What is a "normal" amount of sickness for a child?

[chlobo]

Ever since she started preschool in the fall DD has been sick a lot. It seemed like once a month until Christmas and then she was sick for about 5 weeks straight & now she's back to once a month. The usual run of colds, fevers, etc.

My DH & I are having a disagreement about this. I think she's sicker than she should be. He doesn't. I don't get sick that often and neither does he. Why should she?

How much sickness is normal? When does it ease up?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds' first year at school he was probably sick at least once a month with basic stuff like colds. I think his nose was runny almost the whole winter. :)

This year (year 2 of school) he has barely been sick. Ds' friend, on the other hand, has been sick a ton. But, I think that is b/c he has 2 younger siblings and they pass germs among themselves.

I think it is very normal for a kid to get sick more often than an adult. They need to build up their immunities. You already have strong immune systems.

I totally expect that next year he could have a "sick" year again. I don;'t think at 4yo we have kicked all this stuff. :)

Beth

[Lovingliv]

Was DD in daycare ever?

If the answer is yes, than she may be getting sick more often than she should,,,,but if the answer is no she is probably sick the right amount. DD was sick constantly for her first year of daycare,,,and having just turned 2, far less. HTH!

[lizamann]

My almost 4 yr old DD has been right there with your dd, perhaps even more than you describe. She just seems to get everything that passes by, and it really does a number on her system. She's just now shaking a bad cough that had her feverish on and off for 4 days. She's missed so much preschool! I don't really mind since it's a wonderfully accommodating program and not at all academic, but still it's been a shock to see her so sick, when she really wasn't before she started school. I agree that my dd seems sicker than she should be, by far, but I haven't brought it up with her doctors. I don't even take her in since they are the self-limiting kinds of illnesses.

Here's hoping next year will be healthier!

[lisams]

Same thing here with my four year old. She started preschool this year, and about once a month she has something, usually a cold. From Thanksgiving to mid-January it seems like she was getting one cold after another.

I think it's pretty normal and part of making their immune system stronger (I don't believe it builds that much immunity since viruses are always changing and there are so many). I've talked to other moms at her preschool, and they all pretty much said their child was having the same issue of getting sick so often this year.

Hoping next year will be a little better! Thankfully I think we're past the sick season and summer is approaching so she'll get a break!

[TracyBee]

If it's her first time in preschool what you describe is perfectly normal. Like others have said when my DD started preschool - she was sick all the time - almost weekly. She's been there for 2 years now and she's never sick anymore. She's had maybe 3 colds since last summer. So, it does get better, I promise!

Better that she's builder a stonger immune system now and missing preschool now than waiting and have her missing kindergarten next year.

[bisous]

This doesn't sound too unusual to me. My DS is about the same age as your DD and he follows that pattern pretty well. I would be more concerned if the colds and fevers turned into secondary infections or required hospitalization as a sign that something else is going on. As long as they are just colds, then I wouldn't worry too much and I would see that as indicative of a pretty healthy functioning body. :) I know it can be really annoying to deal with the constant illness but I do think that it is par for the course.

HTH

Jen