The last thing you want to do when your child is sick is make them feel worse. Whether it’s a cold or an ear infection, the following tips will help you care for your child at home and give you peace of mind that he or she is getting well as fast as possible.
Keep Babies And Children Hydrated
When your child is sick, it’s important to keep them well-hydrated. This means giving them plenty of fluids, especially if they are vomiting or have diarrhea. You can use a thermometer to check their temperature and make sure that the fever isn’t too high (more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit).
If your child doesn’t like taking oral medications for their illness, try dissolving them in some juice or water before giving it to them so they don’t taste anything bad when drinking it down, says Dr Francene Gayle.
Know What Medicines Are Available To Treat Your Child’s Symptoms
It’s important to know what medicines are available to treat your child’s symptoms.
- Know the signs of illness in children and how to identify them. You can find this information on our website or in other resources.
- Make sure you have the right medicine for each symptom and that you know how much of it to give, when to give it (and if there are any special instructions), and what to do if your child vomits after taking medication.
Keep Up With Your Child’s Routine
- If you can, keep your child in the same room with you and try to keep their schedule as close to normal as possible.
- Give them extra sleep if they need it. Sick kids often get more tired than they usually do because they’re not feeling well, so make sure that when they do go to bed at night, it’s for a good long time!
Talk To Your Doctor If Your Child Gets Worse
If you are worried, call the doctor. If your child’s symptoms get worse or they don’t improve after treatment, call the doctor again, says Dr Francene Gayle. You can always call the doctor again later if you are still worried about your child’s condition.
Don’t Overdo It With The Bed Rest
When your child is sick, you want to do everything possible to help them feel better. Bed rest is often recommended as a way of keeping kids comfortable and easing their symptoms. However, bed rest isn’t always the best option for kids who are sick–and when it comes down to it, it might not even be good for them at all.
Here are some reasons why:
- Bed rest can make your child feel isolated and bored because they’re not getting out of bed or doing anything fun with their friends or family members (unless they have a cool playroom).
- If your child has trouble eating or drinking while lying down on their back all day long, this may make their condition worse over time because they won’t be able to eat well enough during recovery timeframes when food intake is crucial for healing purposes.”
