My mom makes my kid sick

Yep, that's what I was getting at above. I tend to agree.

(And definitely agree about imposing kissing restrictions )

Best wishes Clearly, you should enforce a strict policy of "no more hugging without prior hand washing" with your doughter in the future.


Yeah, I read that after I responded to your initial post, and I agree with it. Further thoughts: Are flu vaccinations a viable option for children these days? They have worked very well for me as a precaution against minor virusy illnesses too. And, even if this is kind of obvious: have you asked your pediatrist what you can do in such a situation? He probably knows his share of nurses and hospital workers, so he'd know what you can do.

Much sympathy for your throat. That sucks.

PS: I've been thinking about your theory that your mom might be carrying some germs that infect your daughter. It's a good one, it may well be correct, but even so I don't think anything your mother can do will change anything important.

Hospitals and the people who work in them are hubs through which new germs spread. This makes hospital workers likely to be the first who catch any given new bug, but no more likely than the average population to catch it at all. Consequently, your daughter catches most new bugs she catches from your mother, because she's one of the first people being exposed to them. But even if you take extreme measures -- like making Sozlet wear a whole-body preservative before your mother can kiss her -- that doesn't mean she'll never catch those bugs. All it means is that she'll catch them later instead of now, and that she'll catch it from somebody else instead of your mom.

Only you can tell whether this is an improvement worth making. But if I was a father, I'd tend to think it's not worth the trouble of complicating my mother's relation with my child.

Here's an off-the-wall thought. Is it posible that your mother is a carrier of some bacteria that she doesn't even know she has? Maybe she should get a blood test to rule out any low-grade infection that might not be causing her any problems, but maybe she is passing it along to others whose immune systems are easier to access. It a stretch, I admit, a little far out, maybe, but might be worth checking out.

Eek!

It looks like it was a virus, though. Was pretty intense, passed by pretty quickly, and now it's my turn. (Not sleeping all night while I tend to a poor burning-up barfy kid doesn't help my own immune system...)

Thomas, my understanding is that hospital workers are generally slightly less likely to catch any given bug. Like teachers, they often get sick very often when they start out, and then build up immunity. However, again like teachers, they can carry the germs/ viruses without being sick themselves.

As I've said from the very first post and then expanded upon, I don't think there is actually that much I can do, even assuming there is a causal relationship.

How about do what my doctor suggested I do (because I catch all the kids' germs), give sozelet extra vitamin c when your mother is visiting. Maybe even a little herbal flu season tea with echinacea....?

Talk to the doctor before considering any herbal remedy with the kidlet, soz. You don't want to 'engage' an allergy in this way.


It does sound like soz might benefit to some regular exposure to more bugs. I've read it's better to get those immunities built up early. That's why they say kids who are in daycare are healthier when they start full-time school. They've already run through all the basic stuff.

She's HAD a ton of exposure, though. In classes with 20 new kids every couple of months, sees them twice a week. This plus regular playground, children's museum, friend germs.

To reiterate (yes, I totally asked for this with the title of the thread), I plan to not change anything with my mom, and when she visits just step up the fluids, make sure sozlet gets enough sleep, and go from there. Don't like it when she gets sick, but oh well.

Vit C does sound like a good idea too, I'll ask her doc.

You're right as far as I am concerned, Soz -- I probably overinterpreted your title. Now, get well soon!

<big hug>

-- Thomas

And I'm a bit cranky, sorry. HATE being sick!!

Thanks.