As the mom of an 18-month-old in daycare, I am right there with all of you who are dreading this upcoming cold and flu season. It’s so hard to see your child sick, not to mention how hard it is when the illness spreads to everyone else too. Here are the things I’m telling myself and my patients’ families as we head into winter:
- Frequent illnesses are normal, especially for babies and toddlers. It’s not a sign that their immune system isn’t functioning. Colds for all ages can last 2-3 weeks, so it can feel like symptoms are lingering for a while and still be normal.
- When your child is sick, the biggest things to watch for are trouble breathing, dehydration, fever longer than 5 days, and acting really sick. If you spot any of these, give us a call.
- Stock up on the things you will need to manage sicknesses. For younger kids, nasal saline and a nose suctioning device are going to be your best friends for dealing with boogers. For fever and discomfort, acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen (if your child is older than 6 months) will be the mainstay of management. Over-the-counter cough and cold medications are NOT safe to give to children younger than 7 years old, and in general they haven’t been shown to be very effective so are not my go to for anyone. Tissues, hand soap, and disinfectant wipes are also good to have on hand.
- When it comes to giving oral medications, one of the things that has helped me the most is to text myself or my partner when I give a medication. That way I have a timestamp for when my daughter last took the medication. Otherwise I could never remember when it was last given to be able to know when it was time for her next dose.
- VACCINATE! Vaccines are one of the best ways to protect you and your child from serious complications from these illnesses. Everyone who is eligible should get their flu, COVID, and RSV vaccine. It is recommended to get your flu shot before the end of October in order to be optimally protected for the winter.
- When in doubt, call us! We are here for you to help triage your child’s symptoms, give advice on how to get them through their illness, and get them in for a same or next day sick visit when needed.
We have resources on our website to help you navigate illnesses too. Our pediatrician blog has information about fever, managing colds, ear infections, croup, pink eye, and more.