{"id":58330,"date":"2026-09-11T16:41:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T20:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/?p=58330"},"modified":"2026-09-11T17:05:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T21:05:22","slug":"how-to-prevent-daycare-sickness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/how-to-prevent-daycare-sickness\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prevent Daycare Sickness (and Build Your Family&#8217;s Immunity)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your kid has been sick more since starting daycare than in their whole life before it, you&#8217;re not imagining it, and you didn&#8217;t do anything wrong. Frequent colds are one of the most predictable parts of the first year of daycare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of that is out of your hands, but not all of it. A few realistic habits can help keep your kid from getting sick at daycare quite so often and turning your entire routine upside down.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most young children catch eight to ten colds a year, with a typical cold clearing up in about a week.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 to 20 seconds of handwashing, right after daycare pickup and before meals, is one of the easiest and most effective ways to cut down on germs spreading through your house.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Missing work for a sick kid is a normal cost of the daycare years for Canadian parents, not a sign you&#8217;ve done anything wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why Kids Get Sick More Often at Daycare<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toddlers share toys, sit close together, and touch their faces all day, so whatever one kid catches spreads through the rest of the room fast. With each kid bringing in different germs, your child ends up meeting far more viruses than they would at home. Their immune system just hasn&#8217;t built up defences against most of them, yet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/caringforkids.cps.ca\/handouts\/health-conditions-and-treatments\/common_infections_and_your_child\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian Paediatric Society<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, most young children catch eight to ten colds a year. Children in daycare tend to land at the higher end of this number because of how many germs circulate in a room full of toddlers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Deidra Succo, Naturopathic Physician at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/patients.sonoran.edu\/faculty\/deidra-succo-nmd\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sonoran University<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, adds, &#8220;Frequent illness does not automatically mean a child has an immune problem, although concerns such as poor growth, recurrent severe infections, or frequent hospitalizations should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>When Does Daycare Sickness Get Better?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ll likely notice a real shift within your child&#8217;s first year of daycare, once they&#8217;ve built up some immunity to the viruses circulating in their class. In the meantime, a single cold usually clears up in about a week, and even a lingering cough or runny nose <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC2722603\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">typically resolves within two weeks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The worst exposure happens early on, right at the start of enrollment, which is why one cold can seem to roll straight into the next. Each illness your child catches and recovers from adds to their immune memory, so the frequency tends to drop as the year goes on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Succo encourages you to &#8220;Think of these illnesses as training exercises for the immune system, not signs that it is failing.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Prevent Daycare Sickness: A Checklist For the Whole Family<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You won&#8217;t make it through a daycare year completely germ-free. But a handful of consistent habits, some for your child and some for you, can cut down how often bugs take hold and how hard they hit when they do.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Wash Your Hands When You Get Home and Before Meals<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have everyone <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/caringforkids.cps.ca\/handouts\/healthy-living\/handwashing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wash their hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> right when you walk in the door after pickup and again before snacks or meals. This cuts down significantly on germs spreading at home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep hand sanitizer in the diaper bag for evenings when you&#8217;re out running errands or heading somewhere else after daycare pickup.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. Clean Toys and High-Touch Surfaces<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wipe down high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, counters, and light switches a few times a week to cut down on how many germs spread through the house. When someone is actively sick, try to do this once per day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wash hard plastic toys with soap and water before disinfecting them. A simple solution of about one teaspoon of bleach in two cups of water works well for disinfecting most toys and surfaces afterward, according to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ottawapublichealth.ca\/en\/professionals-and-partners\/cleaning-and-disinfection-of-toys.aspx\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ottawa Public Health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Store-bought disinfectants also work well if you prefer not to mix your own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plush toys can be disinfected in a hot water cycle in the washing machine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. Take a Daily Vitamin D Supplement<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/nutrients\/vitamin-d.