Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Chloe has been sick since October. She had an ear infection, took antibiotics. It cleared up. Cough came back, was diagnosed with a sinus infection, took a round of antibiotics, that cleared up. Cough came back terribly, was told it's "normal" for daycare kids. When she puked that night, got a call from the emergency doctor who diagnosed her with Croup over the phone. Didn't get better, brought her back to the dr. who sent her to get chest x-rays. X-Ray was clear and he gave her albuterol. (sp?) Said there was no "quick fix." Spent almost two weeks at home, seemed to be getting better, but still has a runny nose all the time and coughs a lot at night. This past Sunday she was sleeping soundly when she suddenly woke up vomiting all over the place. Had diarrhea in the morning. Kept her home and she seemed to be ok. Last night she had a coughing fit again and puked a little in her crib.

Is this normal?

Should I go somewhere else?

I am so confused!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I don't know about how often daycare kids get sick, but my mother had a similar experience with me. I was always getting sick under the ped. she was taking me to, and he would either say there was no medicine he could give, or wouldn't give me the right one.

She had a feeling it was the ped., so she switched, and I was fine after that.

I'm not saying it's your ped, but if you have a bad feeling about it, I would follow your gut. I switched 3 times until I found the right one.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

My DC was not in daycare but from my friends who's kids are, yes they get sick that much the 1st year. After that they have a pretty good immune system.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I used to work in a nursery school .Kids ranged in age from 2-5 years old. I was so sick the first year I was there. I caught almost everything that went around. Pink eye, ear infections, strep throat, the flu. I was never that sick as a kid. All the teachers there said it happens to everyone their first year. Kids and adults..

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I recently pulled my daughter out of daycare because she kept getting sick. The sicknesses themselves weren't terrible, but it was constant. She started in October (and only for 2 afternoons per week) and got sick 3 or 4 times before we pulled her out towards the end of November. The ped recommended taking her out not because of her, but because of me (I'm 34 weeks pregnant with baby number 2 and whenever DD got sick, I was getting sick.) I also don't want to expose the newborn to all the germs DD1 would be bringing home, so I am keeping her out of daycare for awhile. This is apparently a very bad year, and this is the worst time of year. Supposedly it's not as bad if you start in the spring. I may try again in april.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

DS was sick non-stop from Nov-Mar his first year in daycare. There were seriously, maybe 3 weeks in that span he WASNT sick.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I'm going to guess that in the first year of daycare, on average we were at the doctor's office every 2 weeks during cold and flu season. There were three well visits in that time too, but he was sick a lot.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Totally normal, unfortunately. Last winter was DD's first winter in daycare. She first got sick in October and it lasted through March, with maybe a few weeks TOTAL in that timeframe where she wasn't sick.

Her sicknesses would range from a cold to a fever to bronchilitis. She was on a nebulizer on and off from Oct - Jan, and then straight through from Jan - April. She was sick for Halloween, her actual 1st b-day, her 1st b-day party, etc. All her firsts!! I missed alot of work. I was getting so frusturated and upset b/c I felt the couldn't catch a break - she'd be better for 3 days before getting sick again!

All of that being said - she is still in daycare - this is her 2nd winter there - and so far (knock wood!), she has not had more than a runny nose yet!!! I think the butt kicking she took last winter really strengthened her immunity!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by Ophelia

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

Message edited 12/9/2009 12:56:40 PM.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by Ophelia

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

She only said she was prescribed anti-biotics 2xs? Albuterol is an oral steroid use to treat a chronic cough, when it is dangerous for the lungs along with a nebulizer.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by Ophelia

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

She only said she was prescribed anti-biotics 2xs? Albuterol is an oral steroid use to treat a chronic cough, when it is dangerous for the lungs along with a nebulizer.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

We have been going through the same thing! At least you have recieved antibiotics! My ped won't even give them!

Both of my kids have just recently stopped having a runny nose. The cough is still there!

They only go to daycare 2 days a week as well!

From what I have been told, it is totally normal!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by Snickers

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by Ophelia

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

She only said she was prescribed anti-biotics 2xs? Albuterol is an oral steroid use to treat a chronic cough, when it is dangerous for the lungs along with a nebulizer.

She only had 2 rounds of antibiotics. We go to a huge Park Slope practice and haven't even seen the same doctor twice. We haven't seen "her" doctor since her 9 month well visit--before all of this started happening.

The last dr. we saw was the one who diagnosed her over the phone with croup. He said not to let any of the doctors tell me it was a sinus infection because babies don't have sinuses and it would be an unnecessary Rx.

