13 Month Old Never Been Sick

I don't thlink you have anything to worry about except for "Worry" itself. Be happy he is not sick at such a young age. Believe me, he will get sick sooner or later....Nana I.

My son is almost 13 months and other than a runny nose once he has never been sick either. I breastfed for most of the first year which I believe is the reason. Its inevitable that they will get sick, they have plenty of time to "build an immune system". Be thankful!! =)

Hi S.,

It is a great thing! My daughter rarely gets sick and many of her friends get sick a lot. So, I do understand feeling the way you do and wondering. Part of why your child does not get sick is you probably don't worry about whether he will. So, don't start worrying about why he is well. Just be really grateful that he is so healthy! It means you and your husband are doing a really great job with nutrition as well as lifestyle. Children get sick when they get sick. If it is a concern for you, you could have some tests run or discuss it as well with his physician, however it seems very normal to me. :)

The thing that people say about immune system is funny to me, because we have recently found out that most of what was done to us as a kid is horrible for us. We have opted out of antibiotics and gone the homeopathic route now due to our own past sickness. I do agree that children should build their immune systems, but I do not agree that it takes getting sick to do it. There are many vitamins as well as juices and fruits and veggies that add to building the immune system. We use a website called GHT. You can google it and it will come up. The company is Global Health Trax. To me though, as long as your child is getting vitamins, minerals, and exercise and eating correctly, and it sounds like it if he never gets sick, that is wonderful! Blessings to you and your sweet family. :)

K.S.

Sick babies are soooo miserable... it's a blessing to have them healthy so long! My daughter has had 4 or 5 colds in her life, all very mild, while the other children we know who go to daycare are constantly bringing home nasty bugs. I'm sure we'll get them all when she starts preschool next year, but for now, I'm just happy we're all well. I wouldn't worry about his immune system... he'll still be 'young' if he goes to preschool and starts being around other kids more.

I say hoping they will get ill now is just an old wives tale. It sounds to me like he has a great immune system. If you are nursing him still he is benefitting from your immune system. Keep doing whatever you are doing!

are you breastfeeding? that can hold off getting sick for a long time, i know. in that case, i wouldn't worry about it.

it's true that it's good for kids to get sick so that they can build up their immune systems, but i haven't heard that it's not good for kids not to get sick! if you're really wondering, i'd ask his doc. :) hopefully they'll say, "count your blessings!".

good luck!

S.-

You've gotten so much good advice that I hesitate to put in my two cents, but here goes... Your little boy is getting exposed to all the viruses and germs from your friend and her little ones. Even though he isn't showing any symptoms, he's building his immune system every time he goes over there. He'll probably have his "fair share" of colds and what-not over the years, but for now, just rejoice in the fact that your little boy is happy and healthy.

Sincerely-
B.

He could be a very healthy boy w/no problems. He may be carrying the bugs but not symptomatic.
Since you are wondering what you could be in for, mind you this is probably not the case, but better prepared than shocked later. Friends of mine whose children developed autism also noted that their kids were never/hardly ever sick. I AM NOT saying this is true of your little bundle. I am only presenting a worst case scenario. If you look for other symptoms now and in the next couple of years you will have your eyes open to this possibility growing. If there are no other signs than HE IS FINE!!!
I hope he is just a very healthy baby, and chances are he is.
M.

First of all, can you really control this? Since I don't think you really can, be happy about it. There is no way to tell how many germs he has come into contact and fought off with an awesome immune system or if he has had lower exposure. Either way be happy his health is one less thing to worry about. The only thing that comes to mind that I personally see as negative are those crazy moms (I mean no personal offense...) that sterilize EVERYTHING and don't allow their children to explore their environment for fear of germs. AND I do know there are studies that support early exposure to allergens like pets (dander) reduce the chance of those allergies later. It is not set in stone and I wouldn't get a pet just to have the exposure but something to ponder. Enjoy it while it lasts; I imagine you will get some "fun" sick days sometime when he starts school no matter his immune system!

Hi S.,
Congrats on your baby boy!
Did you breastfeed him? That may be why he's never been sick. If you breastfeed exclusively for the first six months, then he had adult immunity. If you continued to breastfeed until he was one, then he already has a lot of immunity built up.
I say, stay proud of the fact that he is so healthy and just ignore the "conflicting opinions" that make you doubt your situation.
Take care!
J.

My son is 7 and the only times he ever got sick was when I took him in for a well-baby check!!

He has now been exposed to other kids in lots of settings and he still does not get sick very often. I only got sick twice year growing up, usually a GI bug and a cold, usually about 6 months apart. I think he probbaly has a good immune system.

He may not need to "build" up his immunities because he already has strong ones! One of my daughters is/was the same way--even if she got sick, whatever she got, she got to such a lesser degree than my other two. When they all had chicken pox, she had about 10 chicken pox and was barely sick at all! Some children are just hardier and healthier by nature and it is NOT a bad thing. Things like getting enough sleep, plenty of exercise, and eating well all influence a child's immune system. I think you should relax and feel good that your child is so healthy. Sure, he may get some illnesses as he ages, but that is typical too. Celebrate his healthiness and don't worry about it!

