A study of 1,000 grandparents with grandchildren under the age of 10, conducted by ColdZyme mouth spray, shows the perils of babysitting grandchildren — nearly half of them caught a cold from a sick grandchild.
In Great Britain, there are now 10 million grandmothers and grandfathers providing regular childcare for their families each week, more than ever before. 21% of grandparents say that their biggest concern is getting colds leading to more serious illnesses due to their vulnerable immune systems.
48 per cent say they have caught a cold from a sick grandchild and a further four in ten said they ended up with a chest infection or pneumonia (41 per cent). In an attempt to escape falling ill themselves, 16 per cent admit they avoid their sick grandchildren.
However, love for grandchildren seems to trump health concerns. 52 per cent believe they have missed out on valuable grandparent time by worrying about catching a cold.