Chronic Colds

Updated on November 28, 2006
L.B. asks from Portland, OR
11 answers

My daughter is 17 months old and started part-time daycare in September. Since she started, she has had 4 colds and it seems that as soon as one cold has cleared, another takes hold of her. She hasn't been around alot of other people--and their germs-- since we haven't lived here for very long and don't know many people and I was wondering if any of your kids have gone through something similar after starting daycare. I am also wondering if my food allergy problems could be causing some of this because my daughter is still an avid breastfeeder. I have chronic food allergies and have been struggling with them and trying to identify everything that bothers me.

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A.B.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter went through the same thing this summer. She was getting colds every 3 weeks. She wasn't in daycare, but we enrolled her in some toddler classes and did more outings than usual. It was so frustrating as a mom because her colds lasted about 2 weeks. But, I have started giving her on a daily vitamin and she hasn't had a cold since. I give her these toddler chewable gummy vitamins. You might want to try it!

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

Yes, it's common for babies and kids and adults to get colds when put into a new group of people. The first year I worked I was out sick for several weeks and almost lost my job.

My granddaughter was found to be allergic (NOT lactose intolerant) to milk when she was just a few months old by her pediatrician. The symptom was projectile vomiting.

There is a difference between cold and food allergy symptoms. Both my granddaughter and I have food allergies and the allergist says food allergies cause hives and/or upset stomach. I've never had cold symptoms as a result of eating a food but I sure have had a lot of hives and upset stomachs.

I'd suggest that if you're not giving your daughter vitamins to try that to build up her immunity. There are some natural things that some people say also help. You can find them at a health food store.

Something to know that might reassure you is that once we've had a cold we can no longer catch a cold from the same bugs.

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S.M.

answers from Portland on

totally normal. we have a Preschool and Toddler care here and we've been sick for weeks! have you ever heard of EmergenC's. You can give them to her at a sign of a cold.. that's the only way we stay healthy around here. However we are also into natrual remedies. We are seeking advice of a herbalist. We have started burning Eucalyptus 100% Pure Essential Oil, found here:
http://www.theherbsplace.com/Eucalyptus_BIO_100_Pure_Esse...
Along with another smell because it is pretty potent. This will help everyone's immune system, also we have an air source that purifies the air, and we have begun cleaning the toys with an organice cleaner. We are hoping this will help with everyone!

You should get her on a mutivitamin. I reccomend Shaklee or Nature's sunshine they are organic, pure and are actually absorbed by her body.

But also know that better now than when she starts real school and is always out because she hasn't built up any imunities to any cold germ.

Ask your preschool/childcare provider what she is doing to help with the problem as well, hand washing..toy washing.. etc.

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E.H.

answers from Seattle on

L. don't feel bad. My daughter has been going to daycare ever since she was 6 months and every 2 weeks she has some kind of cold. There are so many germs in one little room.

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T.M.

answers from Rapid City on

Hi L.!!
I have said this to everyone that has allergies and colds, but it bears repeating again. There is a HUGE connection between illnesses and household cleaners. It makes me sick that the state says the only thing daycares can use to clean with is Lysol and Clorox. Did you know both of those are registered pesticides?! Yikes. Also, when they spray Lysol or any other aerosol can, those particles stay in the air for an HOUR AND A HALF!! It's no wonder these kids are getting headaches and colds. We have been taught wrong all these years. And why, because these HUGE well-known companies don't want us to know better.
There is a better way to clean those daycares and our homes. That's a good way to start. I am not kidding, you'll see a huge decrease in those colds when you switch out your house to non-caustic, environmentally safe products. I am a member of an online store that sells all that at awesome prices (prices equal to Walmart on those nasty products we all have used).
I did go to the health food store and looked at products to see how much they are and they are at least DOUBLE what we normally pay. You don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get these good products in your home.
Call or email me and I can get you more information about these products. I do not sell them but refer people to these safer products whenever I can. My three kids haven't been sick since March when I switched out all my old cleaners. A miracle for us!!
____@____.com when you email me, I can call you back with the details and give you my telephone number. It's the best thing you can do for your child!!!
I look forward to talking with you!!
T.

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J.P.

answers from Portland on

Oh, yeah. This is completely normal. My 20 month-old just started preschool/daycare for the first time, and she's had one cold or another ever since. If your daughter gets really sick, of course, take her to your pediatrician. Otherwise, rest assured that her little immune system is working very hard towards becoming a BIG immune system. All it takes is time.