I would just take the sickness as it comes. You may be eating healthier than your girlfriend, and he might have better genes. Who knows. Just count your lucky stars. Maybe her children are the ones who need an extra dose of vitamins!

Hi S.,
Your little guy is building immunities by being exposed to children who are ill. I once did daycare for a dear friend and the child was sick a lot. I would never think to turn away the sick child from care simply because I had a 1 year old and a 5 year old who were continually healthy. All three are adults now and my two are still very healthy except for the occasional stuffy/runny nose thing that is a big part of life in the NW. You should be proud of the fact that your boy is healthy. Good for you! No worries, OK?
Best to you,
J. S

Continue being proud! My 12 year old was that way (never got his first fever until he got an earache @ 20 months old), and to this day he barely catches anything. Seriously, our house will be hit with the flu so bad that everybody else will be dryheaving, and he will just say 'I'm not feeling good, I'm going to take a nap,' go & sleep for 3 or 4 hours & wake up feeling fine! It's clear that you are not keeping him in a bubble, so it sounds like he has naturally built up immunities already (as opposed to protecting him from germs, which can lead to the later issues others are warning you about). Enjoy your healthy baby!

my son has never been sick either but i breast fed cause i herd that helped with there immunity and so does sleep. i would not worry to much. :)

It sounds to me like you are exposed to a lot of jealous people who want to make you worry about something can't just say thats awesome that you boy has such a great immune system I knew a guy in high school that never got sick even when we all had food poisoning he just had a little stomach ache some people are just lucky that way if you had him living in a bubble so that he never was around the viruses and what not then I would be worried but that is not the case your doing great.

I have been told that too - that it is not good for your child to be not sick and that they need to build their immunities when they are young. My son is healthy as a horse!!! He will be 2 this month and he hasn't gotten really sick at all. I think he is fine. Maybe he has a high tolerance for fighting back all the bad germs. I don't know. I think your son is fine too. He probably has a high tolerance like mine does. I'm glad that I don't have a sick baby all the time. Giving them atibiotics, cough medicine, and other medicines. Thanks but NO Thanks, I will take my healthy as a horse son. Good Job on keeping him healthy.

I think you should congratulate yourself for raising such a healthy son! I have heard that the immune system can streangthen when infants and toddlers have a fever. However, I can't imagine that by having a healthy baby will result in your son leading a sick life. My daughter, Alyssa, is also 13 months old and was nursed right up to her first birthday. During that time, she never had the slightest cold, upset tummy (except after first set of vaccinations), ear infection, etc. I attribute her health to the breastmilk. Then, maybe just coincidence, maybe not - but within two weeks of stopping breastfeeding, she came down with a fever. I took her to her 1-year check-up and right after the vaccinations, so was so upset and still feverish she threw up all over the office!! It was horrible! It turned to a cold for about a week, then back to her happy healthy self. She also has a friend about six months older than her who constantly has a runny nose and a cough, but Alyssa has never caught it. I am not concerned with her being being sick later in life because I know she already has a strong immunse system, and it sounds like your son does, too :-)

J.

Your best off talking to your pediatrition. But in my experience, if your child is exposed to the illnesses and not getting sick, he is probably good in his immunities. You just very lucky to have him being healthy inspite of the exposure to illness.

I would not worry too much about this as my 5 year old is the same way, never sick until last year, she caught the flu. If you have been feeding him breast milk that usually will keep him from getting sick. If runny nose is clear, it is usually allergies, green color is cold, and yellowish color is infection (should be seen by doctors). Other than that do appreciate your baby being strong and healthy, he has strong immune and thats good! =-)

My oldest daugher is 9. I can count on maybe 2 hands the times she has been sick.
She was in daycare, school now, I babysit 3 baby's under 2yrs so she has been exposed to lots of stuff over the years. I remember.. at 9mo she got an ear infection, she had a fever in Kindergarden, and that was a dosie.. but has not had one since and maybe a cold or two when she was 3-4 but that's it. Funny she was asking me about this very thing yesterday (her sister and I are sick so she was wondering why she doesn't get sick)- lol

For those who push the issue "breast is best"
She was bottle fed from the moment she was born. She also has had every recomended vaccine including varicella - and she has been exposed to chicken pox a lot and never gotten them.
This year she was placed in the advanced math class and is in the top % of her grade.

My other daughter is 17mo and was breast fed for the first 10 days of life (I hated the process and yes I was looking forward to nursing this baby). She is always sick. So baby #3 will not be breast fed.
Congratulation on finaly getting the baby of your dreams!!

I think there are a thousand different things that any Mom can worry about at any given time. Having a healthy child does not been you have deprived your baby of necessary illnesses any more than having a sick child means you are a bad mother. Sure, there are negligent parents who do not care for the needs of their children, but you do not seem to be one of them, or else you would not be asking this. The only thing I can think of is that my Grandmother was told that my mother was getting too ill as a child because she was not exposed to enough germs. I think that if your son is healthy, thank the Lord!

