Quick answer: Babies get ill so often in their first term because there are hundreds of cold viruses and young children have no immunity to any of them yet. Children have 5 to 8 colds a year on average, and mixing in a group simply brings those colds closer together. Most colds get better within 2 weeks, though a cough often lingers after the cold itself has cleared.
What parents need to know
If your baby started nursery in September and has barely had a well week since, you are not imagining it. Here is what is usual, what needs a call, and how long each thing tends to take.
Why it feels relentless in the first term
There are hundreds of different cold viruses, and young children have no immunity to any of them because they have never met them before. Immunity builds gradually, and colds become less frequent over time.
Children have 5 to 8 colds a year on average. Put a group of them in one room and those colds simply arrive closer together, which is why a first term can feel like one long illness.
Most colds in younger children get better within 2 weeks. A cough often outstays the cold itself, because coughing is how the chest and throat clear mucus.
Realistic recovery timelines
These are the usual NHS and NICE timeframes. They help you judge whether something is running its normal course or drifting past it.
| Illness | Usual course | Get advice if |
|---|---|---|
| Cold | Better within 2 weeks | See a GP if symptoms clearly worsen or you are worried |
| Cough with a cold | Can linger after the cold clears | See a GP if it lasts longer than 3 weeks |
| High temperature | Back to normal within 1 to 4 days | Call 111 if it lasts 5 days or more |
| Sore throat | Better on its own after a few days | See a GP if it lasts more than 3 days with a high temperature and they seem generally unwell; go to A&E or call 999 immediately if they are unable to swallow fluids or saliva, or have any difficulty breathing |
| Ear infection | Most settle within about 3 days | See a GP if earache does not start improving after 3 days |
| Bronchiolitis | Breathing and feeding improve within about 5 days; cough usually by around 3 weeks | Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if a cold is getting worse, or feeding drops well below normal |
When to keep them at home
UKHSA guidance for nurseries, childminders and preschools is more practical than most parents expect. For respiratory infections, COVID-19 and RSV, children should stay away only if they have more than mild symptoms, for example a high temperature. A clear nose alone is not an exclusion.
Sickness bugs are stricter: stay away until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting have stopped. That applies to norovirus, rotavirus, food poisoning and general diarrhoea and vomiting.
If your child has a high temperature, NHS advice is to keep them at home while they recover.
Settings can refuse a child with a suspected or confirmed infectious illness if staff judge it necessary to protect others, so it is worth checking your nursery's own policy alongside the national one.
- Chickenpox — Stay away until 5 days after the rash first appears.
- Hand, foot and mouth, conjunctivitis, slapped cheek — No exclusion required.
- Scarlet fever or group A strep — Stay away until 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
- Impetigo — Stay away until all blisters have scabbed, or 2 days after starting antibiotics.
- Flu — Stay away until better and no longer running a temperature.
Signs that need advice rather than waiting
Call 111 if your baby is under 3 months with a temperature of 38C or higher, or is 3 to 6 months with a temperature of 39C or higher. Also call if a high temperature has lasted 5 days or more, if there are other signs of illness such as a rash, if they are not their usual self and you are worried, or if there are signs of dehydration such as nappies that are not very wet, sunken eyes, or no tears when crying.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if a cold is getting worse, if your child is feeding or eating much less than normal, or if they have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more.
Call 999 immediately for difficulty breathing, grunting noises or the tummy sucking in under the ribs, pauses in breathing, being unable to swallow fluids or saliva, blue, grey or unusually pale skin, lips or tongue, a rash that does not fade under a glass, a stiff neck, a first febrile seizure, or if they are drowsy and hard to wake.
As a parent you may know when your child seems seriously unwell. Trust your own judgement, whatever a timeline says.
Caring for them at home
Most of this you can manage at home while the illness runs its course.
- Fluids first — Offer plenty of fluids. If your baby is breastfed, continue as normal; smaller, more frequent feeds often work better when they are congested.
- Pain and distress — Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help if they are distressed or uncomfortable. Do not give paracetamol under 2 months. Do not give ibuprofen under 3 months, under 5kg, with chickenpox, if dehydrated, or to children with asthma unless a doctor has recommended it; if your child has asthma, check with a pharmacist, GP or health visitor first. Do not alternate the two unless a health professional advises it.
- Blocked noses — Saline nose drops can loosen dried snot and relieve a stuffy nose. Ask a pharmacist, GP or health visitor about them.
- Do not cool them down — Do not undress your child or sponge them down. A high temperature is a natural and healthy response to infection.
- Skip the cough medicine — Children under 6 should not have over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, including decongestants, unless a GP or pharmacist advises it.
- Upright when awake — With bronchiolitis, keeping your child upright as much as possible while awake helps them breathe more easily.
What genuinely reduces the load
Handwashing is one of the easiest ways to protect against illnesses such as flu. Wash for around 20 seconds, the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice, and always after nappy changes, after blowing noses, coughing or sneezing, and before handling food. Encourage the whole family, not just the child at nursery.
Washing hands and toys often, wiping down surfaces, using disposable tissues and throwing them away straight after use all lower the chance of spreading the viruses behind bronchiolitis. Not smoking around your child matters too, as breathing in cigarette smoke raises the risk of severe bronchiolitis.
Keep vaccinations on schedule. The RSV vaccine is available on the NHS from 28 weeks of pregnancy and reduces the risk of severe RSV for your baby's first 6 months. The children's flu vaccine is offered every year from 2 to 15 years, and from 6 months for children with long-term health conditions. If you think a vaccine has been missed, your GP surgery can catch it up.
Frequently asked questions
Is eight colds in a year really normal?
Yes. Children have 5 to 8 colds a year on average, and they cluster when children mix in groups. Immunity builds gradually and colds become less frequent.
Why does the cough hang around after the cold has gone?
Coughing clears phlegm from the chest and mucus from the back of the throat, so it often lasts longer than the cold. See a GP if a cough lasts longer than 3 weeks, or if it is worse at night or brought on by running about, which can be a sign of asthma.
Should I keep my baby home for a runny nose?
For respiratory infections, the guidance is to stay away only with more than mild symptoms, such as a high temperature. A runny nose alone does not require exclusion, though your setting may have its own policy.
Are repeated ear infections a problem?
Ear infections often follow a cold and most get better by themselves, usually within about 3 days. Repeated middle ear infections may lead to glue ear, where sticky fluid builds up and can cause usually temporary hearing loss. See a GP if earache is not improving after 3 days, or if you think your child has hearing loss.
How worried should I be about bronchiolitis?
It is common in babies and children under 2 and a third of children have had it by their first birthday. It is usually mild and treated at home; about 3 in every 100 need hospital help with breathing and feeding. Symptoms are usually worst between days 3 and 5.
Does constant illness mean their immune system is weak?
No. Young children have simply not met these viruses before, so they have no immunity to them. They build it up as they go, and get fewer colds over time.
Sources & further reading
- NHS — Colds, coughs and ear infections in children
- NHS — High temperature (fever) in children
- NHS — Bronchiolitis
- NICE — Bronchiolitis in children: diagnosis and management
- GOV.UK — Public health exclusion periods in children and young people's settings — GOV.UK
- GOV.UK — Managing outbreaks and incidents in children and young people's settings — GOV.UK
- NHS — NHS vaccinations and when to have them
- NHS — How to wash your hands
General information, not individual medical advice. Speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor about your baby’s needs.
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