Taking Care of a Sick Child
Comfortable Clothes & Bedding, Nourishing Food & Quiet Activities
Feb 23, 2009
According to WebMD, kindergarten-aged children can have 12 colds a year. Cold symptoms can include a cough and a low-grade fever. These are enough to keep a child home from school. Add in stomach viruses, the flu and several other common winter-time ailments and most kids end up with a few sick days a year.
Moms and dads often find that parenting on sick days is much different from parenting on normal days. The primary goals become helping the child get comfortable, providing healthy, easy to digest foods and low-key activities.
Comfortable Clothes and Bedding
Whether they are cuddled up on the couch or sick enough to stay in bed all day, help your sick child be extra-comfortable. Dress your child in clean, loose-fitting pajamas. If he is sick for more than one day, be sure to have a clean pair of pajamas for each day.
Many children find it comforting to have a special pillow and blanket on the couch. They may like to be out of bed so that they can interact with the rest of the family, even if they aren’t well enough to be up and playing. The couch is the perfect place to rest and nap, if needed.
In the bedroom, change sheets every day for the duration of an illness. Cool, clean sheets are comforting at bedtime. It’s also a good idea to wash any lingering germs from the sheets each day. If you can, open a window to air out the bedroom during the day.
Nourishing Food
Keep food simple and nourishing during an illness. Let your child eat if he feels like it, but don’t force food if he doesn’t have an appetite. Avoid sugary foods and drinks. According to the Ask Dr. Sears website, consuming excess sugar weakens the immune system. Help your child stay hydrated, but don’t offer sugary drinks like sport’s drinks or soda.
Opt for foods and beverages that are easy to digest and that you know your child enjoys. Chicken noodle soup, applesauce, water and fruit make good, wholesome choices.
Quiet, Sick Day Activities
When a child is sick enough to stay home from school or day care, he will still sometimes have enough energy to play like normal throughout the day. Don’t try to force him to rest if he doesn’t feel like he needs it. If he feels more tired than usual, he will rest or nap as needed.
Often when children are sick, they want some extra time with their mom or dad. It helps to plan on reading books, playing a board game or watching movies with your child on a sick day.
Sick days are not fun. Help your child stay comfortable by providing clean, loose-fitting pajamas and comfortable bedding. Offer healthy foods and be prepared for quiet activities.
Sources:
Ask Dr. Sear's website, Family Nutrition, 4 Habits that Weaken the Immune System, accessed February 23, 2009.
WebMD website, Cold Guide, Children and Colds, accessed February 23, 2009.
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