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I don't really think so for the same reasons as mslipgloss said. However, I think preschool is important for learning socialization skills (not to mention for mom's sanity) so I'm all for preschool programs. I think maintaining good health with good nutrition, sleep and hand washing is key.

I agree with @MsLipGloss, about proper care shortening the length of an illness for sure. I think it has a lot to do with genetics as well. But once you've had a bug in your system, your immune system is better equipped to fight off that bug (and those close to it) so I think that's why WJ hasn't gotten too sick this winter yet. He's been exposed to so much illness that everything that comes along he's able to either fight off or he's already had it so he doesn't catch it.

The pediatricians I've talked to (Wagon Sr.'s cousins and our own pediatricians at our practice) always mention how daycare kids are sick all the time, then when they're in elementary school they're never sick... and kids who stay home with mom or nanny or grandma are perfectly healthy then get sick all the time in elementary school.

The way I see it, if she's gonna get sick, might as well get it out of the way now so she misses less school later. Or if she's got your immune system, she won't get sick anyway, either time!!

I wouldn't send my kids just to expose them to illnesses to toughen up their immune systems, I wouldn't NOT send them to prevent them from getting sick. Just gotta decide what's right for your family!

I feel that a truly strong immune system tackles pathogens before they become symptomatic. It is neither over-reactive (allergies, eczema, etc), nor under-reactive. Yes, everyone will "get sick", but I don't think that the actual getting sick is the necessary part of building a strong immune system.

I agree with the above that overall attention to general health along with a healthy exposure to the world is the best approach.

I think that once they hit a year old and/or are mobile they get sick less severely in daycare. I wish I could have kept LO out until she was a year. Now she may get a runny nose/cough but she can move the gunk around and she gets over it. When they are little any bit of congestion makes them so sick because they can't move it around.

I think now at 22 months you will be fine!

I used to get sick a lot when I was a toddler. I was at the doctor's office all the time. Now, I hardly get sick. Few factors at play I think. My body did build up some immunity and my parents always provided a healthy well rounded diet which also helped. This is all speculation though. My son did get sick a lot last year when we were started him in daycare. This year, he's a lot better even though he's at a different school and exposed to different germs.

oh and my brother was soooo sickly as a toddler/young child and he never gets sick. i never got sick when i was young, or even as an adult, but now with kids i get sick at least a couple times a year.