It is true that children who are in childcare acquire more infections than those who stay at home. However, children are likely to acquire many of these infections when they start school anyway. Children who may be at increased risk of serious infection from childcare exposures should receive care in a facility that minimizes their risks of exposure to infections. You might consider in-home childcare or small family childcare situations. It may be best to minimize exposures to other children for infants with special situations.
Some premature infants are more susceptible to respiratory infections than infants born at term.
What might be a simple cold in other children can become a serious lung infection in these children. This risk is usually higher in winter than in summer and during the first 18 months. As these children grow and their immune systems mature, this risk decreases. Consult with your doctor about this risk if your child was born prematurely. Any child who has had serious respiratory problems in the newborn period may also be at increased risk for serious lung infections in the first 18 months or so after birth.