This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

DS is 13 months. He started daycare in September, last year he was home with my MIL. As I've heard is typical, he started getting sick more. But now it just seems beyond the realm of normal. He has missed 1-2 days of daycare every week this month, and is on his 3rd fever of the month. We have been in to the doctor so many times, and it's always "viral" or even "teething". This month alone, a fever, followed by a cold and nasty cough, followed by diarrhea for over a week, and then this morning I drop him off and within an hour get a call and he has a 102.5 fever. He hasn't even fully recovered from the previous thing before getting the next! And daycare says nobody else in the class is sick right now, and nobody else seems to get sick as much as him. I expected more colds etc., but this really seems to be overboard. Has anyone else gone through this?

Few points: we do plan to get him a flu shot but haven't been able to because he's literally been sick since the office got their flu shots in. I tried elderberry but a) he refused it to no matter what I mixed it with and b) I think it may have contributed to his diarrhea. I'm at a loss and don't know what I can do! I can't keep missing work because he needs to be home from daycare, and I hate seeing my baby so uncomfortable!

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Well, here's the thing for me - my son ends up getting a fever from the teething. He's not "sick", he just spikes a fever with the teething. And then the teething leads to drool, which leads to a post nasal drip and he looks and sometimes acts sick.

What I did when the teething was real bad was give him a fever reducer before daycare, in the morning. The ped suggested Motrin because it lasts longer than Tylenol. It did the trick. He was a happy baby at daycare, able to focus on eating and napping and playing and learning because his teeth weren't killing him and he wasn't spiking a fever from it - causing them to call me and get him, because they have to do that by their rules when a child gets a fever.

I didn't give it to him daily but I could tell when he needed it because of his cues - chewing, drooling, seeming in pain, etc. I also used an amber teething necklace which has helped a lot.

Julian started daycare when he was five months old and yes, he was sick quite a few times - mostly ear infections. But I could always tell the difference from when he's REALLY sick vs. when it's teething. Because of his demeanor... and, TMI, but the color of his mucus lol.

Two weeks ago he had strep. And over the summer another ear infection. But he is definitely getting sick less often as time goes on. He is building up a pretty good immune system.

Also, give him a probiotic - our ped suggested this and it helped a lot. They have it in powder packets, it is by Culterelle, you can get it at CVS - one a day in either his food, his bottle, whatever, and it is a natural immune booster. Plus, it helps regulate digestion. That and the multivitamins have helped.

Message edited 11/19/2014 12:34:09 PM.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

How frustrating
it happened to my friends son but it was a few kids in daycare constantly getting sick so the daycare arranged for a day to close and hire a cleaning service to do a deep clean. perhaps you can ask them to wipe down their toys etc on a daily basis if they dont already do it?

ETA i agree about the teething. If your lo is teething with a fever there is no need for them to be sent home or to have to stay home.

Message edited 11/19/2014 12:34:37 PM.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

There was one day it was just teething and I told them that, but a 102.5 fever is too high for teething. And today, I picked him up and he was clearly not well. All he could do was sleep and cry

I will ask them about wiping stuff down. Thankfully my MIL has offered to watch him the rest of the week. I'm hoping a few days off from daycare to recover fully will help.

This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

The first year in daycare DS was sick all the time. He would just be getting better and BAM sick again. We were lucky that he was only there 3 days so many of the times he was sick it fell on his days that he was with the grandparents or home with us.

I would def try the probiotic. It will help with any poop issues. My DS had not quite diarrhea but as soo as he started the probiotic it cleared up and went back to normal.

As for a fever with teething....daycare can't distinguish and they have to send home.

ETA - now at 3 and he is there 5 days a week he doesn't get sick much and its much shorter duration.

Message edited 11/19/2014 1:04:20 PM.

This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

I have friends that have gone through this anf it does sadly sound pretty typical... especially since previous to this he wasnt exposed to as many kids...

1 agree with probiotic. I give my dd one everyday in her milk.
2 give a multivitamin everyday maybe will help as well

Agree also with daycare doesnt know why a child has a fever and 102.5 is quite high they have no idea if a child is teething.

Maybe just ask about how often they clean toys and play areas. Ask again if anyone else ia sick because theres no way hes the only 1 whose sick...
Request that they wipe everything down before your child plays with it anf send wipes if necessary.
And if all else fails and they keep saying its your child maybe its time to find a new daycare? I dont know i didnt send my dd to daycare so im not sure how that works.
I just know especially now my friends daughter has been sick every week since oct. Shes had to leave work or had a family member pick up her daughter or stay home with her.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Definitely agree with the others. If it's teething I would give my DD motrin and she would be fine. The first year was terrible at daycare though - she was sick a lot. It's worse in the winter. After a year though - it got much better (for all of us as I feel like I picked up at least half of DDs illnesses).