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health Canada<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommends a daily 400 IU vitamin D supplement for infants and young children. Most adults benefit from the same daily amount too, since food alone rarely provides enough and nobody&#8217;s getting much sun during Canadian winters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Dr. Succo explains, &#8220;Vitamin D supplementation may also help support immune function and reduce the risk of infections, with research showing the greatest benefits in children who are vitamin D deficient. Evidence suggests that correcting vitamin D deficiency can reduce the risk of upper respiratory infections and support a healthier immune response.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>4. Supplement With Zinc and Vitamin C for Picky Eaters<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Picky eaters, especially kids who don&#8217;t get much fruit, vegetables, or meat, are the ones who typically need a zinc or vitamin C supplement. The same goes for adults with a similar diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both nutrients <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cdhf.ca\/en\/supporting-your-childs-immune-system-for-back-to-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">support immune function<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: zinc by feeding immune cell activity and vitamin C by acting as an antioxidant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Stock up on <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.well.ca\/categories\/childrens-vitamins-supplements_1807.html\"><b>children\u2019s vitamins and supplements<\/b><\/a><b> and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.well.ca\/categories\/immune-support_6835.html\"><b>immune support<\/b><\/a><b> for the whole family.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>6. Protect Your Own Sleep<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep does more for your immune system than almost anything you can buy in a bottle. The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/csepguidelines.ca\/guidelines\/adults-18-64\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommends seven to nine hours a night for adults, with consistent bed and wake-up times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can be difficult on the best of days, let alone when your toddler is sick. Do your best and remember that even small things add up, like moving your bedtime 15 minutes earlier when you can or taking a nap at the same time as your child.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Overlooked Toll: Missed Work and Guilt<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nobody warns you how much daycare sickness costs in used-up sick days and apology messages for another cancelled call. Women with young children used an average of 7.7 family responsibility leave days in 2022, according to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/newfoundland-labrador\/parents-burnout-leave-1.6767710\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statistics Canada data<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and daycare-era illness accounts for a lot of that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between last-minute pickups, rescheduled meetings, and running on broken sleep, it wears on you in ways that have nothing to do with the cold itself. It also eats into the parts of life that have nothing to do with work, like family dinners you\u2019re forced to bail on and plans with friends you keep having to reschedule. If you&#8217;ve burned through your paid sick days by October, you&#8217;re not alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A couple of things help before colds start piling up. Find out how many paid sick or family days you actually get at work, and how they work, before you&#8217;re scrambling to figure it out mid-crisis. And line up a backup, whether that&#8217;s a partner, grandparent, or friend, who can step in on short notice when you&#8217;re out of options.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that staying home with a sick toddler isn&#8217;t a failure on your part. It&#8217;s just what the first year or two of daycare looks like, and it gets better as your child&#8217;s immune system catches up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Well.ca&#8217;s Recommended Immune Support Supplements<\/h2>\n<h3>For Kids<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/biogaia-junior-immune-gut-health_319607.html\">BioGaia Junior Immune &amp; Gut Health with Vitamin D<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/biogaia-junior-immune-gut-health_319607.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58335 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/57ae67966e1d95ffdbbbd075f0b4b36e_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png\" alt=\"BioGaia Junior Immune &amp; Gut Health with Vitamin D\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/57ae67966e1d95ffdbbbd075f0b4b36e_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/57ae67966e1d95ffdbbbd075f0b4b36e_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/57ae67966e1d95ffdbbbd075f0b4b36e_raw380h380_paw380h380.png 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/genestra-hmf-fit-for-school_110580.html\"><strong>Genestra HMF Fit For School Probiotic Formula Chewable Tablets Blackcurrent<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/genestra-hmf-fit-for-school_110580.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58336 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0c534bd2098eab1dd7cdbfec295bb460_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png\" alt=\" Genestra Genestra HMF Fit For School Probiotic Formula Chewable Tablets Blackcurrent\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0c534bd2098eab1dd7cdbfec295bb460_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0c534bd2098eab1dd7cdbfec295bb460_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0c534bd2098eab1dd7cdbfec295bb460_raw380h380_paw380h380.png 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/suro-kids-elderberry-syrup_65381.html\"><strong>Suro Kids Elderberry Syrup<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/suro-kids-elderberry-syrup_65381.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58337 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3f19484bf43c84f62758f4cb157a1d6f_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Suro Kids Elderberry Syrup \" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3f19484bf43c84f62758f4cb157a1d6f_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3f19484bf43c84f62758f4cb157a1d6f_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3f19484bf43c84f62758f4cb157a1d6f_raw380h380_paw380h380.