Sick of sick kids!

[jaylupa]

I have been running my day home now for nine months. So, yes still fairly new at this. Since January now all the kids have been sick! I thought everyone was starting to get better....(my 3 full timers); but achoo! The sniffles are back today! GRRR! Is there anything I can do to assist in killing these bugs? or are kids just always sick. I have to ask because my 4 year old is very healthy. He had antibiotics once and it was a puffer for possible asthma. (not!) I have maintained good health too up untill this week! I feel like crap.
Now, I sweep and wash the entire floor every day at nap time, each child has their own special wash cloth (3 and under) older kids use towel and cloth in washroom when washing hands, which they do a lot! These towels and clothes are washed and changed out on a daily basis. The toy room gets vacuumed and swifter sweeper twice a week or earlier. I use Lysol spray throughout, and wash any toys that go into mouths. The children eat a very balanced diet when they are here, lots of fruit and veggies, and water with snacks, and milk with lunch...I have an "Ionic Breeze Air Purifier" in on the counter that points at the toy room.
What else can I do? I wash my hands so much, that by Friday my knuckles are bleeding.
I need some advice please, or is this just the way it is?

[mimi]

Sounds like you are doing all you can and run a sanitary daycare. One thing I have done is eliminate wash cloths and towels. I have a papertowel dispenser in the bathrooms and kitchen. I purchase the towels that have the half portions. It is cleaner and there is no revisiting what was left on the wash cloths. I am doing less laundry which I hope offsets the extra paper consumption. We are having a lull in the cold/flu department which we are enjoying, however I have heard about alot of people rebounding because the antibiotics aren't effective. Keep scrubbing, spring is on the way.

[Shannie]

Exactly the same here, but we have been sick non stop since November. I even put tea tree oil in the humidifier to disinfect the air. I think that there isn't much that we can do. They all bring it to our homes and share. so nice. Nap time here...I need to refill on tea and hope this head cold goes away soon.

[jaylupa]

Thank you for the replies. I like the idea of tea tree oil in a humidifier. That I could try. Plus we do the paper towels in the kitchen...but we could adapt that in the bathroom. thanks for the tips.
Ya, like I said, I have made it this long and it the cold finally hit me. Tea sounds like good idea.
Cheers!

[mimi]

My kids were doing a group hug and one of them sneezed which was immediately inhaled by all. There is no getting away from it!

[cfred]

There's no avoiding the bugs unfortunately. I clean the floors daily, everyone has separate washcloths, linens and bed toys washed every weekend, soothers washed daily, vacuum alternate days, mopping, dusting, etc.....it never ends. They still all get sick, but this year has been better. I've started soaking all our hard toys in Dettol and hot water and wipe down all the books, furniture, shelving, kitchen centre with Dettol solution every Friday during my weekly disinfect. We've had our share of sniffles and snotty noses, but it seems a bit better this time around. I also have a bin for toys that get goobed up through the morning or afternoon that get disinfected each naptime and closing. All my kiddies are under 20 mos, so EVERYTHING is goobed up. I'm loving the Dettol!

I will say this - I started my ECE course, many moons ago, our professors told us to expect to be sick for about 2 years, until our immunity built up. They were absolutely right. I was ill in some form or another for nearly the full 2 yrs. Now I hardly ever get sick! I did get Strep this year, but nothing aside from that.....not one cold or stuffy nose! My immune system must be kick ass, because all my friends, family and clients have been suffering with head colds, flu, etc.

[Skysue]

Give the kids Ribena drink it is loaded with vitamin c, my Mom always gave it to us as kids to help with colds/ flu.

Air out your home daily even in the coldest of days, the colder the better. Fresh air kills viruses!

If you have mostly babies they will get the most sick in there 1st year of care, as they have rarely been exposed to things.

A couple of drops of tea tree oil is great to clean your floors with as well.

[playfelt]

Bad head cold here along with the rest of my gang. Two youngest have ear infections. Mine is totally in the sinuses and head feels heavy and plugged. Been using vicks on my neck and around my ears. Helped a lot but made the kids think I was stinky. Which was ok cause I didn't really want to be close to them anyways. The positive is that they are taking long naps and eating snack type foods for meals since there is no appetite so actually be a fairly easy care week.