My son started day care the first of September and since day 3, he's had a cold. We've been to the doctor 5 times in the last two month with things being viral and then it being bacterial. Was on an antibiotic for 10 days and things were looking better and bam, another cold which led to ear infection. Back on antibiotic and 3 days after he was done, another cold. Really bad running nose, green and yellow snot and horrible cough that sometimes makes him sick and other times makes it hard to catch his breath. One other little girl at day care gave her notice because she's tires of her being sick all the time. I know kids will get sick and pass germs to one another, but I'm starting to get concerned that he's always sick. I told myself if he's not better by the beginning of the week we're going back to the dr. It's frustrating and heart breaking seeing him sick all of the time. When does it stop?!
Thank you everyone for you comments. I guess I should have clarified a bit more on his issues, because I am not one of those parents that runs their child to the doctor for every little thing that is wrong. I know that they need to build their immune systems up and that they are going to get sick being in day care. One reason for the doctors visits is because he had ran a fever more than 3 days in a row. They did blood work on him and his sed rate came back a little elevated, so they treated it with an antibiotic. Another trip to the doctor was because our ear thermometer was reading his temp being very low and I know that there can be issues if your temp is too low. Another time was due to him being up all night crying and screaming, due to an ear infection, treated with an antibiotic. I know that things can not be treated for a viral infection. My doctor has me give him benedril at night and Claritan in the mornings and that has worked in the past with treating his colds, but doesn't seem to be doing the trick this time. I have a humidifier in his room and I put Vicks on his feet and chest before bed. I also have him on a daily vitamin and started him on a probiotic. He has issues with going poop and I've read that it can possibly help with immune system.
It's just heart breaking seeing my child sick all the time when he used to be healthy and hardly ever sick. Yes, I think it's better to have him around this now as opposed to when he starts school. I tell my son all the time that we neeed to cover our mouth when we cough and always wash our hands and I stressed it this morning with the day care provider. I may look into the allergies factor and go from there.
Again, thank you!!
My son was in a similar cycle at that age and beyond a few years...running nose, snot, stuffy, blowing constantly and then...sinus infection. Lather rinse repeat.
Turns out it was sinus/allergies.
With allergy meds, Flonase & saline spray...it's over.
Took me a while to figure it out.
It was always at it's worst in the spring & fall.
Good luck.
We had a similar scenario with our youngest at about that age. Back to back ear infections, cough, etc. We tried multiple courses of antibiotics but could never seem to beat it back. Finally, we switched doctors and our D.O. put him on an antihistamine. (Specifically, Flonase) His congestion quickly cleared, ears healed, and he had no further problems. We found that his allergies seemed to flare up in the early Spring and Fall, so we didn't keep him on the anithistamine all the time, just paid close attention to when he started getting a runny nose and circles under his eyes.
Even today, at almost 12, he'll need some Zyrtec for about a week or two a couple of times a year.
So, that's where I'd start if I were you. If this is a chronic problem, I'm betting it's allergy.
My daughter was sick constantly from about 6 months to 4 years. My pediatrician chalked it up to "some kids are sick more than others".
I finally took her to an asthma specialist when the pediatrician mentioned she might have asthma. It turned out she has really bad allergies (mold/dust mites/etc) and asthma. It took a specialist to get this diagnosis. The allergies make the asthma worse.
We started weekly allergy shots to get her allergies under control, with an asthma action plan (inhaler plus one oral medication). Now she is healthy as a horse.
I'd ask to see an allergist or asthma specialist and go from there. I can't tell you how many kids I have met at the allergist who are there for weekly shots who have the same story we do!
I would have him tested for allergies.
I'm confused because you don't treat a cold with antibiotics. A cold is not bacterial; it's a viral infection, and antibiotics are useless.
So is your doctor just pushing antibiotics at what he or she agrees is just a cold? If so, get a new doctor who has a brain and isn't trying to just placate you.
