Why are My Children ALWAYS Sick?

When my daughter started preschool this year, I was so excited. I couldn't wait for her to make new friends, develop new social skills, get creative with painting and learning new ways to play. The last thing I had on my mind was the number of days she would have off from school due to illness, and how this would effect day to day responsibilities, not to mention all the sickness that was brought back into our home.

It's a hot topic that is discussed by many parents, but now that I am a parent.. I get it. There are germs everywhere! A room full of sneezing and coughing toddlers, all sharing the same toilets, sinks, pencils, food and who knows what else! It's no wonder they are sick all the time. When my daughter started getting constantly sick, I was incredibly concerned. From RSV, to the common cold, influenza, gastro, tonsillitis and UTI's (as a result of not drinking enough water from being unwell), she's had it all. I spoke with the doctors and they assured me that this was all very normal, and in fact an important part of childhood. It is how our beautiful babies build up their immune systems.

Every child is different, but children can get as many as 12 different viruses a year. The hard part is that it is then spread through the family, and we continue to give it to each other.

When our children are sick, we often feel helpless. There is a lot that we can't control. Focus on things you can.

What to focus on

1. Practicing healthy hygiene. Teaching your children the importance of washing their hands and not sharing things, sneezing and coughing into their elbow.

2. Make a plan, in the event that your child is sick. Which doctor will you take them to? Try and find a supportive doctor who is onboard with having you check in regularly.

3. Encourage your child to eat well. Fruit and veggies are so important. If your child isn't a great eater, look into different multivitamin options. My daughter loves the vitamin c and zinc gummies, so I make sure she has two of those daily during flu season.

4. Spending plenty of time out in the sun, vitamin D helps your immune system fight off infection.

5. Sleep! Sick children need plenty of rest.

A decrease in appetite during illness is actually normal

Childhood illness is a very important part of life. Understanding this, and preparing for it, is what helped me with my own children. When my daughter first got sick at around 10 months, she didn't want to eat anything. I remember freaking out, getting so scared that something bad would happen if she didn't eat. The doctors explained to me that this is a totally normal response for the body. Their little bodies are working hard to fight the bug. They might be too tired or feeling too unwell to eat. Hydration is the most important thing. Fluids are very important when children are sick. Fever, a runny nose and sweat contribute to fluid loss. So it is important that this is replenished.

Fevers are normal. A fever is when your child's body temperature is over 38 degrees. Fever is not an illness in itself, it's the bodies way of fighting the infection, disease or inflammation.

The Pepper Trick

It is important to educate your children on the importance of hygiene and germs. A fun activity you could try is putting cracked pepper into a bowl of water. When your child puts their hands in the bowl, the pepper just sits there or sticks to their hands. Cover one finger with dish soap and put it in the water, and watch the pepper (germs) push away from the soap!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. By the time your children are around 6 or 7 years old(school age), they should get sick less. Their immune systems will get stronger as they get older and build immunity to a lot of the viruses they catch along the way.

Find your calm, germs are unavoidable. Childhood sickness is a part of life. Accept help when it is there, and if it is offered to you. Resting and taking care of yourself (as the parent) is so important during these stressful times, it's how we can best show up for our kids. Ready cooked meals are a great help, as it saves you going out and buying, cooking the food and then the clean up afterwards. Try not to worry about the state of the house, you can get around to cleaning things later.

Remember, you are doing a great job!

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