Parents say a sick child is the biggest cause of family stress

With the summer holidays at an end, and children back in school or childcare, the countdown to the first runny noses of the season has begun – and the inevitable juggling act for parents when children fall ill.

That’s perhaps why 57% of parents surveyed by One Poll for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said having a sick child is the most stressful aspect of family life, significantly higher than stressors like moving homes (26%), a child not sleeping well (43%), changing jobs (16%), or welcoming a new baby into the family (15%).

The poll also found:

• Nearly half of parents surveyed (49%) reported having to miss work due to their child being ill, many of them for several days, and a third (33%) of parents said they have to arrange for family members to look after their sick child so they can continue working.
• Over half of parents surveyed (54%) say their family life was disrupted for 2-4 days on average due to their child being ill and nearly 1 in 5 (18%) experienced disruption for up to 7 days when their child is unwell.
• For many, this disruption is also a frequent occurrence. Over 1 in 5 parents (23%) surveyed state their child is unwell once every few months whilst 12% experience their child being ill multiple times in a month.

Most common coughs or colds can be mild and difficult to avoid. But more serious infections that can cause serious illness, hospitalisation and lifelong disabilities are rising too, and it’s a good time to be thinking about how we protect babies and young children from these diseases with vaccination.

Health officials from the UK Health Security Agency are urging parents to check their children’s vaccinations are up to date, amid fears of a ‘back to school surge’ of diseases like measles and whooping cough due to falling vaccine uptake rates.

To give your child the best protection from these illnesses, it's important that their vaccines are up to date. Vaccines prevent over 5,000 deaths and over 100,000 hospital admissions each year in England, if your child isn’t vaccinated, they’re not protected.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist, said:

“As a mum and doctor, I know the additional stress that comes with having a sick child.  I encourage all parents to take up the offer of vaccinations for their children at the right time, to give them the best protection from preventable diseases.

“Childhood vaccines prevent babies and children from suffering needlessly and can even be life-saving.

“It is heartening that parents, whose children have missed vaccines are now coming forward, but we are a long way from ensuring all are protected and safe. And importantly vaccination is also about not spreading the disease to others who may be more vulnerable.

“It only takes one case of measles to get into a school or nursery where many children are unprotected for numbers to suddenly surge.

“It’s never too late to catch up. If you’re not sure if your child is up to date with all their vaccines, check their Red Book or contact your GP practice, who can book an appointment if needed. Don’t put it off, please act today.”

Harriet Shearsmith, mum of three, said:

“I’ve always been a passionate advocate for education surrounding vaccinations so that parents can make an informed choice. I remember the first time my eldest had to go for his routine vaccines and the anxiety that accompanied it. I feel strongly that in order to keep my children and others safe I needed to ensure they were vaccinated, and I actively encourage every new parent to get those vaccines booked if they can.”

The most stressful aspects of family life, ranked:

Which, if any, of the following aspects of family life do you find most stressful? [Select all that apply]

If you’re not sure if your child’s vaccines are up-to-date, you can check their red book and, if your child has missed a vaccine, speak to your GP practice to catch up.