Preventing illness? Is it possible?!!

[smurfette]

Just back from a weeks hols and ALL my mindees have been sick while I have been away .. With what to me is a similar thing.. A rash/tonsillitis/scarlet fever type bug (one confirmed case of scarlet fever, others not but to my mind the symptoms are similar)

We left Friday am and on Thursday I sent one mindee home, he just wasn't himself clingy and crying and he did have a rash on his cheeks, he had been not right for over a week, I remember telling mum that she should get him checked out and when she didn't saying to her that I hoped we didn't all catch it when we were due to go away! I would imagine that he brought it into the house and passed it along, others were all sick around Sunday ish .. First one didn't go to doctor and fought it off, one Ended up in a and e with scarlet fever after being diagnosed wrongly according to mum and is right as rain now on an antibiotic, one went to doctor who said it was chicken pox one day, then a second doctor said it was a viral thing. And the other two had tonsillitis.

Now, I know there is a lot of tonsillitis around at the moment but neither me nor dh or our three girls had anything at all, all grand... Maybe our immune system is just pretty good right now... And I know these things are super contagious and pretty much unavoidable but are they?! We steam mop our house and only have one rug rest is all Lino and wooden floors, I wash bedding every week for each child, anti bac everywhere but I worry about cleaning the toys .. I have three babies here at the mo, all putting things in mouths., I Antibac them and wash plastic stuff in dishwasher but is it really possible to wash all the toys very often given most of us have toy shops (to quote another thread!) but anti bac doesn't kill viruses does it?! The dettol spray does so I am going mad with this!

Is this normal! I know they are all building their immune systems and there have been some superbugs around this year but is there more I can do? Also, how to know when parent really should take child to doctors and if you do know they need to go how to persuade them so child doesn't affect everyone else?!! The one who I think brought it in is the mindee leaving and mum doesn't take him to doctor usually just rides it out and he seems to always have a cold or virus.. Luckily other mums are all good and air on side of caution

I know it's expensive to go to doctors but wish they would be a bit more responsible!

Sorry this is long!

[angeldelight]

Hope you had a good holiday

There seems to be lots of bugs flying around here too the last few months

I think it's common sense a lot of the time but parents don't always think the same as us do they

I hope everyone gets better soon once we hopefully get the better weather

Angel xxx

[Dragonfly]

I don't believe going over the top with cleaning (and with our toy shops you won't be able to do everything)although you must clean, it won't do much good. a lot of these illnesses are air borne and by touching one another which we and children do all the time. I wish I wish we could get rid of these bugs :)

[miffy]

I'm not sure what else you can do.

There seems to be lots of bugs around atm and I don't think the weather's helping - freezing cold one minute then warm the next.

Glad you didn't get anything for your holiday

Miffy xx

[shortstuff]

my DS is one of those with tonsilitis at the mo. He has a rash and awful temp with it also. I make sure there is no sharing of anything which goes in the mouth. Good hand washing and so on. Not so easy with babies or associated toys I know but maybe always have a washing up bowl to hand for when one baby puts something down they have played with?

It seems to be working here as I have had tonsilitis myself about 7/8 times and haven't caught it. Also he went down with it Thursday n i'm still clear?

[AgentTink]

Scarlett fever has symptoms very similar to tonsilitus. Scarlett fever is from a strep bug which is found in the throat. Once you have had it you don't normally get it again, so that could be why neither your family or yourself caught anything.

I am amazed how poorly some children seem to be. The thing that amazes me is I have my own little 3 yr old who also goes to preschool, and still constantly has things in her mouth and she has been rarely catchs anything even though the other children are all here at least 3 days a week. The only thing I have always done with my little girl is to give her vitamins and take to the gp if she is poorly. One of my parents avoids the doctors at all costs yet complains about her constant lack of sleep due to her child being poorly constantly.

[ziggy]

I mind two families that are related (children are all cousins). One mummy is constantly cleaning, bit of a family joke, whereas the other doesnt worry so much. I always remember 2nd family running in from garden covered in mud and goodness knows what else ( they live on farm) jump up to table and eat dinner without washing hands or taking off wellies!!!

In the 9 years I've minded for these families i have noticed the children of the mummy who cleans constantly get far more illnesses than the other family...................I do sometimes wonder if all this cleaning and disinfecting causes more problems?

I also think when children mix with other children, whether at childminders, nursery or school we are fighting a losing battle trying to stop them getting ill.

I have another theory that children didnt get as many bugs years ago when they slept outside in their prams but that is another story lol

[FussyElmo]

I mind two families that are related (children are all cousins). One mummy is constantly cleaning, bit of a family joke, whereas the other doesnt worry so much. I always remember 2nd family running in from garden covered in mud and goodness knows what else ( they live on farm) jump up to table and eat dinner without washing hands or taking off wellies!!!