Hello S.. This is by nno means a bad thing. The doctors who speak out against children who never experience illness are referring to kids who are never exposed to anything and therefore are never immune challenged. If you, your girlfriend, and he children are frewuently ill then he is clearly being exposed to plenty. He simply has a very healthy immune system. Be grateful and don't worry.

My eldest son was the same, but he became quite ill after a DTaP and MMR vaccination. After that severe reaction to the vaccine we never vaccinated him again and he has had the flu once (age 8) and two serious colds (ages 11 and 13). He has travelled extensively, been exposed to meningitis and lots of other stuff and simply has an immune system that is so strong that he is nearly always able to ward off illness.

From my experience as a mother, former pre-med student and former practicing naturopath, this is no reason for you to worry.

Be well-
D.

ok see i can relate my son is almost three and has never been sick ever not even a cold! im starting to wonder if this is normal too because so many people tell you so many different things you just dont know what to believe. i also have a almost 5 yr old daughter who gets sick fevers colds ect. and so have i and he hasnt ever caught it.i call him my little super being lol.

count your blessings!!!

did you breastfeed him his first year??? that provides him with many immunities... be thankful he is so healthy. Sure you might get challenges later.. but deal with them when the come along, and be grateful for what you have now.

My oldest daughter was very simular, but I was also very fortunate to have been able to nurse her right from the get go which i had heard was good for them (pre-milk nursing/colostrum) which is an immunity builder while they are babies. And it worked, I was very lucky that she was hardly ever sick. Later on she would get the occasional cold, she got the chicken poxs etc....so I really dont think you need to worry. She called me the other day because she and her baby daughter were both sick, so she has grown up with a pretty healthy immune system.

I wouldnt worry too much, its a wonderful blessing to get a child that isnt sick too much.

Keep well,

Grama J

Just be happy he isn't sick and enjoy him. His immune system will get stronger when somthing powerful enough comes along to disrupt it. If he never get sick, then just be happy.

S.,

I just ran across this question, but felt like I should respond. Be glad that he has a healthy immune system. It's a GOOD thing. As a child I was repeatedly placed in a room with contagious chicken pox, and never once got the disease. Yes, I did have the vaccine. As an adult, my family can be down with whatever, (Hubby, 4 1/2 year old son and 1 year old daughter) and I'm the only one that doesn't get whatever everyone else has.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

Hi S.,

Congratulations on raising such a healthy baby boy! First of all, it sounds to me like you have NOTHING to worry about. Your friends who have made you worry are speaking from a partially informed truth:
It is true that kids should be exposed to many "germs" while they're young to build up their immunities. That's how they build up their immune system (that in addition to appropriate foods). However, a healthy person can and WILL build up the immunities to those viruses and bacteria without necessarily showing any symptoms of illness. If you, your friend and your friend's children have all had these illnesses there is no doubt that your son has been exposed. It sounds to me like he just hasn't succumbed to the foreigners while his system deals with them.

My daughter has also had very few illnesses and I KNOW that she is exposed to all kinds of things... I've seen her suck on another baby's snot-covered toy, binky or sippy cup hundreds of times and she doesn't catch what they've got. Even extremely communicable stuff like Hand Mouth she didn't catch after sharing mouth toys with a boy who went to the hospital for it just hours after playing together.

Again, good job in raising such a healthy baby! How are you looking after yourself to make sure you don't succumb to these things too???

warmest wishes,
L.

I remember a friend of mine when our kids were that age had the same worry. Looking back I don't think she needed to worry so much. She and you probably give the baby plenty of fresh air, and maybe you breastfed too? Anyway, I wouldn't worry about him building up immunities with his colds until he's a lot closer to 2. Just what I think. Congrats on your happy, healthy baby!

PS. One of my kids get sick a lot more than the other. The one who doesn't fights the illnesses off over night or with a nap. He's also a lot more happy most of the time. I think being able to fight those germs off has something to do with character and ability to handle one's problems and enjoy the moment.

Hi S.,
I haven't read all the responses, so I maybe be repeating something someone already suggested. Are you breastfeeding? If so, then you are passing the antibodies that you are forming when you are sick to him, and it is probablly keeping him from either catching the virus, or else, he is blessed because he is having such a mild case, that he doesn't exhibit any symptoms. If you aren't then, he probablly just has a wonderfully functioning immune symptom that is still very much fighting and forming immunity to whatever he is exposed to.

I wouldn't worry about it at all. He obviously hase a healthy immune system and therefore isn't bothered by many germs out there. Besides... getting sick isn't what builds your immune system... being exposed to germs does it. So, as long as you continue to love him and give him a healthy home and social life, he will be fine and his immune system will be great.

Hi, my oldest son was the same way. He's two now. He's had two colds this year (3 colds in his life!--he did alot of fevers and runny noses when teething though) which he and my 4 month old seem to pass back and forth a couple of times. He is just really healthy. Just let the colds come and he'll fight them. I wouldn't TRY to get him sick though. Good luck!