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If you’re reading this, you’re probably a concerned mom. You’re worried about your kid who can’t seem to catch a break. He seems to always have a runny nose. A cough. Some sort of congestion. You’re paying for daycare, but he spends so little time there because he keeps getting sick. I hear this from so many moms on a daily basis. As a Pediatrician, I used to reassure them this was all normal. But it never really hit my family until recently. I’ve had 5 kids in daycare over the past 14 years. You’d think I’d be used to all back-to-back illnesses by now. But, recently, more than ever before, I’ve even been questioning myself – “Why does my kid keep getting sick?”.

My older kids all started daycare early – around 2-3 months old. So, they got most of their colds and viruses out the way pretty early. With my last one, we were lucky enough to have both grandmas take care of him until he was 7 months. It was definitely a blessing. But, he’s now 2 years old and has had a rough few months of illnesses.

He’s always had the never-ending runny nose and occasional colds, viruses, and fevers mixed in. But, he came down with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease a few months ago – which I’d only seen in my office, but not in any of my other kids. After that came an ear infection. A stomach virus. Then the flu a few weeks ago. He’s had all his shots (including his flu shot!). He was breastfed until he was a year old. He eats a pretty balanced diet. We keep things pretty clean in our home. I feel like I’m doing everything right as his mom, but somehow he still keeps catching things.

So, really – why DOES my kid keep getting sick?

The reality is that kids get 6-8 colds per year. And that’s just the average. That number can be much higher in kids who are in daycare, or in young kids who have older brothers or sisters in school. The fact that my son sucks his thumb also increases that number for him!

There are over 100 different viruses that can cause cold symptoms. So, even when your child just finished fighting one virus, he start with symptoms of a new one pretty quickly.

But, if you’re concerned that your child may be getting sick too often, here are a few of my recommendations:

1. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns

As a mom, you know your child a lot better than I do as Pediatrician. I see only a snap-shot of all of my patients. You, as mom, can usually tell if something is just “off” and unusual with your child. Don’t keep your concerns to yourself. If you’re worried that your child is always sick, and never seems to catch a break – talk to your Pediatrician. You will either receive reassurance that everything is normal and OK, or a plan to move forward and figure out if there’s an underlying problem. Ask as many questions as you need to, to fully understand what’s going on.

2. Keep track of illnesses

I don’t mean writing down every single cold, rash or fever. But, if your child is getting multiple ear infections, strep throat infections, or pneumonias, it’s important to keep track of them. Of course, your Pediatrician will do the same in their office. But, if your child happens to go to urgent care or the Emergency Room, be sure to follow-up with your Pediatrician and keep a record for yourself. This comes in handy, in case your child needs to see a specialist.

3. Follow the treatment plan

Whatever your child is going through, be sure to follow through with the treatment plan. It’s difficult for your Pediatrician to know if something is working or failing if the treatment plan isn’t being followed. If you’ve followed the treatment plan and your child is still not getting better, then it’s important to follow-up.

4. Know when enough is enough

Of course, you’ve been told that kids in daycare get sick often, and can seem to be sick for the first 2-3 years. Yes, that’s true, but your child should have a few days in between each of his illnesses where he’s at least mostly well. If he has a period of more than 2-3 weeks when he NEVER seems to be well (not even for a day), then he needs to be evaluated. Even congestion should get better in between illnesses.

Some of the more common illnesses that tend to worry parents are ear infections, strep throat, and pneumonia. If your child has had more than 3 ear infections in 6 months, more than 3 episodes of strep in a year, or more than one episode of pneumonia, it’s worth talking to your Pediatrician about further testing/treatment. Possibly a visit to ENT or an immunologist.

Now, some kids can just have a rough patch. Your child may go through a few months of infections off and on, then have no more after that. So, sometimes it’s worth it to wait instead of putting your child through a ton of tests. But, stay in touch with your Pediatrician for guidance.

5. Have a child care back-up plan

If you’re a working mom and your child is getting sick often (especially when they first start daycare), it’s important to have some sort of back up plan. Whether it’s a babysitter, family member or friend. Also, talk to your employer ahead of time in case you have to take days off for your sick kid. I don’t know about yours, but I know my little ones tend to want mommy when they’re not feeling so good. Things are definitely harder when you have to scramble at the last minute to find care.

6. Practice healthy habits

Make sure your child has a balanced diet (as best as you can!), is drinking and sleeping well, and getting physical activity on a regular basis. I don’t expect you to keep your house spic and span (especially with little ones). And don’t feel like you have to be a “germ-a-phobe”. We all need a little dirt in our lives – it honestly builds the immune system. But, still, practice good hygiene and encourage regular hand-washing – especially after bathroom trips and before meals. You can supplement him with a multivitamin, to boost what he’s not getting in his diet.

Also, make sure your child gets all his scheduled vaccines and goes to all of his well visits. This helps us to be more proactive – to catch things before they get out of hand.

7. Know that it gets better

Know that viruses are the most things your child will face. A child with a normal immune system will be able to fight off a virus, typically within 1-2 weeks. Your child will typically just need “comfort” care (just treating his symptoms and keeping him comfortable while his body fights it). Bacterial infections will usually need antibiotics.

As long as your child has a normal, healthy immune system, I promise this all gets better. At least by kindergarten (usually sooner than that, but I’m just saying). If you want to look at the bright side, it’s a least making his immune system stronger in the long run. The more viruses he’s exposed to now, the quicker he’ll fight them in the future. I know its tough to watch your child go through this – especially if he’s young. But this too shall pass!

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