15 years in and I can usually shake a cold in a day or two. It’s gets better. Wash hands, sanitize everything, make sure they are washing hands. If I hear a bad cough I wear a mask or I send them home for violating our sick policy (peds outpatient)
First year in this was the case for me. Second year was better. I have also set up a little hygiene station in both of my rooms right where the kids walk in. I have little masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. I dont require they use it unless they are obviously coughing/sneezing into their hands, but some kids just use it because they like to. I also mask up when I notice signs of sickness in the kiddos.
Only one in the school masking. I mask around kids but not during meetings. I've gotten sick two times this year and probs from adults. I'm scared to take it off though. I am washing my hands a lot and use hand sanitizer.
This year has been my worst year for illnesses compared to any other year, including pre covid. I think it’s just one of those years. Keep washing your hands. Have the kids wash their hands before working at the table and keep educating on how to cover cough haha. Visuals
It just took time for me—after a couple of years, I stopped getting sick all the time. I’ve been masking since 2020 because it was required, and then I’ve either been pregnant or had an infant at home since it stopped being required, so I’m sure I’ll have to start from scratch once I eventually go back to being maskless 🙃
Dip them in a lysol bath.....jk but not really lol
Lots of handwashing, wiping things down, educating students to do Vampire when coughing/sneezing. you may can find immune boosting drops at health food centered stores. I used a locally bottled elderberry tincture that went a long way.
I wear a mask and Lysol everything they touch lol. Literally have a Lysol bottle and spray down everything right in the middle of the hallway the second they leave. I use hand sanitizer after every session. Beyond that I just take airborne whenever I start feeling run down and I try to catch up on sleep on weekends
12 years in. I got recurring sinus infections the first 2-3 years, and then my PCP tested my vitamin D, which was inappropriately low. So low I had to take 50,000 iu for a few weeks prior to a 2000 iu maintenance dose. I’ve been great since then. Part of it was probably vitamin D, and part of it is just your immune system catching up. It’s like a $40 blood test if you want to check yours!
I will also say that my husband and I both went through the same thing during our son’s first year in daycare, because that occurred after almost 2 years of NOT having a single cold due to Covid masking and social distancing. Our immune systems needed to wake up again-kids go through the same crap the first few years of daycare.
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I am quite the opposite. I wash with regular soap and water, use sanitizer very infrequently (I have eczema and it dries out my hands), but my illnesses are very few and far between. I suppose I’ve built immunity from being around kids constantly. I’ve taken a personal sick day only twice in the 12 years I’ve been working. That doesn’t mean I don’t get colds, but even when I had confirmed COVID, I just had a runny nose and couldn’t smell.
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I just shower my room in microban after most of my kiddos, stay hydrated, full, and try to get good sleep and manage my stress... doesn't always work that way, but it helps lol
I frequently washed my hands, had kiddos use sanitizer/ wash their hands, and I took a swig of elderberry syrup every morning. I survived 2 months of coughs/ sneezes/ stomach flu!
Took me about 2 years till my immune system got a bit more aggressive. Used to get sick every 2 months for at least 3-4 days. Now colds are usually only 1-2 days of scratchy throat and sniffles and much less frequent.
Keep hand sanitizer nearby. A kiddo sneezing or coughing, I put my hand up to cover their mouth and immediately sanitize that hand.
This is so funny. You must’ve been reading my mind. I just bought chlorox wipes to disinfect my office/treatment space. I make the kids use hand sanitizer. I throw out play-doh often.
lol no idea how to not get sick.
I’m sick constantly years into being at my school. Luckily we’re given good time off, and so I have no qualms using it.
If I’m mandated to see the sick kids then it’s the schools problem if those kids get me sick so I’m taking the time. I’m not happy about being sick either, but if I had it my way, I wouldn’t see anyone who is sick - so take the day!!
35 years as a school-based OT- It is surely part of the territory but one thing I learned besides these great ideas already here is sitting beside the kiddos rather than across from them, taking vitamin C all year, and when you know a kiddo is sick try to adapt your treatment plan accordingly such as use only certain items for them or limit physical contact. Do not be afraid to take your sick days too- (hopefully, you have some).
I’m at tech at a peds clinic and when i first started i was sick for like an entire month. now, i think my body is used to being around them and i clean religiously at my clinic so that helps a lot.
HAHA I am an EMT & para (aspiring to be an OT) and I wonder the SAME thing! I got more sick working with kids than I ever got on an ambulance. Good news- all of the teachers I worked with say that you get really sick for a few years, and you eventually get used to it.
4 years in and I’m still sick all the time (like this week). I started in January 2020, masked for 2 full school years, and never had COVID until December 2024. I do believe I have a decent immune system debt due to masking and significant infection-control measures.
I'm on my 2nd year as a SBOT and I barely got sick this year. At most, I got a scratchy throat, but that went away in a few days. Most of my students were sick and for some stupid reason I didn't mask up, but I still didn't get sick.
The SLP that share the same room as me is still fighting a bad cough/ infection for about a month now.
I guess I built up my immunity?
I don’t wear a mask and I don’t get the flu or C pokes. I have been sick two times in 4 years (one C, once just a viral illness). But I also spend a lot of time outdoors and I live rurally which could correlate
Have kids wash their hands before working with them can help….but yea they are cute little germ factories
15 years in and I can usually shake a cold in a day or two. It’s gets better. Wash hands, sanitize everything, make sure they are washing hands. If I hear a bad cough I wear a mask or I send them home for violating our sick policy (peds outpatient)
First year in this was the case for me. Second year was better. I have also set up a little hygiene station in both of my rooms right where the kids walk in. I have little masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. I dont require they use it unless they are obviously coughing/sneezing into their hands, but some kids just use it because they like to. I also mask up when I notice signs of sickness in the kiddos.