I also suffer from terrible allergies/sinus infections.

Blah. Still confused.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

it sounds pretty normal for the first year at daycare. my dd started when she was 2 and was sick all the time for the first year. she actually got mono and wa ssick for about a month. its hard, but it does get better.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by pickles16

Posted by Snickers

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by Ophelia

the only thing I would question is why the constant Rx for antibiotics.

do they test to see if these are viral or bacterial infections?

I get chronic sinus infections that are viral, and antibiotics don't help so I don't take them..it's not good to take them unnecessarily.

that would make me switch peds. the knee jerk Rx.

She only said she was prescribed anti-biotics 2xs? Albuterol is an oral steroid use to treat a chronic cough, when it is dangerous for the lungs along with a nebulizer.

She only had 2 rounds of antibiotics. We go to a huge Park Slope practice and haven't even seen the same doctor twice. We haven't seen "her" doctor since her 9 month well visit--before all of this started happening.

The last dr. we saw was the one who diagnosed her over the phone with croup. He said not to let any of the doctors tell me it was a sinus infection because babies don't have sinuses and it would be an unnecessary Rx.

I also suffer from terrible allergies/sinus infections.

Blah. Still confused.

OK the whole sinus infection thing is confusing...DD has had allergies/sinus infections for a while, DH had them growing up, when I told my ped that I heard babies don't have sinuses he said thats WRONG, they do have sinuses they're just not fully developed..anyway, I can't tell you from my experience with DD, but I know when I was little my mom had to pull me out of daycare bc I was constantly sick, so it is common yes...

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

See, all of these doctors have different answers! Man, this is so confusing!! I ask my Mommy friends questions and they each give me a different answer too (as per their own ped's advice/opinions.)


honestly you just need to go with mommy instincts and do what you think is right!!! everyone will have something different to add!!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Unfortunately, yes. DD was sick and in the doctor's office every 3 weeks from September through April last year.

She was on antibiotics 2 or 3 times during that period and her regular ped (as opposed to whoever was available when she was sick) even told *me* to try and limit how many times DD gets antibiotics. It's interesting how the peds differ within the same practice.

This year DD has been sick only twice. That's a vast improvement over last year.

ETA: My DH brought DD to the doctor the first time she was sick this fall. It was diagnosed as a virus and yet the ped (again, not our regular) prescribed an antiobiotic and told DH it was up to us if we wanted to give it to her. I told DH don't even bother filling it but I thought that was really a strange practice anyway.

Message edited 12/9/2009 1:23:10 PM.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Some do get sick a lot during cold and flu season. I would inquire at your day care as to how often they clean the toys. Also maybe hang around while they change a diaper or two. Make sure they use changing table paper, wash the table with a bleach and water mixture and wash their hands. Proper diaper changing procedures make a world of difference.

If you don't like the idea of a big practice I would maybe find one that only has one or two Dr's.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I would not switch pediatricians, obviously he/she is trying to help.

My son was sick CONSTANTLY the first year he was in nursery school.

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Ugh dreading this big time....Riley is 5 months and has not been sick yet- knock on wood. So now I'll be exposing her to this in January at the height of all this junk...plus exposing myself returning to work in a school.


Are there ever exceptions to the rule? Any kids NOT get sick? Just hoping against hope...

I'm sorry E...must be awful for you!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

Posted by TaraGotHutched

Ugh dreading this big time....Riley is 5 months and has not been sick yet- knock on wood. So now I'll be exposing her to this in January at the height of all this junk...plus exposing myself returning to work in a school.


Are there ever exceptions to the rule? Any kids NOT get sick? Just hoping against hope...

I'm sorry E...must be awful for you!

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

DS went through 2 winters at daycare before the constant sick sorta stopped

His first year he was sick from Oct 07 - Mar 08 pretty much constantly

Now DS #2 is having the same experience

Daycare= sick babies---this is what I have seen for the last almost 3 years

Re: Before I change pediatricians, do 1st year daycare children REALLY get sick THIS much??

I think daycare should have sick rooms and healthy rooms like the docs offices.

Last year, DS had an ear infection from Thanksgiving to Christmas then one per month Jan-May, skipped June, July he got cocksakie (cooties).
This year he has one - on 3 different rounds of Rx. The fluid hasn't drained - the ENT said its time for tubes.
BTW - DS also had croup a few times.

Apparently, its how a cold comes out in some babies - some people get runny noses, some get chest conjestion.

My mom got a phone call at 12:30 one night b/c DS had this strange cough (sounded like a barking seal ) and a fever.

I can't say if its the doc, the daycare of just your child - either way its not fun.