Bigger Families Mean More Sickness.
Being part of a big family boosts the risk of passing on viral infections that cause colds, flu, and other respiratory infections. In a recent study, researchers found viral infections were present in childless households an average of three to four weeks a year. In homes with one child, viral infections were present for 18 weeks a year and the number jumped to 45 weeks a year in homes with six children. Study co-author Dr. Carrie Byington writes, “A lot families go through wave after wave of illness. In fact, some of the kids we monitored had symptoms for 20 to 25 weeks in a row… This study helps us to understand what is normal in young children, and can help us determine when illness should be a cause for concern.”
Clinical Infectious Diseases, August 2015