daycare germs are eating me alive

[Tink2002]

I've recently started working in a daycare program with children ranging from babies to school age, and I love it. The only problem is, their germs don't love me. Last Wednesday I came down with strep throat. Today, before I even finished my antibiotics, I woke up with conjunctivitis.

Anyone who has been around a lot of small children at once knows what I mean - you wipe noses, they cough, they sneeze, they spit, and they climb all over you and touch everything they can. A lot of times parents leave children that aren't feeling too hot off at the daycare as well, which really burns me, because that's the reason so much goes around the place. But that's life.

So my question is - has anyone out there worked in a similar environment and WHAT did you do to keep from getting sick constantly? I wash my hands a zillion times a day and am very careful to not touch my face, but somehow the little buggers still get me. :thedolls:

[pink]

I know how you feel! I have a younger brother and he is always bringing home those germs from school and spreading them throughout our whole house. I also work at a camp over the summer so I catch their germs too. I learned that the best way to avoid getting sick from them is just washing your hands at every chance you get, not biting at your nails ever and using anti-bacterial religiously. At the end of the day I would wash all the chairs, tables, counters etc. with Lysol wipes and it really seemed to help too. Also, if any of the kids didn't look well we would send them to the nurse right away. I did all of these things and the only time I got sick the whole summer was when we were locked in a gym one day with no air so try to always keep a window open, I don't know why but it helped too. I hope everything works out for you! :mickey:

[BronxTigger]

You will begin to build up a resistance the longer you work at that same daycare. You will be sick a lot at the beginning, but you should start to get sick less pretty soon. If you switch to a different daycare or school, you'll catch the new germs of the new place and get sick a lot again for a bit.

Pink had a lot of good suggestions about wiping things down, particularly things that get touched a lot like door handles, toilet flushers, chair tops, etc. Also, something I do is use my own pens and pencils throughout the day; I actually keep them tucked in my ponytail. (Sidenote: it's become like a trademark...when the kids draw me they ALWAYS have a pencil in my hair...AND they point it out to me LOL.)

Another thing I do is keep one of those "keychain" hand sanitizer things hanging from my key lanyard. I can use it anytime, especially after touching a "leaky kid" (you know, the ones with drippy noses, mouths, etc). Baby wipes are also good to use for hand washing if you don't have access to a sink.

(By the way...I teach first grade.)

[jrkcr]

First, I want to say THANKS to the people who work with "leaky" kids! :sneeze: That would not be a job for me.
I am a magnet for "pink eye" and there are many different "remedies" for it. I usually have to throw out my mascara, throw out my contacts, and wash my pillow case EVERY day until I am over it. I like using a heating pad(with a washable covering). My heating pad is filled with buckwheat, and goes in the microwave. The heat seems to make it feel better. And I like to believe it may kill the germs....who knows. And I use cooled herbal tea bags as compresses.
Vitamins A and C and zinc help to keep the eyes healthy.
Also, teach kids that when they need to sneeze, sneeze into their elbows,away from other people, and not into their hands. Or like me-into the inside of their shirt. Keeps the hands from catching the sneeze.
Good Luck!!

[Dakota Rose]

I saw this topic and had to let out a hardy laugh of identification! My DS started preschool this year and I've never been sicker. That paired with being pregnant (i.e. no immune system) and I've had the flu 3x, multiple colds, eye infections and who knows what else. So I definitely can identify with your email!

A friend of mine, who is also a preschool teacher, says that the first year is the worst and then you build immunities to the germs these little ones breed. So, there's a light at the end of the tunnel for you!

Keep washing your hands, boost your Vitamin C. Consider a zinc and/or echnicea supplement. Drink lots of water and get the rest you need until you can ward off these germies! Good luck!

[DisneyLandMomma]

Sorry to tell you this but I have been working in a daycare for over 12 years and I still get sick all the time. :blush: I have a really weak immune system though.

Like someone else said, you will be sick a lot at first but after awhile you will get more immune. Antibacterial stuff, taking vitamins, and keep washing those hands any chance you get.

I soo know what you mean about the parents leaving their kids sick...we just had the stomach flu go through our place and EVERY SINGLE PARENT denied their kid actually had the flu...it was always something else(the heat, eating something that didn't agree with them....blah blah blah). :shake:

[MNNHFLTX]

I feel your pain. When I went back to work (as a nurse) after taking a couple of years off, I kept picking up one thing after another. As everyone has said, it should get better the longer you're there and you build up immunity. In the meantime, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water and keep washing your hands. And keep a vigilant eye out any kids with even slightly red eyes, because pinkeye is so contagious!

[ElenitaB]

I'd suggest not only you washing your hands and using Purell, but having the little darlings do it on their way in to school and then every single time they're going to eat or drink.

On the DCL ships, they have hand wipes at the drink station and you can't get near food/drink (either in a dining room or at the counter service stations) without using them. It goes far to keep the germies at bay and it's not a bad habit to instill in the kids either.

[tinksmom02]

Many people have already said it, but it takes about a year to build up your resistance. So you may catch every little germ, but <only> for a year LOL

I've been in day care for 8 years, and the first year was the worst, as far as illnesses go. In all those years, though (and the year I didn't work after DD was born), the ONLY time I got pink eye--knock on wood--was Christmas 1999...and I caught it from my dog LOL

[BrerGnat]

Welcome to my world! LOL.

Seriously, I've been sick since last August, it seems. My oldest started preschool in the fall, and my youngest a couple months ago started a group program as well, so they are DIFFERENT germs, and they are bringing ALL of them home, passing them from one to the other, and then onto me.

