More than 1 in 3 Quebec toddlers contracted at least 10 infections, chronic issues rising

Over a third of toddlers have had at least 10 infections by the time they were 29 months old, according to a Quebec study. (Pexels)

Over a third of Quebec toddlers have contracted at least 10 infections and/or reported a chronic health problem by the time they were two-and-a-half years old.

The Health Ministry’s Growing Up in Quebec study focused on children born in Quebec in 2020-2021, and collected health data when they were five, 17 and 29 months old.

It found that a vast majority (97 per cent) of children had contracted at least one infection, and 36 per cent had contracted at least 10 by the time they were 29 months old.

Those infections could be respiratory with fever (old, flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, etc.), gastrointestinal or ear infections.

Just three per cent reported having no infections, 19.5 per cent had between one and three infections, 22.1 per cent had between four and six, and 18.9 per cent had between seven and nine infections.

The study found that nearly a third of toddlers (30 per cent) have received four or more antibiotic treatments, and three-quarters of them have had at least one antibiotic course since birth.

Jump in chronic health problems

Chronic health problems, the study found, doubled between 17 and 29 months.

Nearly 34 per cent of 29-month-old children received a diagnosis of at least one chronic health condition, which is 17 per cent more than children who are 17 months old.

The main chronic health problems parents report are skin conditions such as eczema (17 per cent), allergies (seven per cent), asthma (six per cent) and food intolerances (five per cent).

Parents reported that almost one in 10 children (eight per cent) have chronic health problems that limit the child’s ability to perform daily activities.

Most toddlers healthy

Despite the above findings, most parents say their child is in excellent (53 per cent) or very good (34 per cent) health at 29 months.

Lower-income households, however, report lower numbers: 83 versus 88 per cent.

In addition, the survey found that 13 per cent of toddlers had an injury serious enough to require medical or dental care.