Mom Must-Haves: Sickness Survival Guide

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A Crash Course in Sickness Management

School is back in session and with it come all of the germs that your kids bring home. Kids are notorious for being carriers of lots of yucky stuff, so being a parent is not for the faint of heart. Kids pick their noses, sneeze on each other and everything around them, and put their hands in their mouth, so it is no wonder they are such petri dishes. It is a good thing they are so cute!

Yucky tummy supplies

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A clean set of sheets and blankets is a must. Every parent has experienced a child who either pukes or poops in the bed and somehow it manages to soak through every pillow, sheet, blanket and mattress pad. Therefore having a backup is essential because in my experience these things always happen around 3 AM. I always keep a “barf bucket” handy as well.

For diarrhea, kids can take Imodium AD starting at age 6. There are also some food supplies I keep on hand in my pantry because they are not things I would normally feed my children. Having ginger ale, Sprite, Gatorade, and caffeine-free Coke are all things that help to settle the stomach and rehydrate. BRAT supplies: bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast are all easily digestible foods that are good when your child is recovering from a stomach bug.

Cold, fever and flu supplies

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Be sure to have a supply of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Vicks Vapo Rub, a humidifier, honey, Benadryl, thermometer, saline mist spray, and a nasal suction bulb. For your really little ones, you are not able to give medication, so running a cool mist humidifier during nap and bedtime help alleviate some of their discomfort. You can also spray some saline mist into their nose and suction with a bulb suction. Most babies HATE this, but you can really get a lot of gunk out with this technique.

If your child has a cough, giving cough medicine can be dangerous. I have found that a tablespoon of honey works just as well as a cough suppressant (note: honey should never be given to a child under the age of 12 months old). Also, rubbing Vicks Vapo Rub on your child’s chest and feet, then wearing socks really helps with a cough. For a fever, giving your child a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen helps to bring the fever down. Ibuprofen is stronger and lasts longer, so I like to give this at bedtime so they get a more restful night sleep.
 
As with all illnesses, they will pass, but hopefully some of these ideas, along with having all of your supplies prepared, will help your little ones feel better faster. When giving medications, please consult your pediatrician first.
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!

Author: Kristen Farley

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