Mommy, I Don’t Feel Well! Strategies For Flu Season
Bella Breakdown
Last February, I woke up at 5 am one morning, and I thought I was going to pass out. I had no voice, alternating sweats and chills, and a spinning head. I know what you’re all thinking – she was hung over! Nope, I had the FLU! I am someone who always gets the flu shot, but I was one of the many unfortunate people for whom the vaccination didn’t work. (The CDC recommends a flu shot for every one 6 months and older starting now.)
Flu Fighters That Makes a Difference
When it comes to “flu season”, the first step is prevention. Wash your hands a LOT! Also, stay away from sick people. If you have a play date scheduled with a friend whose child is sick, push it to another day. I happened to be volunteering at school a lot the week the flu was going around, which was how I got it.
The next thing I recommend is having a stockpile of things you would need in case you or one of your kids gets sick. You don’t want to have to make a midnight run to the store when your child comes down with a fever. For colds and fevers, I always make sure to have both Motrin (Ibuprofen) and Tylenol (Acetaminophen) because you can alternate them. Motrin is great for night time because it lasts longer. You should know your child’s weight to determine the dose for each. I keep a dosing list handy because I can never remember which dose is correct for each of my 3 little ones.
If your child has a bad cough, remember that cough medicines are not considered safe for small children. Check with your pediatrician for the age that it becomes safe. Because my kids are in the too young category, I dose them with honey. I have found that 2 teaspoons of honey really helps slow down a cough.Also, giving them lots of liquids to thin out the nasty mucous, as well as a cool mist humidifier really help to alleviate some of the symptoms. Note, DO NOT give honey to infants and children under the age of 1, kids this young have not yet developed the normally microorganisms found in the intestine and therefore cannot properly digest the spores in the honey.
If it’s the stomach flu (aka “yucky tummy”), you will need supplies for the aftermath. Bland foods and lots of liquids to rehydrate are good to have in the pantry. I keep a “barf supply” of saltines, ramen noodles, Gatorade, ginger ale, and Pedialyte for this. These are foods I wouldn’t ordinarily feed my kids, but are perfect for a tummy on the mend. This is also the time to remember the acronym B.R.A.T. as it will help you recall which dietary items to give your child whenever they are plagued with diarrhea: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.
Finally, lots of rest and TLC are really the best medicine. If you are a working parent, make sure you have a back-up plan for when your child gets sick and can’t go to school. You should never send your child to school with a fever. This is how all the other kids will get sick, too. It’s inevitable when you have children that they will get sick, but now you can have a plan for how to tackle it when it does happen.
**Important**
In the event your child’s symptoms progress into a high fever, labored breathing, vomiting, and/or diarrhea please seek professional medical attention ASAP!
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 brillent tips!