This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

First year in daycare was a disaster. Sick each month. Sometimes just a little cold, other times bronchitis, ears, stomach thing. The next year there was a huge improvement, we were barely at dr.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Thank you guys for the reassurance that this is normal!

He's at a faculty daycare my school offers. It's in the kindergarten center, and it's only 1 class. So when they say he's the only one sick right now they mean in the room. It's not a huge daycare facility type thing.

I told DH today I almost want to pull him out and get a nanny. But I love the socialization and independence he learns from being there.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

So sorry its been rough but yeah, it really is this bad that first year. AJ was in since 15w. Even so, that 12-18m was the worst. She had constant ear infections, colds, etc. Thankfully never loose bowels or constant fevers but in general it was miserable. Still, it does pass. I promise.

Kindergarten was the most telling, watching those kids drop like flies while some others (mine included) pushed through with nothing more than a sniffle, sneeze and occasional cough. 1st grade has so far been a breeze.

18-24 got better and by 24-36 it was greatly improved!

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

I just want to say there's definitely something going around! Right now DH, DS and I are all sick. DS's daycare teacher is sick. And all the kids in his daycare are coughing and sneezing. So for them to tell you that nothing is going around, it's just a lie. Sorry, but that's my opinion.

As for your son - I'm so sorry. It's very frustrating to constantly be sick. DS has been sick a lot, too. The only suggestion I have is maybe try to keep him out a week or 2 and see how he does at home, if that's an option. Give him immune system some time to rest and rebuild, and see if he doesn't get sick at home. I also agree that the daycare should do a thorough clean, but they should be doing that anyway.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Yes, DD was sick a lot the first year. Not a crazy amount like you are describing but often
Now at 4 years old, she is NEVER (knock on wood) sick.
Like ever.
I can't even remember the last time she was sick, even with a cold.
So the good news, it does get better and it does build their immunity like you wouldn't believe.
The bad news, when you are in the thick of it, it does SUCKKKK

This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Daily probiotic (powder can be mixed w juice/water). Vitamin d drop daily (put a drop on his paci or bottle/sippy cup). The elderberry syrup I use is natures way sambucus for kids organic. It is sweetened w agave syrup and doesn't need to be mixed. Dd is obsessed with it. Every single am and pm use a saline spray up his nose. It will kill any germs that are lingering up there, before he gets sick. The second he gets home from daycare change his clothes. They harbor germs that can spread around the house. My dd literally eats dinner every night in a diaper and bib! I also use thieves oil on the bottoms of her feet every night before bed (google thieves, it is anti bacterial and viral). Also I now bathe dd nightly (hair every other night) to make sure she's clean after daycare. I know it is all a lot but so far she hasn't gotten sick and two weeks ago several kids were sick and she managed to avoid it.

And finally FYI a flu shot will not protect your son from getting a cold, fever, teething pain...I also agree with an above poster if he seems he is in teething pain try some Motrin to help with pain, fever but also Motrin as it is an anti inflammatory. Tylenol is not.

Good luck with it all! Having a sick baby is the worst!

Eta - oil of oregano works too. Must be a therapeutic grade oil though.

Message edited 11/19/2014 4:51:41 PM.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

First year of daycare was a nightmare. Sound normal. And I feel like it comes in phases - really sick for a while, snowballs and then OK for awhile but always something!

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Yes first year sucked bad, one after another after another, 2nd year was sooo much better! 3rd year in and we have been mixed so far

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Update: He's still sick. he seemed to be getting better yesterday, but then was up all night (literally would only sleep in my arms in the glider) with a fever that seems resistant to meds. We are going in to the doctor at 1:30 today. I'm worried he has the flu or something more serious than a typical virus He's never had a fever for this long before, and never had one that can't be lowered with fever reducers.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

DS was sick sooooooo much last year. it was insane. fever, stomach, ear infections from colds and RSV multiple times, roseola, coxsackie, it just never ended!

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Definitely start him on a probiotic. You can double it when his immunity is low or he is around sick people.

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

Re: This can't be normal! (daycare and sickness-related)

It does sound normal, at least to me. Since school started DD has had strep 2 times, coxsackie, GI bugs, and pneumonia. She lost 6 pounds in the last month from not eating and diarrhea from being sick. I caught something from her and was just hospitalized myself because I also had a pneumonia and I couldn't breath. So thankful I was the one hit hardest. I have been promised that it gets better each year.

We never ever got sick before school. Not even a cold. So we are paying for it now.