How often did your baby get sick?

[osiris]

Just wondering how often your kids got sick when they were less than 1 year old. My first is a little over 8 months, and so far has had one sinus infection that took her about a week to kill off, then got an ear infection/GI infection combo that took her nearly two weeks to get over, then got a little cold with snotty nose for about 3-4 days, and as of this morning has a really runny nose and a really low-grade fever. Just wondering if 4 illnesses within a bit over 8 months seems like a lot or if it is fairly normal. Only one of these things has been serious enough that we took her to the doctor for it, the stomach flu-type thing where she was throwing up and couldn't keep anything besides water and Pedialyte down for almost two days.

[Papa Dras]

Let's see, she is going to be 8 months next week-

@ 3 weeks- bacterial meningitis w/ a 5 day hospital stay
@ 2 months- ear infection
@ 4 months- ongoing cold and runny nose
@ 6 months- bronchitis, ear infection, strep, RSV (went to the doctor 8 times and a ear/nose/throat specialist on referral)

Our first was the same way. They have the asthma gene from my wife's side and it really affects them with any colds. We have to use the nebulizer all the time. It sucks because they are so active (even the almost 8 month old started cruising last week) and that is hard when you are prone to asthma.

[firefighterjunkie]

I have a 7 month old daughter. She's never been sick. I got a cold when she was 5 weeks old, but she didn't catch it.

I breastfeed exclusively and she is not in daycare - which may play a part of it.

[Tornado2dr]

I knock on wood everytime i hear of someone else's kid getting sick. That sucks.

Our oldest has had a stomach bug once, kicked it in two days. Other than that, nothing (other than your average cold/fever every once and blue moon).

I thank my wife's robust immune system, primarily. She takes all that crap from 30 kids at school, and kills 99.9% of it before she gets home. that .1% though...that .1 knocks me on my ass at least once a year (though she never gets it...just brings it home as a present.)

[Diamond Dave]

Just wondering if 4 illnesses within a bit over 8 months seems like a lot or if it is fairly normal.

Normal, bordering on not enough illnesses. You do realize that babies only have a portion of the strength of your wife's immune system when they're born, right? Every illness that they get helps their immune system develop. That's part of the reason that kids that have a stay-at-home Mom & rarely interact with other ankle biting germ sponges (daycare, preschool, etc.) tend to be more susceptible to picking up colds.

No ear aches, croop (sp?), oral thrush, etc?? Your time will come, Dad. For now, enjoy

[Papa Dras]

Normal, bordering on not enough illnesses. You do realize that babies only have a portion of the strength of your wife's immune system when they're born, right? Every illness that they get helps their immune system develop. That's part of the reason that kids that have a stay-at-home Mom & rarely interact with other ankle biting germ sponges (daycare, preschool, etc.) tend to be more susceptible to picking up colds.

No ear aches, croop (sp?), oral thrush, etc?? Your time will come, Dad. For now, enjoy

Totally agree. A few of our friends tried the stay at home method for years and when their kids finally started socializing a lot and going to school, they caught everything and it seems worse than the other kids. A little stomach bug has these kids throwing up and in bed for 3-4 days. I would think it was the immunity of the kid if it was just one of them, but this is three different kids. Get them sick early or pay later.

[FigureFive]

Neither of ours got sick as in stomach flu in their first year. They both had the occasional cough or cold, though. More common were ear infections.

I lost count of the ear infections our oldest got during her first year after her fifth. She basically spent half of her first year on antibiotics as a result. We opted for ear tubes and she's had 2-3 ear infections in the two years since.

Our second just turned one and fared considerably better, though. She's had a few ear infections (and is just wrapping up the latest).

[osiris]

Mom isn't stay-at-home, although our girl doesn't go to a daycare, she is watched by her grandparents or a nanny 2-3 days a week. My wife takes our daughter out to socialize every day that she is with her it seems like, with a half dozen different friends that all have young kids (<2), as well as Gymboree. My wife is a nurse, and thus a germ freak, and is militant with sanitizer...me not so much.

Thanks for chiming in.