Kids & Company Blog

Parenting Hacks: Sick baby or child edition

All parents know that “Uh-oh!” moment when you realize your child isn’t just cranky – he’s sick.  Here are a few parenting hacks for those times when your little ones are under the weather.

Stomach Flu/Vomiting:

1. Put an extra set of sheets on the crib or bed when your child has the stomach flu.  Use an extra crib sheet pad or mattress protector between the layers too if you have one.  (Mattress, crib pad, sheet, crib pad, sheet).  This makes it much easier to pull off a soiled sheet without having to remake the bed in case they throw up during the night.
2. Rehydration popsicles or freezies.  Pedialyte and other brands make popsicles for the freezer vomiting/diarrhea. Kids are often more willing to take a small bit of this in their mouth over drinking the fluid.
3. Need to remove vomit from upholstered furniture or carpet?  Wipe off everything you can. Make a paste from baking soda and water (consistency should be like cake frosting).  Spread this on thickly and let it dry overnight (or until it becomes powdery again).  Vacuum it up.  Voila!  Repeat if necessary.  Oxiclean Powder is suggested if an odor lingers.

   

Colds:

4. Play games, eat a snack, do whatever you can in the bathroom with a steamy shower.  This will open up their airways (and keep them warm to boot).
5. Over the counter (non medicated) saline spray for their nose.  This helps loosen up phlegm and makes it easier to clean crusty noses.
6. Sore nose from a cold?  Silicone diaper cream soothes the irritated skin and is invisible.

Sore Throats:

7. Some parents swear by marshmallows to lessen throat pain.  (Assume it’s the gelatin in there that helps).  If this isn’t a choking hazard for your child, it’s worth a try.
8. Is your child over a year old?  Put a few globs of honey on a plastic plate, lay popsicle sticks or lollipop sticks on top of it and freeze.  The honey will soothe the sore throat.  (Remember, babies under a year shouldn’t have honey).
9. Baby with a sore throat?  Freeze their baby food into a popsicle.  This will soothe their throat as they suck/eat.

Splinters:

1. OK, technically not an illness, but splinters are a tough first-aid issue.  Make a paste from baking soda and water and leave on for several minutes.  The splinter will be MUCH easier to remove and may even pop out itself.

Posted on: Thursday January 21st, 2016

Posted by: Kids & Company