We attended a parent meeting at Dash's daycare last week. Several issues were discussed, including some child health issues. The director said that there is a study (or several) out there disputing the myth that daycare kids get sick more often than kids that are home. I'm sure there are studies that favor both sides, but it got me thinking...
I used to think that Dash got sick more often than his friends since going into daycare. I'm not sure if I believe that anymore. Especially since joining Twitter last year and seeing the tweets of at-home moms. I really think that we're even. Actually, we have been enjoying a nice healthy run. Great, now that I say that, I'm sure we'll pick something up!
So, what do you think? Do you think your kids have gotten sick more often from daycare? Or, do you think it's even with kids at home?
This post is linked to What I Learned This Week at Musings of a Housewife
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I think they get sick more *at first* because of the initial exposure to all the unfamiliar germs. But I think they build up an immune system quicker than their stay-at-home counterparts.
ReplyDeleteI also think it depends on if it's the first child or subsequent children. My first child, at home with me, rarely got sick. However, his siblings did b/c he was bringing germs home to them.
In other words, I think it all evens out in the wash. ;-)
I agree with Musings.....It all evens out in the wash!
ReplyDeleteI agree too. Once I sent my first to pre K when she was 3, she was sick constantly. Each year, she has gotten healthier and healthier as her immune system was built up. My second is sick all the time even though he's home b/c his sister brings everything home!
ReplyDeleteagreed here too. . .and we are fortunate to have 2 very healthy kids (I like to think it's all that great breastfeeding!)both of whom were in daycare at least part-time, from 3 months on. I think kids that are susceptible to germs are susceptible. . .regardless of where they are hanging out.
ReplyDeleteHillary
I think it depends on the kid. My oldest RARELY gets sick, whereas my youngest has my allergies and gets sick more easily. I do think constant exposure (daycare) to germs tends to result in less sickness than random exposure (home - outings to the store, playground, etc).
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you should mention this, my boys were in daycare the first 20 months of their lives and now they are 27 months and haven't been sick since, though I think that's probably just a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteMy "boys" are now all in their 20's ... so I can't comment on current conditions. However, I will say that a whole lot of it has to do with your childs matabalism. Plain and simple. In extra large families, virus often take a long time to leave once they hit. And yet, there is often one or two children that seldom get bothered by whatever is going around all of the others. Sometimes they wish they would get sick so they didn't have to always be the care givers ;-p
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by our blog and leaving the comment about the deviled eggs :-D