Coughs, fevers, stomach bugs and then coughs again – for many parents, the first year at nursery in particular feels like an endless cycle of visits to the paediatrician and last-minute days off work. And although up to 15 infections a year can be completely normal for nursery children, many parents wonder whether something is wrong with their child’s immune system.
The reassuring answer: in most cases, everything is fine. At nursery, the young immune system encounters a wide range of pathogens for the first time and has to learn how to deal with them. Every infection is a kind of training session that makes the immune system more resilient.
In this article, you will find out
- what exactly is behind frequent infections in children,
- which illnesses are typical at nursery and
- how you can give your child’s immune system targeted support.
Constantly Sick in the First Year at Nursery – But Why?
If your child brings home one infection after another in their first year at nursery, this is mainly because two things come together:
- Development of the child’s immune system: While adults have built up a “memory” for countless pathogens over decades, a toddler’s immune system is only just getting started. It doesn’t yet know most viruses and bacteria and has to learn every defence reaction from scratch.
- Lots of new pathogens at once: At nursery, your child is in close contact with many other children every day. Shared toys, short distances and not-yet-practised hygiene mean that pathogens are passed on quickly.
That is why frequent infections are initially no cause for concern, but a sign that the immune system is working. With every infection, it produces antibodies, so later illnesses become less frequent and milder.
Which Kindergarten Illnesses Are Particularly Common?
Some infections spread particularly quickly at nursery. These four are among the classics:
- Colds: Whether it’s a cough, a runny nose, a sore throat or a mild fever – colds are by far the most common nursery infections and are caused by a wide variety of different viruses.
- Stomach bugs: Vomiting and diarrhoea are usually caused by viruses such as norovirus or rotavirus and are highly contagious.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease: Blisters on the hands, feet and around the mouth are typical of this viral infection. Although it is very contagious, it usually clears up on its own after a few days.
- Conjunctivitis: It usually shows up as itchy, red or sticky eyes and is common in nurseries because pathogens get into the eyes via the hands.
As a rule of thumb: If your child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or feels very unwell, they should stay at home – for at least 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms have subsided. In addition, some illnesses are subject to legal requirements (in Germany, Section 34 of the Infection Protection Act [IfSG]), which your nursery or paediatrician will inform you about if necessary.
How Can You Strengthen Children’s Immune Systems?
Even though infections are part of nursery life, you can give your child’s defences targeted support. These factors play a key role:
- A balanced diet: A colourful and varied diet provides your child with the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals needed for a functioning immune defence.
- Enough sleep: Important regeneration and defence processes take place in the body at night. Well-rested children with a regular sleep pattern are therefore usually less susceptible to infections.
- Exercise in the fresh air: Being outdoors strengthens the immune defence in several ways, because daylight and exercise support vitamin D production and promote blood circulation and thus mucus production in the respiratory tract, which makes it harder for pathogens to get in.
- Avoiding stress: Even young children can experience stress, for example from lots of appointments or a hectic everyday life. Reliable routines and enough free time to play are therefore crucial for the immune system.
- A healthy gut: Around 70 % of the body’s immune cells are located in the gut, which is why it is a key foundation for a strong immune defence.
You can find more practical tips on supporting your child’s immune system here.
Healthy Through Nursery: The Most Important Nutrients
Alongside sleep, exercise and diet, the supply of nutrients also plays a crucial role for the child’s immune system. The following are particularly relevant:
- Vitamin D3 is involved in regulating the immune defence. Unfortunately, in our latitudes the sunlight – especially in the winter months – is usually not enough for the body to produce sufficient vitamin D3 through the skin. Pro Vitamin D3 Öl 100 kids therefore provides natural vitamin D3 oil including its cofactors vitamin A and K2, tailored to the needs of children and infants.
- Vitamins and trace elements such as vitamin C, zinc and selenium support the healthy function of the immune system. Pro Dialvit kids provides your child with more than 40 vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants for children’s energy metabolism as well as the immune and nervous systems.
- Probiotics support a healthy gut flora and therefore also a strong immune system. Pro Biom kids contains selected bacterial strains for children in a liquid form that is easy to give.
This creates holistic support for your child’s immune system that takes both the gut and the micronutrient balance into account.
Conclusion: Supporting Your Child’s Immune System Holistically
If your child is constantly sick – especially in their first year at nursery – this is initially no cause for concern. The child’s immune system is still developing and encounters a large number of new pathogens at nursery. Every infection leaves behind antibodies and makes the immune system more resilient each time.
At the same time, you can support your child in a targeted way during this phase. A balanced diet, enough sleep, exercise in the fresh air and a relaxed everyday life form the basis. In addition, special micronutrients can help to support your child’s defences – such as those contained in Pro Vitamin D3 Öl 100 kids, Pro Dialvit kids or Pro Biom kids.
This way, you give your child’s immune system exactly what it needs for its development – and can look forward to the nursery years with peace of mind.
Sources
- netDoktor: Immunsystem bei Kindern stärken. Abgerufen am 21.07.2026. https://www.netdoktor.de/anatomie/immunsystem-bei-kindern/
- Kinderärzte im Netz (BVKJ): Wie viele Infekte sind bei kleinen Kindern noch „normal“? Abgerufen am 21.07.2026. https://www.kinderaerzte-im-netz.de/news-archiv/meldung/wie-viele-infekte-sind-bei-kleinen-kindern-noch-normal/
- Zhao Y, Dong BR, Hao Q. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2022. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006895.pub4/full
