sick at all that I remember. We moved across country and pulled her out of school in January, and she spent the spring getting all the West Coast colds. I've worked with kindergarteners before, and the kids that have no preschool do stay sicker than those who don't. They also learn to handle it better. Of course we want to protect them, but being sick is a part of life. DH was kept home every time he had the sniffles as a kid and is now a total and utter wimp (Shhh, don't tell him!). DD will be oozing snot from nose and eyes, and bouncing around and cheerful. He'll have post-nasal drip and taking a sick day, in bed needing cream of wheat and NyQuil. Sigh.

jen5-03 · September 2011

Yes you should send her with a snotty nose as long asw she feels ok besides that. Good grief, I'd keep my kids locked inside all winter if I kept them home for snot. they can have snotty noses for weeks on end, it's not being inconsiderate, it's just not realistic to keep them home all the time.

shouldbworkin · September 2011

Yes, they really do. DS was barely absent for illness last year in KG. Each year in PS he was sick less and less. Personally, if it's not an active, fresh cold, I would send her. My kids have runny noses for weeks after a cold, they would never go to school if I kept them home.

KathrynMD · September 2011

jen5/03:
Yes you should send her with a snotty nose as long asw she feels ok besides that. Good grief, I'd keep my kids locked inside all winter if I kept them home for snot. they can have snotty noses for weeks on end, it's not being inconsiderate, it's just not realistic to keep them home all the time.

Runny/snotty nose but no fever and otherwise OK - yes DD totally goes to school. And yes, of course they build up immunity; doesn't mean they won't pick up other viruses later though.

shopgirl78 · September 2011

shouldbworkin:
Yes, they really do. DS was barely absent for illness last year in KG. Each year in PS he was sick less and less. Personally, if it's not an active, fresh cold, I would send her. My kids have runny noses for weeks after a cold, they would never go to school if I kept them home.

This. DD was absent one day last year and was sicker less each year throughout daycare/preK. Ditto on the snotty nose.

However, I do think some kids just get harder. All 3 of my kids can get a cold but DS1 will take the longest to break a fever or get over something that the other two do also. We will see how it is this year at a new school.

pea-kay · September 2011

Oh yeah, the boys were in the same daycare for over 3 years, and by the end of this summer, they were sick probably 1/3 as often as they had been a year or two prior to that.

But as soon as they started school, they got sick, as did most of the kids in their class. I am not enjoying this at all. Bleh.

And yes, I send them to school with a runny nose. I can't stay home everytime one of them has a runny nose! Ha!

KathrynMD · September 2011

Spin313:
Personally, I wouldn't send a snotty child to preschool...but not everyone is that considerate.

I LOL every time I read this.

capulet · September 2011

DD's preschool asks that kids be kept home when they have yellow/green mucus. Clear snot is okay. I am fine with this, because like most kids she has a runny nose all winter, and I don't expect other parents to keep their kids home just because of a sniffle as long as they're feeling normal otherwise. I don't know if preschool has boosted DD's immunity, but aside from minor colds she's a pretty resilient kid.

shannm · September 2011

Yes, their immune systems do get stronger.

We do send to daycare with just a runny nose when there is no fever and no loss of appetite and no fatigue. Otherwise, he would be home with me for weeks on end.

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