You may have noticed that since your little one went off to daycare, everyone in your home seems under the weather from all those new germs he's bringing home. You may be feeling like you're sick more often than not. Although "daycare syndrome" may not be an official illness, families, caregivers and doctors alike are all too familiar with the 'sharing' of contagious germs and the on-again, off-again cycles of illness that follow.

Daycare, healthy living and battling the sickness cycle

All Moms dread that call, the one from daycare that says their child is sick — but for those kids, its just part of the routine. Toddlers' immune systems are still developing, which is why younger kids are sick more often than older ones or adults.

You may be wondering, if so many families are ill from shared daycare germs, is it healthy, or harmful for your little one to be exposed every day? And, are there ways to help boost your child's immune system so they are better prepared for a healthy life in daycare?

Our bodies have special cells that "remember" how to fight germs we've caught in the past. So while your little one's nose may constantly be running, his body is learning how to fight those germs so next time he won't be as sick as the first time. It's completely normal for your child to get sick — then better — then sick again. In fact, he's building a healthy immune system by fighting all those germs. And, all children go through this uncomfortable phase. In a daycare setting, it's amazing to see how easily germs pass from one child to the next. So, while a child may be kept at home once their illness becomes obvious, they were probably contagious to the other children in daycare before then. When your child is in daycare, the greatest risk is for virus-caused colds, ear infections and diarrhea. According to the Mayo Clinic, the top 5 contagious illnesses that your child can catch at daycare are: Colds (upper respiratory infections) Stomach flu (gastrointestinal illness) Ear infection (otitis media) Pink eye (conjunctivitis) Sore throat

Building a healthy immune system

Our immune system begins to develop even before birth, but really goes into high gear as we're exposed to germs in our environment and to other people. The younger your child is, or if they've had limited contact with other kids (i.e. no brothers or sisters) means they may be ill more often as they adjust to life with other children.

Tips to help limit daycare illness

While you can't completely prevent your toddler from sharing germs at daycare, you can do a few things to lessen the likelihood that they will become sick. Follow these simple practices:

• Hand washing should be a #1 priority: make it a routine at home for your child to wash his hands before eating and after using the potty. Germs spread easily because kids love to put their hands in their mouths. Be sure to check your daycare's practices as well.
  
  
• Cold etiquette: encourage your daycare to teach good health manners and practices for sneezing, coughing and nose blowing for children who attend daycare with a cold.
  
  
• Keep your child home if they are ill. Daycare centres have a responsibility to provide a healthy environment for all kids. Many daycares will have guidelines on when it's OK for your child to return if he's been home sick.
  
  
• To protect your child against more serious contagious diseases, be sure to keep their immunizations up to date.