[Bart.]

Every where you go is a cesspit of germs, even your home. My son's first year of daycare was spent with one illness after another which would invariably flatten the entire household. Then after a while it just stopped and he's rarely sick now even after going to a playcentre. It's one of those things where you either keep going and strengthen his immunity (unless he is immuno-compromised?) or avoid it completely.

ETA: We very rarely use anti-bacterial products which I think has helped (apart from disinfectant in the house). Mind you, like I said, it took 12-months of almost constant illness to get him used to the 'outside'. Good luck.

This post has been edited by Bartholomew: 17/03/2012, 11:21 PM

[dimensionk]

I wonder if the sickness declines because their immunity builds up, or because they reach an age where they stop putting everything in their mouths. Probably both.

[Me n Marshmallow]

It's not necessarily the playcentre, it's anywhere where young kids play together. At you sons age he is going to catch everything that comes near him because his immune system is still developing. He needs to catch these germs to become immune to them. It's kind of like a memory, his immune system will remember a particular virus and next time he catches it his immunity will kill it before he gets sick. But at this point he hasn't come across these germ before, so it is likely that he will get sick with each new germ. If he doesn't attend daycare, then a playcentre is a good place for kids to spread their germs. DD went through this for a while when she started daycare.

[Pocket79]

I totally agree with Me n Marshmallow - I think he almost certainly gets sick as a result of going to the playcentre but from what I've heard it's all part of building up natural immunity as happens to all kids once they start going out in the world. Most kids are sick many times a year for the first year or two once they start daycare/ school etc, and then after their immune system is strong, they get sick less frequently (as a general rule).

I'm going through the same thing at the moment because DS has recently started daycare- and to make matters worse, I am the one getting sick more than him! He keeps giving me illnesses as my immune system is probably quite low because I've gone back to work and am pretty tired. I'm still breastfeeding which I think is helping DS but only adding to my depleted energy stores ;-P

[crankybee]

brookeandbaby, I would love to come to your play centre! Thanks for posting this and raising the standards!

[Bart.]

I'm going through the same thing at the moment because DS has recently started daycare- and to make matters worse, I am the one getting sick more than him! He keeps giving me illnesses as my immune system is probably quite low because I've gone back to work and am pretty tired. I'm still breastfeeding which I think is helping DS but only adding to my depleted energy stores ;-P

Yes, same thing happened with us. DS1 would have the sniffles and DH and I would be almost comatose. Drat their quick healing abilities! lol

efg

This post has been edited by Bartholomew: 18/03/2012, 01:20 PM

[Last Goodbye]

There's one I use to take my DD to (Perth SOR) that was fantastic (back in 2003/2003) until it changed hands. I've recently taken my DS to it for a birthday party and the wall of stale urine stench as you enter is enough to make me vomit. I never went into the play area and just hung out in the cafe area but still felt filthy when I left. Needless to say we all had thorough showers when we got home and all further invitations to this play centre is not replies with a 'sorry we have other plans'.

[MrsW87]

I regularly take DS to the play center. He has only gotten sick once and that was after the day we went and there were a bazillion people there. I think kids getting sick from play centers/kindy/school etc is just a part of life.

[Lokum]

I love our play centre. I credit DS's excellent gross motor skills, balance etc with our regular visits there.

Mind you, ours is for toddlers, and kids 6 & over aren't allowed. My boy needs to move, A LOT, and our house is little. The park doesn't work for long on filthy hot days, rainy days, etc. The play centre will keep him going for 90 minutes EASILY and he's only 20 months.

Love it, and love their apparent standards of cleanliness.

Seems like generally the parents are really attentive, and there's no indiscriminate bashing going on among kids. When someone gets thumped, the parents are all over it quickly. Can't tell you where it is though, or you'll all want to come;)