Ask Dr. Hirsch: Weekly Q&A with Dr. Shari Hirsch, Pediatrician and Lactation Specialist at Lev Pediatric Care

This Week’s Question:

How do I deal with the endless cycle of colds and viruses coming home from school?

Pessy Landau

Dr. Hirsch’s Answer:

If it feels like your family has been sick nonstop since school started, you’re not imagining it. Between colds, flu, and stomach bugs, the colder months can feel like one long rotation of tissues and thermometers. It’s called seasonal illness fatigue, and many parents feel it.

1. Frequent Colds Are Normal

 Most healthy kids catch 8–10 viral infections a year, especially during the fall and winter. Their immune systems are still learning, and each virus gives them a small dose of protection for the future. While it’s exhausting now, this stage doesn’t last forever.

2. Keep Perspective

 It’s easy to feel frustrated when your child gets sick just as they return to school. Try to see each illness as another immune “workout.” Over time, kids who attend daycare or preschool tend to get sick less often as they grow older.

3. Care for the Caregiver

 Parents need care, too. When everyone’s sick, share duties with a partner, relative, or friend if possible. Keep meals simple, stay hydrated, and allow yourself short breaks. A rested parent can handle the next round far better than an exhausted one.

4. Simplify Sick Days

 Have a small “sick-day kit” ready with a thermometer, saline spray, fever reducer, fluids, and comfort items. Keeping everything in one place helps you focus on your child instead of searching for what you need.

5. Reach Out When You’re Unsure

 If symptoms seem unusual, last longer than expected, or you’re feeling worn down, reach out to your pediatrician. Sometimes a quick visit, a plan, or even reassurance can make a big difference.

This phase truly does pass. With patience, realistic expectations, and self-care, your family will come out stronger, and a little more immune, by springtime.

​Dr. Shari Hirsch, MD, specializes in infant feeding, including expert newborn support, lactation guidance, and frenotomy (tongue-tie release). She also offers emotional wellness care, with guidance and medication management for attention, mood, and anxiety support.

Lev Pediatric Care is located at Evergreen Uptown Mall in Pomona. Their hours are Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 7:45 pm, and Friday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Same-day appointments are available. To schedule, call 845-579-5700. They also provide free car service to and from doctor visits.

Have a question for next week’s column? Send it to Lev Pediatric Care, and Dr. Hirsch may feature it in an upcoming Q&A