Always sick

I don't know what to do. Eversince my little girl started playgroup/kindie, she's been getting sick every week.


Whenever I pull her out of school for a week, she recovers but when she goes back, she gets it again.


Is there anything I could do?

MayC,

I second you. My son is always sick. So bad was it in October that he had two vomiting diarrhea bugs, both last for 10days each. He's only just got over one (and he was hospitalised for it), and put on the weight he'd lost, returned to playgroup, and hey ho, got another one lasting for another 10 days. And yet again, he lost a whole load of weight.

I really don't think there's anything you can do. Unfortunately, some kids with colds still continue to go to playgroups, and kids put things in their mouths, which is how all this gets transmitted around. But it's not just playgroups - I remember being at Cafe Deco recently playing in the play area with my son when this kid rocks up to play with the toys there and all I could see was this huge load of snot hanging from his nose....and parents nowhere to be seen. You can bet your bottom dollar someone caught that kid's cold!! It's everywhere and unavoidable unfortunately.

Well, it can help if the mommies establish ground rules about not bringing children who have any symptoms (like vomiting, runny nose, etc). Some moms will try to cover up the symptoms and take the child anyway, or will say "it's just an allergy" when it's obviously not. If the playgroup moms are not considerate, then sometimes a switch of to a different playgroup can result in less contagious stuff going around.

from a positive standpoint - there have been studies that show that children who are exposed to lots of colds and boogers and coughs at a young age are healthier as adults as their bodies build up the antibodies to fight them. It's also good for their overall body "system" to learn how to fight different viruses and bacterias instead of trying to always shield them from them.


another approach may be to try and boost your child's immunity instead of trying to avoid all the bacterias and viruses altogether. remember they are always around - sometimes in high concentrations than other but generally our world is not a bacteria and virus free place. Most likely, if you watch a pattern, your child becomes more suscpetible to catching something if he is tired, not eating well and his body is in a slightly weakened state.


My daughter got sick every other week for about three months when she first started her school. However, her colds compared with others in her class were far less severe and she was always up and running far quicker than her peers. Generally she succumbed far less easily than her peers as well. Her teachers at school noticed it also. I think it had to do with her constitution - as I do consider her to be very healthy. She eats very well, and sleeps well.


I also supplement with cod liver oil - which a number of moms on this forum do as well. It seems to really make her hardier than her classmates. So much so that people have asked me what she eats .


you can't avoid all the bugs but you can certainly try and make your child stronger so that they can resist them a bit more efficiently. AS they get older they will be susceptible to far less, so take heart.

‘Keep her out of school’ is what we have learned since SARS hit the territory.


It is quite natural for children, in particularly toddlers who may dribble, drool and mouth toys, to pass on infections. Even in the best of circumstances (frequent handwashing, toys cleaning etc) infections will occur.


During SARS the pre-schools were closed for a long time, and guess what, GP’s and paediatricians had a quiet time!


However; are infections detrimental to a child? We know that mild infections ‘train’ the immune system and are there for not necessarily to be avoided. It all depends how your little one copes with these.


Matilda Medical Centre - 2537 8500

9, Queen's Road Central

http://www.matilda.org

In addition to all the good advice above, we have a family handwashing practice, a legacy from SARS days. We wash hands everytime we come in from outside, always before we have something to eat (including playground snacks), everytime we sit down in a restaurant, and more often than that if we've been near someone who's drippy or sneezing (or worse). We use soap and water whenever we can too, not just wetwipes (mostly because they make fingers, and finger foods, taste funny).


I think all the handwashing is worthwhile, though without good healthy food, adequate sleep, and omega 3 EFA's (cod liver oil), it might not matter much.