My Toddler has a cold...now what?
My Toddler has a Cold...Now What?
 |
| Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash |
It's hard enough dealing with being sick, but adding two more people to the mix was exhausting.
This was one of the first times Ryan has been sick, and it was a challenge. Lucky enough, colds for toddlers will usually go away on their own, and help to build up their immune system. Be sure to consult with your pediatrician if your child has ear pain or a temperature over 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are concerned though, a call to your doctor can always be helpful.
Toddlers can be exposed to the common cold by touching something another infected person has come in contact with, or even being around someone who has it. The tell tale signs Ryan had a cold were: Runny nose, sneezing, coughing and fatigue. I'm sure there was some crankiness and sore throat thrown into that mix too.
The common cold can last an annoyingly long time and for a one year old it may seem like an eternity of sickness.
Here are some things we did and used to hopefully give him some relief.
Moist air to reduce congestion
We have the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. We like that it's quiet, the tank holds a lot of water so it lasts a long time, easy to clean, and really works. If you don't have a humidifier, I recommend this one. If you don't want to buy one, we also ran a hot shower in the bathroom, and setup some toys on the floor for Ryan to play in the humid room.
Wiping and Removing
Yes, it's going to be gross. Since Ryan doesn't know how to blow his nose, we used a bulb nasal aspirator to suck out the gunk. That isn't always effective, so you could go with a NoseFrida Snotsucker to really loosen things up. After that's done, I preferred to use these saline Boogie Wipes. Ryan liked these better than regular dry tissues, and it cleaned his face better. If you want to avoid throwing money away (I mean, tissues) you could use burps cloths instead. Because we use cloth diapers, I had some of these Gerber Cloths on hand. Most likely, you'll be doing laundry anyway, and can just throw these in a hot wash.
Reduce Fever
The first couple days of Ryan's cold were the worst because he could barely breath due to congestion and runny nose, and he had a fever. To help ease his teething pain, possible headache due to congestion and reduce his fever, we gave him a small dose of Children's Tylenol (always consult your pediatrician first regarding usage). We prefer using liquid acetaminophen that comes with a handy dosing syringe. Despite his fever and congestion, he still slept soundly every night.
Convenient Delivery
The last thing I wanted to do while I was sick was go to the grocery store. If you have Amazon Prime, you can get $10 off your next order of groceries from Whole Foods using the code: WFM10
Whole Foods offers Prime Members exclusive sale items, convenient grocery delivery or pickup. If you're a fan of ingredient-and-recipe meal kit services, some stores offer kits with fresh meals ready to prepare! Some of my favorite repeat recipes are ones I've gotten from Whole Foods. It's convenient, cheaper than buying each individual ingredient, and for my family it's less wasteful.
Stay Hydrated
It can sometimes feel like leading a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. We tried using new and fun sippy cups to get excited while getting hydrated.
Know When to Call
Trust your gut when it comes to contacting your doctor. If you see other symptoms in addition to a fever, call your pediatrician right away. Some things to look out for include: Lethargy, rash, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, or their mood. www.healthychildren.org is another great resource for answers to some of your common illness questions.
This post may contain affiliate links. Using links to these sites means I may earn a percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.
0 comments