Sickness...Sharing Toys

[Guest]

So the precious little one I watch fell ill this week. She stayed home yesterday but is back today, and really does seem much better. She had a lowgrade fever right before nap, but is normal now, but she did lose her voice, is very hoarse, and is hacking all over the place!

Whatever she has my household has already been exposed to, because they share toys. Short of locking them up in separate playpens all day, which is not a good option for us, I don't know how to keep them from mouthing the same objects, and thus, sharing germs before showing symptoms of illness.

Is this something to worry about? Do you all keep your little ones from sharing toys/germs? How do you control spreading sickness when we don't know they are sick?

[SandeeAR]

I know most won't agree, but I just let them play. Kids are going to share germs. In my humble opinion, I would rather them get sick and share the germs now and build some immunity to things before school.

Also, as a group, I would just as soon have them all pass it around at one time and have the sickness for a couple of weeks. The other option is for them get it here and there and someone be sick for several weeks.

[SilverSabre25]

I know most won't agree, but I just let them play. Kids are going to share germs. In my humble opinion, I would rather them get sick and share the germs now and build some immunity to things before school.

Also, as a group, I would just as soon have them all pass it around at one time and have the sickness for a couple of weeks. The other option is for them get it here and there and someone be sick for several weeks.

Yeah, this I also prefer it when they all get sick at once and then we're done with it...much easier that way.

[blueclouds29]

I watch all small ones and its just impossible to keep germs out of their mouth. I keep an eye on what's in their mouth and i snatch it up the minute it gets put down and goes into a plastic container i put all mouth toys in and at the end of the day they get washed. Besides those 'mouth toys' at the end of the day I spray down all toys from big to small and their highchairs. I do all i can in sanitizing and i figuring i can't prevent it all!