OT-ARGG! DS is sick again! Daycare colds.

[two-foxes]

DS (nearly 7 months) has been in daycare for 3 days a week since 12 weeks old. He did good for a while, then got a nasty stomach bug Thanksgiving week, then RSV (a mild case) the second week of December. He was out of daycare for 2 weeks while we headed to WDW (where he didn't get sick at all!) and a week at home for the holidays. Perfectly healthy the whole time at home, no colds, nothing! Now, he went back last week for 3 days and guess what, the poor kid has the runniest nose, pure stuffiness and ickyness! I have no idea if there is any way to help stop the sick cycle at daycare or if there are any tips to shorten the cold.

I am up to any homeopathic ideas, too. Any tips? I gotta say, the little man is quite talented at blowing booger bubbles now (gross, I know!)

 

[tina_la]

My doc recammended lil noses. They sell it @ Wal-mart and he said it would be good for my little guys runny nose.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

I totally agree with the Lil Noses recommendation too. It is simply a saline solution and will loosen everything up well enough so that you can suction it out. Suctioning is no fun (for either of you) but it does wonders.

We also do "spa" treatments where we go into the bathroom, shut the door, and let the water in the shower run on hot until the room is steamed up. Then we sit there and sweat and breathe in that lovely moisture. (You should see my hair when I come out of there. ).

Also, make sure you're using a humidifier when he has a cold. Running one at night when they are sick is so good for them. (Our pedi doesn't recommend one constantly because too much moisture for too long can cause mold).

I totally feel for you. I just became a SAHM two weeks ago primarily because my son has special needs and I needed to devote more time to him, but also because both of my children were sick all the time while in daycare. I know exposing them builds their immune systems, but DS has a below-average one in the first place. A cold isn't just a cold to him. It's full on respiratory infection which triggers his asthma. I know they will still get sick now that we're home, but not nearly as much and I'll already be home. My biggest problem was finding someone to keep them when one or both of them were sick.

I also just hate seeing a sick baby/child. They get so miserable and there's only so much we can do for them. Just try the things I mentioned and hopefully this will be the worst winter for him. Next year his immune system should be big and strong. Hang in there!

 

[barnaby1]

I have no advice but you are not alone!

My dd 22 months has been in nursery 4 days a week since she was 6 months old as I work fulltime. Like clockwork she gets sick every 4 weeks - chest, ear, throat infections, any tummy bug going etc. And there are no half measures with her, she always has an impressive fever to accompany it.

It surprises me as I am a bit of a "let them eat dirt and drink pond water" type mum (didn't sterilise anything either) to build a bit of immunity.

If she wasn't so sturdy (charges around, eats like a horse and sleeps well) inbetween these episodes I would think there was something else wrong but it is just the joys of having a child in nursery.
There is hope though as I have read that children like ours are much better when they go to school as they have already been exposed to everything going.

 

[Tinka_Belle]

Sometimes it's actually the daycare. DD went to a certain daycare from the time she was 3 months old until she 9 months old and stayed sick the entire time. She was hospitalized three times because of something that she caught from that daycare. She got RSV from there, Roto Virus, and an unknown bacterial infection. After the third we changed daycares and now she only gets sick seasonally. While she was at that daycare she was on a nebulizer, allergy medicine and antibiotics every couple of weeks. Within a month of switching daycares we were able to stop her meds. I have a cousin who took her twin boys there and she had the same problems until she changed daycares. The daycare has since been closed down not sure why though.