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Working Moms
ilanat
member
Daycare: sick a lot?
ilanat
member
in Working Moms
We are switching from an in-home nanny to daycare in a month. I'm really excited about sending LO there because it has a wonderful program and I think he will be happier with the added stimulation of other kids/people. Everyone keeps warning me to expect that he will get sick a lot, especially in the beginning. Has that been other people's experience with daycare? I asked the director about that and she assured me that they wash all the toys and scrub everything down. I have confidence in the place, but perhaps the sickness issue is a daycare thing, no matter how careful the place is? What are people's thoughts/experiences with this?
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Re: Daycare: sick a lot?
In a group setting, like a center, you will have more illness, because kids don't cover their nose/mouth or wash hands every time they sneeze or cough. They will be sitting in front of blocks together, facing each other, and one will sneeze right at the other one. My DD does this to me all the time, I get coughed and sneezed at all the time. Not on purpose of course.
The trade off is that their immune system gets built up early on. If they don't get the exposure, then they will catch more bugs when they go to school at 4 or 5 years old.
I agree with fryrat. Germs, colds & viruses are unavoidable. You can postpone the sicknesses until school or get them out of the way now at daycare.
Yes, your kid will probably get sick, but it's going to happen sooner or later, whether it's daycare now, or a playgroup or school later. It's just natural when they are introduced to new kids with new germs.
BFP # 1 - 12/19/09 EDD 08/27/10 - D&C 1/26/10 @ 9w5d
BFP # 2 - 06/05/10 EDD 02/17/11, DS1 born on 2/14/11
BFP # 3 - 04/10/13 EDD 12/21/13 - D&C 05/15/13 @ 8w4d
BFP # 4 - 07/27/13 EDD 04/08/14 - CP 07/29/13
BFP # 5 - 09/14/13 EDD 05/28/14, DS2 born on 5/22/14
I am going through this right now. DD has been in daycare since 10 weeks. She is now 19 months. She actually didn't get sick often until she became mobile and moved to the toddler 1 room. Now she's sick at least once a month. She's actually home with a fever right now. She was sick 2 weeks ago with a fever. It's frustrating, but as OP said, it'll happen sooner or later. Thankfully MH can work from home when necessary and my mom is able to take off of work to help watch DD. It's still stressful though!
Yep, as PPs said, they will and do get sick often in daycare. Fortunately, my DS has not gotten anything real bad, not even RSV or HFM or Roseola---all things I prepared myself for dealing with his first year there.
He had some kind of fever, cold, and then ear infections at least once every two to three months. But now, it has slowed down A LOT after his first year there. He gets colds but they won't come with a fever or be as intense or turn into an ear infection.
I, too, thought about taking him out of daycare a few times because of the sickness, but like a PP said, the daycare has become like extended family, and I know my son enjoys being there.
GL
DD has been in an in home daycare since she was 12 weeks old and was pretty much sick all winter too
Nothing serious, but sick a lot.
Yes!
DD started at an in-home daycare at 12 weeks, in September of 2011. She was sick a lot during the winter and spring that first year. Once she turned one, it really tapered off. I think she built up her immune system. She's been ill twice in the past 10 months. Even then, it's been manageable. I think DH has missed one day of work and I've missed two to stay home with her. I'd rather be doing this now than when she's in elementary school and missing teaching and learning.
GL
Our daycare has strict policies on sending home sick kids, I see them washing the toys and furniture all the time, etc.
However, DS has been sick many, many, many times during his first year at daycare. It's inevitable and unavoidable if you want your LO to go to daycare.
Good luck!
Both kids had colds pretty much their whole first winter. Maybe since you are not starting in cold season, you'll have a better time.
Our DC also wipes toys and everything else. They do the best they can, but you can't keep kids from getting each other sick. They're kids. They cough and sneeze and put stuff in their mouths. Several friends who are SAHMs mentioned that when their kids went to kindergarten, they went through the same isues.