It can feel like kids are constantly getting sick as soon as they start school or daycare. Indoor spaces with a lot of other kids are the perfect environment for viruses to spread from person to person.
Seeing your little one laid low with a cold or fever is tough, but it’s very common. Kids’ immune systems are still developing when they are young. Their bodies don’t have the resources to fight off common illnesses, so they develop symptoms more frequently than adults do. As they get older, they will be better able to avoid the sniffles and sneezes of their younger years.
Read on to learn more about how often kids get sick in school, common illnesses and why they happen, prevention measures, and when to keep kids home vs. seeking care.
How Often Kids Get Sick
Any exposure to new germs can trigger illness in young kids. Children who go to daycare, preschool, or the early grades get a lot of exposure to germs from their classmates.
Most parents notice an uptick in how often their kids get sick right after they go back to school or daycare. Even children who enter a classroom mid-year or during spring experience a great number of illnesses.
As kids get older and build their immune systems, they’re less likely to show symptoms after exposure to common illnesses like colds. The number of times they get sick will gradually decrease over the years.
How often do babies and toddlers get sick?
Babies and toddlers have immature immune systems, so they’re prone to show symptoms from viruses that don’t bother adults. Babies, toddlers, and young children can have as many as 12 colds a year, especially if they’re in daycare or preschool with other kids.
How often do kindergartners and early grade students get sick?
After age 6, kids get sick less frequently because their immune systems are more developed. However, it is still common for kids in younger grades to get sick 6 to 8 times per year.
How often do older children and teens get sick?
The older grade school and preteen years are when kids stop getting sick all the time. At this age, they only tend to be sick 5 or 6 times per year. By the time kids are in their teens, they may only get two or three illnesses per year,
Why Kids Get Sick So Often at School
The main reason behind the frequent illnesses in young children is their developing immune systems. The human immune system learns to fight illnesses when it’s exposed to the illness for the first time. The next time the body is exposed, it already has the tools to fight the illness without all the symptoms like fever, fatigue, or cough and congestion associated with a strong immune response.
Young children haven’t been exposed to illnesses previously, so their immune systems have to learn to fight each new virus or bacteria they come in contact with. In a group setting, there are a lot of opportunities for children to come in contact with new germs.
Children in a classroom are in close contact most of the day. They play with shared toys and touch the same tables and doorknobs. Little kids aren’t always consistent about washing their hands or covering coughs and sneezes. That means droplets containing germs spread easily between kids, passing illnesses from one to the next.
Each illness exposure, while unpleasant in the moment, helps kids build their long-term immunity. It’s a challenging process, but one that happens to most kids when they’re young.
Common Illnesses Kids Catch at School
Most of the illnesses kids pick up at school are relatively minor and don’t cause serious health effects. Common illnesses include:
- Common cold (rhinovirus)
- Strep throat
- Stomach bugs
- Influenza
- RSV and other respiratory viruses
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Head lice
All of these illnesses spread easily in group settings, through close contact and shared items.
How to Keep Your Kids Healthy and Sick-Free At School
You can help your child avoid some illnesses by teaching them simple prevention habits, such as:
- Regular hand-washing
- Coughing or sneezing into their elbow
- Not sharing water bottles or utensils
You can also support their immune systems and overall health by encouraging them to eat nutritious foods and make sure they get enough sleep at night.
Talk to your child’s pediatrician about recommended vaccines to prevent more severe childhood illnesses such as measles, mumps, whooping cough, and tetanus.
It’s important to remember that you can’t prevent every illness in young children, no matter how careful you teach them to be. The goal is to minimize the frequency and severity of illnesses, not avoid them completely. Some illness exposure is inevitable, and it will help build long-term immunity in kids.
When to Keep Kids Home vs. Send Them to School
Some illnesses are mild enough that it’s safe to send kids to school. Other times, it’s best to keep a sick child at home to promote recovery and avoid passing the illness to their classmates.
You can send a child to school if they have symptoms such as:
- Mild runny nose without fever
- Occasional cough that’s improving
- Fully resolved contagious symptoms per typical guidance; for example, the child has been fever-free without medication for 24 hours
You should keep your child home if they have symptoms including:
- Fever
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Contagious conditions, such as strep before starting antibiotics, pink eye, or head lice
- Any symptoms that would make it hard to participate in class
Many schools and daycares have specific guidance about when children should stay out of the classroom. Before you send a child to school with symptoms of an illness, check with school or daycare to make sure you’re following their procedures.
If you are unsure whether your child’s symptoms are a sign of significant illness, an urgent care clinic can help. Next Level Urgent Care can see your child quickly to evaluate their symptoms and advise you on treatment for common school illnesses.
Keep Sick Days to a Minimum
Frequent back-to-school sickness is a normal part of childhood. It’s not a signal that your child has significant health concerns or a weak immune system. Most children get sick less frequently as they get older and their immune system matures.
If your child needs to see a healthcare professional for an illness they picked up at school, Next Level Urgent Care offers convenient pediatric care. Our facilities in San Antonio, Houston, and Austin are open 9 AM – 9 PM, seven days per week, so your child can get care when they need it.
