“Mommy, I’m sick,” says the whiny voice at your elbow while you are trying to get the last bit of homework done before class this morning.
“Daddy, I throwed up,” when you walked into the house last night after a full schedule at school, then another full schedule at work.
What do you do when your little one is not feeling up to par?
I am sorry I didn’t update my column yesterday. I found myself under the weather during my Pol. Sci. class and went straight home instead of doing my column. I understand how bad it sometimes feels to be ill, or to have an ill child.
I am hoping this week’s column will help all moms and dads on campus to understand what to do if your little one is not feeling the greatest or even if you are the one feeling ill.
First of all, take a deep breath. Everything will probably be okay, especially if you remain calm.
Next, check to see if over-activity or something else minor can explain the symptoms away. If the little one was on the playground on a windy day, he or she may have an earache or a running nose just from the wind. If he or she fell down, there could be a bruise that hasn’t turned colors yet.
FEVER
Next, check to see if your little one has a fever. If there is a fever, there are a few things to get done. Your little one needs a measured out dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen so they don’t get sick just from the medicine that is designed to make them feel better. It would be best to call the nurse at the pediatrician’s office, even if the fever is mild, to get the right amount of medicine.
After treating with the fever reducing medicine, wait an hour or so to see if the little one feels any better. If the fever rises over 102, the pediatrician should be called immediately for recommendations. Children cannot tolerate high fevers as well as adults can nor for as long as adults can
If the medicine reduces the fever, check in a few hours to make sure the fever doesn’t return; if not, then the child is able to return to day care or school with no problem. If the fever returns or remains high, re-administer the medication as directed and keep the child comfortable and home the next day or until the child is fever free for at least twenty-four hours.
COLD
Most schools and daycares are telling parents today that if your little one has a cold, they really should still come. Only if the child has a fever are they recommending the child stay home or find alternative daycare.
Colds are viruses that are not treatable with antibiotics. They are plentiful in childcare settings. There is no way to avoid a cold virus except to build an immunity to them, which can only be done in the environment that they thrive in. It may seem that teachers are advocating we parents allow our children to become ill, but they are actually trying to keep our children from becoming more ill. Make sure the little one has plenty of access to tissues and allow the child to go. Washing hands and making sure of disposing of tissues is the best preventative to spreading the virus.
FLU
Most children will get at least one flu virus during their school years. This is inevitable as flu is almost as prolific as cold viruses. With flu, the child will experience fever, aches, fatigue and the possibility of bodily fluids that will gross out the child as well as the parent. If the child is feverish, make sure to use the correct dosage. Pain medication is also available but only in measured doses. The child should remain home and be kept comfortable. Do not make a child ill with flu go to childcare since it is not good for the child or the childcare facility.
EAR INFECTIONS
Most ear infections are treatable with a single week’s dose of antibiotic. It has been my experience that most children don’t get ear infections until late at night, in which case, just treat the child with acetaminophen and call the pediatrician in the morning. Do NOT put anything in the child’s ear. There are home remedies that call for that, but usually those kinds of treatments just cause more problems later on.
RINGWORM AND OTHER PARASITES
Ringworm: There are many ideas of how to treat for ringworm, but the one I find works the best is Tinactin. Just spread it over the rash a couple of times a day for a week and the rash should dry up.
Athlete’s foot: Tinactin is also good for this fungus infection as well. Just make sure to wash the socks in as hot of water as you can get it. Also, get a new pair of shoes, throwing away the old pair. Some people just don’t know that when you pick up a pair of shoes at the Salvation Army or other thrift store, you may be picking up more than just shoes. If that is the only way you can keep shoes on your child, make sure you spray the shoes with Lysol before the little one puts them on since Lysol has a fungicide that most of the other products don’t have.
Ticks: Autumn is the best time of year to pick up ticks. The deer are more active and the ticks are trying harder to find someplace warm and cozy to breed. The best way to remove ticks is to use tweezers. Make sure to get the entire tick off, as sometimes the head likes to detach from its body. Do NOT use Vaseline or some other product to suffocate the tick as this just drives the tick to burrow deeper into the flesh. Save the entire tick in a plastic sandwich zipper baggie in case you have to take it to the pediatrician. You only have to do that if the little one becomes ill within a day or two of removing the tick.
Most childhood illnesses are minor and the other children in your child’s circle have also been exposed. It is just one of the many trials of parenthood.