Sick kids? To save you copays and time in the Dr’s office collecting more germs, here are my top sick kid tips for this winter season.
We ALWAYS seem to have a sick kid around here. Between school germs and always having a kid young enough that they put EVERYTHING in their mouth, the germs make the rounds. And the fun part is that once those germs have cycled through everyone once, it’s time to go around again!
When we had our first kid, I realized I had no idea what to do when they got sick. I would panic and want to run to the Dr over a runny nose and fever every time. I quickly learned the general response to my worry was usually along the lines of “it’s a virus” or “make sure they drink lots of liquids”.
So, to save you copays and time in the Dr’s office collecting more germs, here are my top sick kid tips: (Please remember: I’m not a Doctor, so use your best judgment)
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These are all products that I personally use on a regular basis and love. I’m not trying to sell you these products, I just know when I have a sick kid I want to get in and out of the store as fast as possible. Having a visual of the product I’m looking for helps me find things much more quickly!
Fever
Luke warm baths while gently pouring the water on your child’s back can bring the fever down. Sometimes I half expect to hear their skin sizzle because the water evaporates so quickly off of them! If they are too achy and shaky to get in the tub, a wet wash cloth on their forehead or an ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the back of their neck helps. Try to keep them hydrated with popsicles and favorite drinks. We have even made popsicles with different juices. Sometimes just the process of waiting for the popsicles to freeze keeps their mind off the fever for a bit.
Runny Nose
I love these Hyland’s Tiny Cold Tablets.
If you stick to the regimen prescribed, they clear up a runny nose within a few hours. The tablets are super tiny and dissolve really fast so you can give it to small children and not worry about them choking. If their nose is super bad, I will use this saline spray along with the cold tablets.
They are wiping and blowing their noses a ton, and this way their little noses don’t get chapped.
Throw-up
Unfortunately, this is one we’re pretty familiar with around here. We have a designated throw up bowl that is easy to clean and sanitize.
Once the frequency of their throw up has subsided, sticking to the BRAT diet is best until they are feeling better.
Cough
Teaching kids to cough and sneeze into their elbow to not spread their germs is key, as demonstrated by this lovely video.
Soothing a sore throat is best done with cold drinks through straws. Cold berry smoothies, popsicles, cough drops and teaspoons of honey are all remedies we rotate through.
Night time seems to bring on the coughing the worst. We gear up for nighttime with Vicks Baby Rub
We put Vicks on the soles of their feet with socks on, as well as their chest and back. The regular Vicks is just a bit too strong for their skin, but the baby one works perfect. We also whip out the humidifier and crank it as high as possible all night long to keep the air moist.
Patience
Like I said, it seriously seems like someone is always sick in our house. Because I rarely get sick, sometimes I forget how it actually feels to be the sicko. Watching movies, reading stories, and making them comfortable is key. We are usually camped out in the family room watching movies to help keep the mood light and make the situation not seem so bad. We try to keep a positive outlook on sick days and make it at least somewhat enjoyable for everyone cooped up at home.
Now that the weather has turned a bit colder, we’ve whipped out the hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes and are bracing for cold and flu season (not like it’s any different than any other season for us at this point. Ha!)
What do you do when your kids get sick?