I've been sick (literally, continuously) since mid February of this year. :ill: At most, I've had about a week between illnesses. Currently, I'm battling a sinus infection and stomach bug (my youngest has the same thing...and I'm just waiting for the oldest to start feeling sick).

I don't have any more advice other than what has been given, but I do sympathize! Hope you feel better soon. I hate pinkeye. I got it really bad when I was in college in both eyes and for about 4 days, I felt how a blind person must feel, because my eyes were so swollen that I couldn't see out of them. It was awful. Pixie dust for a speedy recovery! :pixie:

[katzctkpt]

I would suggest get the flu shot, plenty of rest, take vitamins, eat healthy, and continue with the remainer of your regimen. I do in home daycare and I clean with bleach water and lysol spray before each child arrives and after they've left. I've had the flu twice since Oct. not really to bad since I used to work with the public and stayed sick 24/7 beginning to think that the work place was a sick building. The only issue I have is that 2 out of 5 of my kids seem to be sick continuous. Running nose, eyes, coughs, diarehha don't know if its allergy related or something at their home or mine.

[elmjimmlm]

I have done in home daycare for 11 years and for me it has not been easy...I tell parents before they even start bringing their kids that I wont keep them when they are sick...I am sure you know how well that goes over...I think that when their children are sick they want to take them somewhere else...I have had every illness brought into my house that is out there...I just wish that they would understand that when they bring theirs sick that I will get it and I will not watch theirs when I am...I think that if your child is sick that you keep them home...It doesnt matter if it is school or daycare that they go to, they are better off in their own home, in their own bed...I hope that I havent offended anyone...Its just my opinion...Now I will step down from my:soapbox:

[Here we go again...]

I work in a pharmacy... only sick people go there....

Remember, take lots of vitamins (or use Airborne) and wash your hands frequently.
Be careful about using the hand sanitizer too much. It will kill the good stuff on your hands too.

Try to keep your hands away from your face... I have a problem with this. I count pills all day and the different smells bother me. So I constantly touch my nose... I wish I could stop that...

[SBETigg]

Ironically, a lot of doctors are starting to blame hand sanitizers for an increase in people getting sick. The sanitizers are apparently helping to build immunities in the bacteria and contributing to the creation of supergerms. They recommend frequent old-fashioned hand washing instead of heavy reliance on hand sanitizer and antibacterial products. But of course, busy teachers can't exactly access the sink with frequency, so what else can you do?

[thrillme]

I worked the daycare route for a little while when I was younger. I was sick constantly. The doctor told me that this was very common with daycare workers. He also said that interns (dr's and nurses) also run into the same problem.

Fortunately there are a few things out there that can help a little. First thing is TIME. It's quite likely that you're immune system will toughen up in TIME.

ALWAYS ALWAYS get your flu shot! I'd be inclined to push parents to get flu vaccines for their children in your daycare as well.

Keep some "antibactiarial" hand CREAM in your pocket at all times. The regular antibactarial hand gel is very good but...it can eventually dry out your hands. I know Bath and Body works sell a lot of antibacterial hand CREAM in a variety of scents. When you wipe that little nose and toss the kleenex...wipe or wash your hands. HAND WASHING is probably one of the number one ways of staying healthy.

Invest in quality kleenex. Several have "antibacterial" products laced in them.

At the end of the day...wipe down all toys with clorox wipes or at least spray the area with lysol.

Protect yourself with Vitamines. A good multivitamin (actually I really kinda like prenatals even though I'm not preg). Maybe a bit extra Vitamin C. You don't want to overdo many vitamins but Vitamin C washes out of your system if it can't use it. Do be careful if you have high Iron or Ferritin counts. Vitamin C can also cause for more iron to be absorbed. You might consider too giving the kids/babys that can have juice...juice with the highest Vitamin C contents.

[meldan98]

When my dd first started daycare, I ended up with everything under the sun. In the first month I ended up with bronchitis, the second month, I ended up with a sinus infection, the third month, I ended up with bronchitis, sinus infection, ear infection and an eye infection. My dr took one look at me when I walked into his office for the 3rd month in a row and said, isn't being a parent fun!!! He ended up giving me a three week supply of antibiotics to help kick the infection and to build up my immune system. I am currently battling strep throat.

I call my dd my little carrier monkey. She's had one bought with phnemonia and no other infections, so she is one healthy little girl, me however, I'm the one that gets everything she gets exposed to.

[Tink2002]

Thanks for all of the tips! I'm looking into how often to take some echinacea and I'm also going to try and add some of the foods from that immunity diet and extra vitamin C to my daily routine. The sanitizer cream is a good idea also, since the minute we take the kids outside their noses turn into faucets and I can't leave them every time I wipe a nose to go wash my hands inside. I'm just a student aide and not a lead teacher, however, so I don't really have much of a say or take part in the daily sanitization of the toys, etc. And forget about handwashing and teaching a two-year-old not to touch their faces - we try to have them wash up before meals but you're lucky if they just get some soap on their hands and rinse it off, and then they'll most likely turn around and wipe their nose with the back of their hand as they toddle off. :rolleyes: What can you do...

Hopefully I can just stay healthy for our upcoming Disney trip, though, that's what I'm really hoping for. I would hate to be miserable with something on a vacation I've been looking forward to for so long. So here's to pumping myself full of vitamins and airborne before we leave and thanks for all of your help. :)