In the 9 years I've minded for these families i have noticed the children of the mummy who cleans constantly get far more illnesses than the other family...................I do sometimes wonder if all this cleaning and disinfecting causes more problems?

I also think when children mix with other children, whether at childminders, nursery or school we are fighting a losing battle trying to stop them getting ill.

I have another theory that children didnt get as many bugs years ago when they slept outside in their prams but that is another story lol

A lot of people are now saying that todays reliance on antibacs, disinfectants etc are causing people to be more likely to catch bugs.

I also think the late spring/summer isn't helping.

But I must admit to being the mum who only takes their child to the doctors if they are really really really ill - mean mummy I am.

Could be that the children you look after at the min are just run down and so are prone to picking bugs up. Roll on the summer :)

[smurfette]

A lot of people are now saying that todays reliance on antibacs, disinfectants etc are causing people to be more likely to catch bugs.

I also think the late spring/summer isn't helping.

But I must admit to being the mum who only takes their child to the doctors if they are really really really ill - mean mummy I am.

Could be that the children you look after at the min are just run down and so are prone to picking bugs up. Roll on the summer :)

To be honest I don't take my kids to doctor more than I have to either, I used to work for a chiropractor who said that the difference between the recovery time of something like a chest infection with and without antibiotics is only maybe two days. I did take them more often when tiny though, and I guess it annoys me if I feel the child needs an antibiotic for themselves but also to nip in bud before spreading it around!!

They have all had a lot of coughs and colds over winter so maybe just run down and building immunity too.. None of the mums were cross or blaming me, I was just blaming myself.!

[FussyElmo]

To be honest I don't take my kids to doctor more than I have to either, I used to work for a chiropractor who said that the difference between the recovery time of something like a chest infection with and without antibiotics is only maybe two days. I did take them more often when tiny though, and I guess it annoys me if I feel the child needs an antibiotic for themselves but also to nip in bud before spreading it around!!

They have all had a lot of coughs and colds over winter so maybe just run down and building immunity too.. None of the mums were cross or blaming me, I was just blaming myself.!

We had to build dd's immunity up last year after being ill and it took a while. Poor little thing must have had none and picked up every bug, illness going. Even when there was none. It took a good 6 months for her to start building an immunity again. She is managing to shake off bugs now whereas they would have left her ill for ages :thumbsup:

[jackie 7]

When my sister tells me how expensive the doctor is in Ireland I am so thankful for the nhs with all IRS faults. I read recently that bugs die on a hard surface after 12 hours so I stopped going crazy anti bac cleaning. Suggest vitamins.

[smurfette]

When my sister tells me how expensive the doctor is in Ireland I am so thankful for the nhs with all IRS faults. I read recently that bugs die on a hard surface after 12 hours so I stopped going crazy anti bac cleaning. Suggest vitamins.

Thanks I will.. Yes doctor here is around 50-60 euros with no discount for kids or more than one family member at same apt.. It is crazy!

[Supernanny86]

Thanks I will.. Yes doctor here is around 50-60 euros with no discount for kids or more than one family member at same apt.. It is crazy!

Wow! I never knew that!! You learn something everyday!! Maybe ill be more grateful next time I need NHS, even if they're a pain sometimes!! :)

[jackie 7]

And then the full cost of medicine. No

[Tealady]

Well I have two children of my own DD who is 7.5 and DS who is 3.5

DD got her first cold at 7mths. Only very mild. She then got her first ever tummy bug at 5 when she had been in Reception a couple of months. Hardly ever ill. One mild cold a year and now at school seems to get one tummy bug a year too. (Probably jinxed her now LOL!)

DS on the other hand a different kettle of fish. Hospitalised at nearly 3 month with Septicaemia caused by Strep Pneumonia, colds of and on all winter, they also make him vomit. Tummy bug every time there is one going around.

Both children eat well, and I give them a daily vitamin but that's more out of habit for them now. Obviously live in the same environment and whilst at different settings DD went to same Pre-school and was never as ill as DS.

I just think that some children are more prone to catch things than others and all you can do is give a good diet, lots of fresh air and practise good hygiene, then hope for the best!

[smurfette]

And then the full cost of medicine. No

Yes and prescriptions are more expensive I think., most between 15-30 euros and you never know until u collect it how much it will be! I think it should at least be free for kids to go .. Parents Shouldn't have to take a risk with kids health because of money. If you earn under a certain amount you get a medical card (everything free) but its people who are just above this amount that suffer

[Supernanny86]

Yes and prescriptions are more expensive I think., most between 15-30 euros and you never know until u collect it how much it will be! I think it should at least be free for kids to go .. Parents Shouldn't have to take a risk with kids health because of money. If you earn under a certain amount you get a medical card (everything free) but its people who are just above this amount that suffer

That doesn't sound right!! What if you couldn't afford the meds?! Prescriptions are £7.85 here per item and I thought that was bad enough!!!