My son getting sick every month

[sandy0741]

Hi there,
My son has been sick again this week, again same - coughing, which is dry

Since he started K2, he has been sick every one month, and usually takes 1 week to 2 to recover, always developing fever later on, just worried about him, as he used to be quite healthy when he was in K1, never fallen sick , might be just once for the whole year, but it's just terrible this year, don't really know if he picked up the flu from his classmates or something else. As anyone got any thoughts about it?

[carang]

normal.... both of my kids are the same...actually, this year, it's happening to hubby and i, too. it seems to be working its way around the house in a circle and then it starts all over again....

[lesliefu]

sound right....we have bought air purifiers for the home but I think that's more psychological than anything. school is where they get most germs but i think it's fine -just keep an eye out. also when they have a fever it's also meant to be a sign that there body is growing.

[penguinsix]

Is it the "Hong Kong Cough" or something more?

The pollution over the last six weeks has been rather bad (today's rain is having the much needed effect of tamping it down a bit). There is a dry or light phlegm cough that sounds a bit like a smoker's cough that can develop from this air, and additionally the pollution can weaken your child's immunity such that when they do go to K2 they are more likely to catch something from another child.

We're in the same boat. Our eldest lived from birth to age 3 without so much as a fever back in the US. But since moving to HK we've had one or the other child sick at least once a month (youngest currently has a dry cough--eldest has been good for nearly 3 weeks now knock on wood).

Air filters are a good idea, and spend the extra bit to get a good HEPA-quality one (IQ Air's are a bit expensive, Alen's are good and not as pricey). Also lots of hand-washing after school and all that. You might also check to see if they are uptodate on their flu shots (H1N1 this year made an appearance a few months ago in HK but subsided, but is growing quickly in the UK at present so we might see a comeback here as well).

Good luck.

[T.S]

I have the same problem too with my 2 boys. They come home sick from school than they give it from each other. The cough and fever lasts for a week. Now I am getting it too.

[sandy0741]

Thanks all for your reply, at least I know I am not the only one out there with a baby falling sick every month.

Dear penguinsix,
The airpurifiers are available from Fortrex, aren't they? I am going to check out today to buy one, but i am not so sure about the flu shots, do you think they are really so effective, since there's always different virus around us. I was thinking how I should raise my son's immunity so he would not be so easily affected by different diseases

[sunrays]

I agree, it is better to raise the kids immunity. Make sure they have a good multi vitamin. I give extra vitamin C at the first sign of a cold and also echinacea. My daughter has been taking half a teaspoon of turmeric in 1/4 of warm milk before bed and this has helped too. May not keep them 100% cold free but it will hopefully not escalate to the point of fever and needing medication.

[sandy0741]

Hi sunrays,

Which vitamin C do you give to your child? Is it ok for a 4 year old? How about the tumeric that you mention, where did you get it, from a doctor or over the dispensary?