If your doctor is giving your son antibiotics because this is a real bacterial infection that will respond to antibiotics -- find out what the infection really is, because the doctor should not be referring to it as a cold.
I agree with others that this could be allergies but again -- you do not treat allergies with antibiotics. Useless. You could get your son tested just to rule out allergies, and the tests are not always all that bad --my daughter had a simple blood test for allergies. Your son could even have allergies to something AT this day care; is it a home day care where there could be pets and pet dander? Even if pets are kept away from the day care areas, the presence of dander can set off those who are sensitive. Carpeting that has mold beneath? Mold in the walls? Most commercial facilities will be OK but if it's a home day care, there could be other issues going on like pets or mold in the house. Most likely the issue really is an infection that the kids are passing around but if it never ever ends, the day care itself could be an issue.
But mostly I'm wondering exactly what was diagnosed, and whether your doctor is just shoving antibiotics at a cold --? Or did those not start until the doctor said it was bacterial?
When does it stop?
In about 2 years.
That seems to be the amount of time it takes to train up an immune system.
It worked that way when my sister and I began kindergarten and it worked that way when our son started day care at 3 months old.
It's miserable getting through it but once you do, you settle down into only getting a cold maybe once or twice a year.
You can try yogurt, probiotics, chicken soup, humidifiers at night, getting tonsils and adenoids removed.
It might help or it might not.
It might be seasonal allergies too.
It just takes time.
Hi A.,
My daughter experienced the sick spells and chronic pink eye when she attended daycare. She hates to take liquid medication and it was always a fight when it was time to take the antibiotics. When I found a great vitamin supplement the terrible coughs, runny nose, pink eye and all the other virus and bacterial issues disappeared. She didn't get sick at all while taking the vitamins. Fast forward to her college days where I wasn't able to monitor her continuing to take her vitamins and guess what she started getting sick again.
Companies I've used were Usana and Ariix. These are all direct sales companies which means you would have to visit their websites as they are not sold in stores(not trying to sell anything).
Most physicians do not encourage the use of supplements, so you may want to seek the advice of a natural or holistic physician and do your research.
Your son is young and building his immune system will help to alleviate the need for prescription drugs.
Best of luck in finding relief for your little man.
Welcome to daycare. Yes. It totally sucks how sick they seem to stay, but eventually, this passes. And consolation now is that when they start school, they never get sick.
One thing I do want to mention is that you must request an ear check after your son finishes the antibiotics. Sometimes, a stronger one is needed and the existing ear infection is still in place. It may seem like another cold, but the infection is still there and builds right back up after the medication starts to leave their system. I actually bought an otoscope, and it's pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it.
Are you sure it's not allergies?
Both of my daughters have allergies like Daddy. But I'm not allergic to a darn thing. So when my youngest started showing awful symptoms a couple of months ago I assumed it was a cold. But it was actually allergies. It can be *really* confusing since both look about the same.
If it is a cold then really all you can do is let it pass. Kids have to build an immunity somehow.
Stop running to the doc all the time. He's got to work through this to build his immune system. Do you want him to do it now or the first few months of kindergarten? He needs these germs and exposure so he won't be a sickly adult.
I know it's hard but simply do what you can and medicate with over the counter stuff to alleviate the symptoms. He should stop being sick around the first of December BUT there are other germs going around all over the USA that he will get regardless of being in child care or staying at home with mom.
my 6 yo son has spring and fall allergies and sometimes I can't tell the difference between allergies and a cold. But, when he does get a cold, I notice that he seems to hang onto them for unite a while. His allergist said that can happen with kids with allergies getting colds. I totally understand your frustration and your childs discomfort. My son can hang onto a cold or whatever for months. But do take him to an allergist.
Antibiotics do not help with a cold. They do help with a viral sinus infection. I hope your doctor checked. It sounds to me like he might have allergies and not a cold. If this truly is a case of your son getting cold after cold, you should look into ways to boost his immune system.
