Subscriber Q&A: Do Preemies Get Sicker in Daycare?

One of the hardest parts about having a premature baby is wondering if every milestone or illness is going to be different. If your child was born early and has started daycare, like our mom below, you’ve probably wondered if all of those illnesses hit premature kids harder than they do full-term kids. So, let’s talk about what we know, what depends on the individual child, and when prematurity matters most.

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_{A quick reminder: This post contains general information and is not intended as medical advice. Additionally, the information shared about kids is generally for healthy, typically developing and growing, full-term children unless otherwise stated. I am a pediatrician, but interacting with or following this account does not establish a doctor-patient relationship, nor does this information replace the advice of your own doctor.}

Hi, I love watching your advice videos. They are so helpful. I wanted to ask a question about my daughter, who is now seventeen and a half months old—fifteen-and-a-half months adjusted. She was born nine weeks early. I was 31 weeks when she was born. I had severe preeclampsia that turned into HELLP syndrome.

She was in the NICU for almost two months. Now she’s been in daycare ever since she was, let’s see… She was born in January 2025. She started daycare in September of 2025. So she was almost seven and a half months old chronological age.

You know, she gets sick frequently, as is expected, in that first year of daycare. And I was curious what evidence there is out there about preemie babies, and I guess like their immune health and how they do with like these colds and flu and, and hand foot and mouth, and all these other illnesses they get at daycare.

In my brain, I’m like, is it more moderate in severity compared to, like, the term healthy babies? Do those illnesses last longer for them? Yeah, I’m curious about what information there is out there or your expert knowledge on that.

Thanks!