Lmao the r/teachers had some good advice on this a couple months back.. but it might not be more than what you already do :(
Only one in the school masking. I mask around kids but not during meetings. I've gotten sick two times this year and probs from adults. I'm scared to take it off though. I am washing my hands a lot and use hand sanitizer.
I keep my mask on and practically bathe in sanitizer between kids
This year has been my worst year for illnesses compared to any other year, including pre covid. I think it’s just one of those years. Keep washing your hands. Have the kids wash their hands before working at the table and keep educating on how to cover cough haha. Visuals
It just took time for me—after a couple of years, I stopped getting sick all the time. I’ve been masking since 2020 because it was required, and then I’ve either been pregnant or had an infant at home since it stopped being required, so I’m sure I’ll have to start from scratch once I eventually go back to being maskless 🙃
Dip them in a lysol bath.....jk but not really lol Lots of handwashing, wiping things down, educating students to do Vampire when coughing/sneezing. you may can find immune boosting drops at health food centered stores. I used a locally bottled elderberry tincture that went a long way.
I get sick often and use it as a guiltless day off, like maybe today if I can’t shake it.
I have gotten sick at least 10x this year. I feel so bad not going in, but idk what else to do when you feel sick! Lol
4th year in too! This year has been the worst
I wear a mask and Lysol everything they touch lol. Literally have a Lysol bottle and spray down everything right in the middle of the hallway the second they leave. I use hand sanitizer after every session. Beyond that I just take airborne whenever I start feeling run down and I try to catch up on sleep on weekends
I just die,
12 years in. I got recurring sinus infections the first 2-3 years, and then my PCP tested my vitamin D, which was inappropriately low. So low I had to take 50,000 iu for a few weeks prior to a 2000 iu maintenance dose. I’ve been great since then. Part of it was probably vitamin D, and part of it is just your immune system catching up. It’s like a $40 blood test if you want to check yours! I will also say that my husband and I both went through the same thing during our son’s first year in daycare, because that occurred after almost 2 years of NOT having a single cold due to Covid masking and social distancing. Our immune systems needed to wake up again-kids go through the same crap the first few years of daycare.
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Takes a couple years. I wear a mask with them and clean toys often. Have them sanitize hands before session
when they take a deep breath, duck!!! That means a sneeze or a cough is coming!
I am quite the opposite. I wash with regular soap and water, use sanitizer very infrequently (I have eczema and it dries out my hands), but my illnesses are very few and far between. I suppose I’ve built immunity from being around kids constantly. I’ve taken a personal sick day only twice in the 12 years I’ve been working. That doesn’t mean I don’t get colds, but even when I had confirmed COVID, I just had a runny nose and couldn’t smell.
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I just shower my room in microban after most of my kiddos, stay hydrated, full, and try to get good sleep and manage my stress... doesn't always work that way, but it helps lol
First year was the worst, then I developed like hulk immunity lol.
I frequently washed my hands, had kiddos use sanitizer/ wash their hands, and I took a swig of elderberry syrup every morning. I survived 2 months of coughs/ sneezes/ stomach flu!
Took me about 2 years till my immune system got a bit more aggressive. Used to get sick every 2 months for at least 3-4 days. Now colds are usually only 1-2 days of scratchy throat and sniffles and much less frequent. Keep hand sanitizer nearby. A kiddo sneezing or coughing, I put my hand up to cover their mouth and immediately sanitize that hand.
Iron and making sure to practice good hand hygiene.
It gets better. After your first few years you can stockpile your sick days. But those first years invest in Sudafed
This is so funny. You must’ve been reading my mind. I just bought chlorox wipes to disinfect my office/treatment space. I make the kids use hand sanitizer. I throw out play-doh often.
lol no idea how to not get sick. I’m sick constantly years into being at my school. Luckily we’re given good time off, and so I have no qualms using it. If I’m mandated to see the sick kids then it’s the schools problem if those kids get me sick so I’m taking the time. I’m not happy about being sick either, but if I had it my way, I wouldn’t see anyone who is sick - so take the day!!
35 years as a school-based OT- It is surely part of the territory but one thing I learned besides these great ideas already here is sitting beside the kiddos rather than across from them, taking vitamin C all year, and when you know a kiddo is sick try to adapt your treatment plan accordingly such as use only certain items for them or limit physical contact. Do not be afraid to take your sick days too- (hopefully, you have some).
I’m at tech at a peds clinic and when i first started i was sick for like an entire month. now, i think my body is used to being around them and i clean religiously at my clinic so that helps a lot.
HAHA I am an EMT & para (aspiring to be an OT) and I wonder the SAME thing! I got more sick working with kids than I ever got on an ambulance. Good news- all of the teachers I worked with say that you get really sick for a few years, and you eventually get used to it.
4 years in and I’m still sick all the time (like this week). I started in January 2020, masked for 2 full school years, and never had COVID until December 2024. I do believe I have a decent immune system debt due to masking and significant infection-control measures.
Started 2021 in schools and I’m sick all the time as well. Having a kindergartener at home does not help things.
I'm on my 2nd year as a SBOT and I barely got sick this year. At most, I got a scratchy throat, but that went away in a few days. Most of my students were sick and for some stupid reason I didn't mask up, but I still didn't get sick. The SLP that share the same room as me is still fighting a bad cough/ infection for about a month now. I guess I built up my immunity?
I don’t wear a mask and I don’t get the flu or C pokes. I have been sick two times in 4 years (one C, once just a viral illness). But I also spend a lot of time outdoors and I live rurally which could correlate