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H.J.

answers from Pocatello on

L.: There are thousands of "colds" the only way to build immunity to them is to catch them. As long as your child care center sanitizes, cleans, and you feel comfortable-relax, your baby will be great and sick LESS when she starts school! My children have been in child care for their entire lives (5 and 3)They are never sick- of course they started with a few sniffles but, nothing since:)
best wishes!H.

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S.V.

answers from Portland on

L.,

I have no idea what your other responses might have been, but I moved to Scappoose May of 2005 and had my children, ages 4 and 5 then, in daycare and noticed that too.

In my experience (past daycare and being a former Professional Nanny and now running my own daycare), common colds and such can run rampant in daycare, no matter how much they try to control it. What I have noticed is that not all daycare providers are up front about other children in their care having any sort of minor cold and what they are soing about it in their home.
It seems colds are most common in daycare situations where they care for school age children as well as non school goers.
Some cold are noticable and some are not until they just past the spreadable stage.

Beings that I provide daycare, I know that some parents either don't care because they are not that in tune with their childrens needs are or they sometimes feel that they have no other choice but to slide their children through the daycare and hope it's not noticed, because work is more important. Then you have the parents that tell you (the daycare provider), "oh, susie has a small cold, it's nothing, I gave her something for it just before we came over" and what can you say as the daycare provider about that?

I know that in my daycare, I make it my business to know what the children's needs are and communicate as much as the parents will allow me to about their children in every facet (just the Nanny and mommy in me), while they are in my care. If I have the choice and it appears that a parent is trying to "pull a fast one" on me, when they come to pick up their child, I let them know about their childs health while in my care and remind them of my policies outlined in my contract that they the parent signed. Then, if the situation warrents and I feel that the child is too sick to return the next day, I'll let the parents know my feelings and remind them that it is not only their child that I have in my care and that I need to think of everyone's environment.

Usually, it's at this point that the parents understand. In other situations, parents are more than understanding. In your case though, I found it very interesting that you still breast feed and yet your child is still catching these colds. In my understanding, doesn't breast feeding make a child less prone to common colds? I believed that to be true. Then you mention your food allergies. You might be on to something there. I am sure that others may have responded that you might want to take this matter up with your doctor or you childs pediatrician.

I hope this helps! It's getting cold out there :)
And I hope your little one is on the mend...God Bless!

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A.W.

answers from Great Falls on

I bought something at walmart that might help. Its really helped my kids. Its called defense by chlorasepic. Its these strips that desolve in your mouth. On the back of the box it says its a way to support your immune system during flu season or anytime throughout the year. Hope this helps.

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L.B.

answers from Anchorage on

Hi L., everything that you have read is true. my daughters never went out much. so when we moved up here to Alaska my oldest who was 4 at the time. when we finally put her in a prescool to help her to start socialing with kids her own age. all my goodnest i swear it was like this kid was at the dr office once a week litterally.the dr told me every state that you move to has different illnesses. and it like starting over. i would get er better by sunday she would go to school on monday on tuesday she was running a fever ect. but its a course they unfortunately have to go through. we have purrifiers in our house it helps. but i have taught my girls to always wash there hands especially before they have lunch and seems to help. but just let it go through its course they outgrow it to some degree.now my dqughter is 6 and she hardly gets sick now just in the begining of winter she gets bronchitis and does a couple of treatments. but i think the body know how to work it but if you feel better take your child in to have allergy test done because now with my sometimes it seems like a cold then i take then in and its allergies. so that might something you might want to check.good luck to you.

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J.B.

answers from Portland on

My child went through alot of ear infections etc when around other children at church weekly. I would just get him nursed back to health and then on Sunday he would pick up something new! My doctor recomended the following as I fed him homemade and organic food: no bad sugars,no dairy and no wheat/bread/crackers and diluted pure fruit drinks. He too was nursing. Many children are allergic to dairy. Cut that out of his diet.In my childs case, pieces of cheese for snacks was at fault. Also, wheat products can be very allergenic as you might well know. Dilute any pure juices half and half with filtered water if she drinks that. Also, there are some very good liquid supplments that the health food store shelves have or a good naturopathic physician can recomend . These are commonly used in most other countries. We see a wonderful family nauturopath who sees lots of babies here in Portland. Her name is Dr. Susan Allen at Triangalo Family Clinic on SE Glisan and 26th. She treats the whole family and has other complimentary treatments such as therapuetic massage to cleanse out toxins etc in the lymphatic system. We highly recomend her. Or you can just go to any healthfood store and check with their employees about supplements for babies/childrens immune support liquids etc. Good Luck!

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