Child Illness Days Calculator
Sick days a year against what is typical for the age and childcare setting, and what it costs a working parent.
Young children in group care commonly have eight to twelve infections a year, falling to four to six by primary school age, and the first year in a new setting is typically the worst by a wide margin.
Child Illness Days Calculator
Frequently asked
Is it normal for a nursery child to be constantly ill?
In the first year of group care, yes — eight to twelve infections a year is the commonly cited range and each can last several days. It reflects exposure rather than a weak immune system, and the same child usually has markedly fewer the following year.
When is it too many?
Frequency alone rarely tells you much. What GPs look at is severity, whether the child recovers fully between illnesses, growth, and whether infections are unusual in type rather than in number. Any of those is worth an appointment.
What are the rules on keeping a child off?
They vary by country and by setting, and the common thresholds are fever, vomiting or diarrhoea within the last 24 to 48 hours, and specific notifiable illnesses. Your setting will have a written policy, and it is worth reading before you need it rather than at 7am.
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