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/natures-way-sambucus-kids-immune_181055.html\"><strong>Nature&#8217;s Way Sambucus Kids Immune with Vitamin C &amp; Zinc Gummies<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/natures-way-sambucus-kids-immune_181055.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58338 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/20612b930d7e718760a942ff2f6c9e8e_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Nature's Way Sambucus Kids Immune with Vitamin C &amp; Zinc Gummies\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/20612b930d7e718760a942ff2f6c9e8e_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/20612b930d7e718760a942ff2f6c9e8e_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/20612b930d7e718760a942ff2f6c9e8e_raw380h380_paw380h380.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>For Adults<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/canprev-pro-biotik-15b_28214.html\">CanPrev Pro-Biotik 15B<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/canprev-pro-biotik-15b_28214.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58340 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9c874576a0f56266ce9cf128dc73f3e8_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png\" alt=\"CanPrev Pro-Biotik 15B \" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9c874576a0f56266ce9cf128dc73f3e8_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9c874576a0f56266ce9cf128dc73f3e8_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9c874576a0f56266ce9cf128dc73f3e8_raw380h380_paw380h380.png 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/suro-organic-elderberry-syrup-adult_65369.html\"><strong>Suro Organic Elderberry Syrup Adult Formula<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/suro-organic-elderberry-syrup-adult_65369.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58341 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f8bf4b3d5e07dceeeaf1d929fd96b914_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Suro Organic Elderberry Syrup Adult Formula \" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f8bf4b3d5e07dceeeaf1d929fd96b914_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f8bf4b3d5e07dceeeaf1d929fd96b914_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f8bf4b3d5e07dceeeaf1d929fd96b914_raw380h380_paw380h380.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/natures-way-sambucus-immune-gummy_122379.html\">Nature&#8217;s Way Sambucus Immune Gummy Elderberry<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/products\/natures-way-sambucus-immune-gummy_122379.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-58342 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/67d87c06b7bafc2629eca00d4cdbc473_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png\" alt=\"Nature's Way Sambucus Immune Gummy Elderberry \" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/67d87c06b7bafc2629eca00d4cdbc473_raw380h380_paw380h380-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/67d87c06b7bafc2629eca00d4cdbc473_raw380h380_paw380h380-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/well.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/67d87c06b7bafc2629eca00d4cdbc473_raw380h380_paw380h380.png 380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Daycare Sickness Is a Phase, Not the New Normal<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now it might feel like your household will never string together a healthy week, but this phase won&#8217;t last forever. Handwashing, regular toy and surface cleaning, and solid nutrition for the whole household won&#8217;t stop every cold. But they&#8217;ll cut down how often illness moves through your home and how hard it hits, without turning your routine upside down.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.well.ca\/categories\/childrens-vitamins-supplements_1807.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Prepare your whole family for the daycare years with<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.well.ca\/categories\/immune-support_6835.html\"> <b>immune support<\/b><\/a><b> from Well.ca.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>When Do Kids Start Getting Sick Less Often?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most kids see fewer colds after their first year in daycare, once their immune system has built some defence against germs they weren\u2019t exposed to at home. By age three or four, most families notice a real drop from that rough first year.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How Can I Keep My Child Healthy at Daycare?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on a handful of consistent habits rather than trying to avoid every cold. Wash hands for 15 to 20 seconds after pickup, clean shared toys and surfaces regularly, and take a daily vitamin D supplement. None of this stops every cold, but it lowers how often germs take hold.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Is It Normal for My Child to Get Sick Constantly in Their First Year of Daycare?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Eight to ten colds, sometimes more, in that first year is typical, since your child&#8217;s immune system is meeting community germs for the first time. Poor growth, severe infections, or repeated hospital visits are the exceptions worth flagging to a doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article is for general information and isn&#8217;t a substitute for medical advice. Talk to your child&#8217;s healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or if you have questions about your child&#8217;s health.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your kid has been sick more since starting daycare than in their whole life before it, you&#8217;re not imagining it, and you didn&#8217;t do anything wrong. Frequent colds are one of the most predictable parts of the first year of daycare. Some of that is out of your hands, but not all of it. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":58333,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1800,94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-wellness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Prevent Daycare Sickness (and Build Your Family&#039;s Immunity) - WellBeing by Well.ca<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Frequent colds after starting daycare are completely normal. 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