How to Keep 5 Yr Old from Getting Sick So Often?

Up her fresh fruits and veggie is a start. Teach her the importance of hand washing and keeping her hands out of/ off of her mouth, nose, and eyes. But if she didn't have any daycare/mothers day out experince then she is just going to get sick for a while til her body learns to deal with it.

If you're a big antibacterial soap, detergent, etc STOP. Same goes for the hand sanitizer. These products can actually do more harm than good if used too much.

Wash hands frequently with warm water and soap.

Make sure the children get a goods night's sleep.

Sarah is correct.. Also make sure your daughter is getting enough sleep.
You may want to consider a multi vitamin.

so sorry to hear it, it is so hard having the kids sick so much. It is normal. Maybe try changing her multi vitamin, give her orange juice or a vitamin C tablets in addition everyday. She can go to school with a cold, as long as she is not miserable, no fever, stomach bug or anything serious, you should be able to send her. Hope she stays healthy a bit longer. this time.

Sorry to say, but if this is her first experience being around a bunch of kids, then she's going to get sick -- a lot! My daughter started Kindergarten last year and she was sick so much that I got a warning letter from the school saying that she was dangerously close to exceeding the allowed # of days of absences before they sent the Truancy Police after me. Really ticked me off. She's getting sick from being at school - I can't send her to school if she's sick - and you're giving me grief because I'm keeping her home? Grrrr. Luckily, this year she seems pretty healthy (knock on wood)!

Her doc told me that he had seen a child that was homeschooled until junior high and once the kid started public school, she started getting sick every other week just like my daughter did. It does get better.

I think the most important thing is to make sure she gets enough sleep, eats well, and washes her hands after going to the bathroom, after recess/play time, and ALWAYS before eating. I would also remind her not to touch her eyes, nose or mouth. Unfortunately, little kiddos are sick alot since they're building their immune systems. Our 2 yr. old is at daycare and we've had quite a few colds and bugs!

I am a single mom that works on a school bus and I have a 7 year old at home. If he's sick then I get to stay home too. That is not real good on the paycheck. I do everything I can.

I get us both probiotics from the health food store and take one every morning.

I give him a good multi-vitamin (the doctor prescribed it.)

I make sure we get enough sleep.

I teach him the importance of washing his hands and keeping them away from his face.

When my son was in the younger grades I would send anti-bacterial soap and kleenex to school with him. I feel it was very important to help with the expense to the teacher but also to insure that it was available. He mentioned to me the other day that he wanted so of the anti-bacterial gel to wipe on his hands after recess.

I try to make sure he eats at least one fruit a day and drinks orange juice.

We haven't been sick for the last two years. Never say never, right?!

I do think that the most important thing we can do is let our body build up it's own natural immunity, If this is her first time around multiple kids and multiple germs it will just take time.

My daughter broke out with the swine flu after going to NY. None of the rest of us got it.

Every morning, I give my kids Airborne to help their immune system throughout the day. THE SECOND they get home f/school, I have them thoroughly wash their hands and then take a probiotic. EVERY DAY they get well balanced meals with several healthy snacks and plenty of sleep. I also make sure they drink lots of water and and get enough exercise. I wouldn't worry too much b/c getting sick does actually help build the immune system. The important thing is how strong her immune system is while fighting off these bad germs. A weak immune system will cause a child to struggle to get well. They definitely will get better, but, it may take a bit longer. A stronger immune system will not necessarily keep the child from getting sick, but, will for sure have less serious symptoms b/c it is stronger in fighting off the bad germ...and they are more likely to fight it off faster.

Good Luck in whatever it is you do. Hope any of this helps.

I have two in kinder and one in 3rd. Here are some things that I do in addition to what others have said.

I put antibacterial wipes in their lunch boxes. They go to recess right before lunch.
I have them wash their hands when they get into the van or as soon as we get home from school.
I give them a bath and wash their hair every school night.

Getting plenty of sleep and taking a good vitamin are important, too.

We have been in school for 9 weeks and only one of the three missed a day with a low grade fever.

I did the same stuff with our son last year and he was sick one time all year.

Like someone else said, if this is her first experience in a school setting, she will probably be sick often until she builds up an immunity.

We are going through the same thing...my kindergartener has been in school for 8 weeks and has gotten both strep and some sort of sinus infection. My pediatrician says that it is normal and quite common to have kids get sick like this when they start school. Not much that you can do I am afraid...

the best way to build an immune system is to expose her to germs..

mykids started daycare/preschool at 2 and 3 years.. they were sick from October thru April.. constant colds runny noses..they missed a week because of croup adn a week because of some fever coughing bug.. But the next year they were fine.. no sick days at all occassional colds but not so sick with each cold.. her body needs to meet all these germs and learn to fight them.. feed her well... plenty of sleep... next year will be better..

Eat lots of vegetables,drink lots of vitamin C,take vitamins,and make sure she the washes her hands,and gets proper rest.With this age they tend to hug and sneeze,cough in each others faces. I have taught this age for 17 yrs and I do these things so I can stay well.Best WishesMs.A.

Time will help her. She will get exposed to more things and build her immunity up. Also teach her good hand skills. Kindergartners seem to forget to wash their hands. We went through this in preschool and knock on wood it is getting better.

Wow - poor her & poor you! Does she take a good vitamin? If not, that would almost certainly help. Let me know if I can share what keeps us healthy. (Only one cold in 5 years - knock on wood!)

I had this exact problem going on with my 5 year, now shes sick. My kids go all summer without getting sick and wam, within 1 week of attending school they are sick. My daughter already has a weak immune system, out of my 4 she gets sick the most. Even more than the baby lol. With her I found she has to drink a small cup of milk and a small cup of oj every morning before school. She also has to eat her vitamins every morning. The more vitamins she has the stronger she is to survive another day of school to not get sick.