Getting sick is no fun, and especially with little ones, you can expect to at least get some sniffles during cold and flu season. This year has seemed particularly bad with friends across the country experiencing not only the flu, but other aggressive viruses, including upper respiratory and GI infections. We’ve known quite a few little babies put in the hospital for RSV and among our own family we have already had some tummy bugs and various upper respiratory issues. We choose to get the flu vaccine, we wash our hands and are as reasonably cautious as possible, but it feels a bit inevitable that we’ll all catch something sooner or later.
Especially during this season, here are some things I tell my friends:
- I’m not a doctor, you’re not a doctor, so call your doctor. Okay some of my friends are doctors and my dad is as well, but even they call other doctors when the time comes. Doctors have had countless years of school, training and experience and are in this field for a reason – they want to help. I’ve had some not as pleasant experiences with medical practitioners, but by and large they are prepared to take your call or visit, answer your questions and would rather you speak up than anything because the risk of not seeking out care and something truly needing medical attention is greater than anything else.
- They have the degree, but you are the number one expert on your child. That was the most kind, helpful, and empowering thing Margaret’s first pediatrician said to us when we were new parents and she was a fresh little babe – it stuck with me. I don’t mean that just by Googling a few things you’re suddenly a medical professional, rather to me this means trust your gut. Our handout from a recent visit to the ER describing viral symptoms to look out for and immediately call about in young children and babies included the vague “if they just don’t look right”. Good doctors and nurses place value on parents noticing that “something just isn’t right” so listen to your instincts.
- Do what it takes. Margaret has had unlimited screen time. She is 4 – almost 5 – and she is prone to gogogogogogo. When her fever is high and she is truly feeling crummy she lays around and sleeps. But as soon as the medicine gets her temperature remotely lower she starts to feel better which means she wants to do something, even though she needs to rest. This is where Disney+ and her tablet really help. Enabling her to stay at rest as much as possible, not to mention keeping her separate from baby Catherine is way more important to me than worrying about screen time for a few days. So do what you have to do.
- Know when to call it. Here is a thoughtful post I enjoyed from Lee Cordon of DoSayGive on the “Etiquette of Germs”. This topic is a hot one and I remember early on as a first time parent feeling like every runny nose was a reason to cover our house in caution tape. A little snot and I’d cancel play dates and family outings. Soon I learned the difference between a runny nose and a child headed downhill. Still I like give my friends a heads up and the whole story, and appreciate when they do so vice versa. If I have any concerns I call my pediatrician’s office to feel it out and go from there and I suggest the same approach to my friends. We’ve had to cancel and reschedule trips, miss birthday parties and abandon other fun plans – but better safe than sorry. Our schools have always had clear guidelines that we respect and follow and I am thankful that my position as a stay-at-home parents has allowed me this flexibility. However most of our tough conversations have been surrounding things like play dates, trips and special events and I am currently writing this from nearly a week of quarantine after missed parties and cancelled plans. We’re all a little stir crazy but finally ready to enjoy a fun day tomorrow before Margaret heads back to school.
Aside from these philosophies, here are a few of our current go-to products this time of year. Good luck this season and stay healthy!
Hibiclens, Amazon, ($7) This soap is our on our counter year-round. Sometimes it is used for doctors surgically prepping their hands before a procedure, but it is gentle enough for at-home use. As always, read the instructions on your own, but in our house it is a regular part of our hand washing and I started when I first had baby Catherine. Margaret knew the routine and would come in from school each day and use her “special soap”. She learned to sing “Happy Birthday” during her post-school hand washing to make sure those hands were extra clean!
Nose Frida, Amazon, ($16) At first I resisted the Nose Frida at first because I thought it had to be a scam, just clever marketing to get more money from scared new parents – why couldn’t I just use the free bulb from the hospital? Margaret’s first and particularly bad ear infection when we were out-of-town led me to a pediatric urgent care where the doctor we saw said to get a Nose Frida immediately because it is more effective at removing snot, which means less risk of secondary infections. Our pediatrician fully supported it and we’ve never looked back. As always, talk to your doctor with any questions. Also worth mentioning that it is widely advised to limit the amount of nasal suctioning you do each day – ours said 2-3 times daily.
Saline Mist Nasal Spray, Amazon, ($6) Along with suctioning comes the goal of keeping nasal passages moist and we’ve found the “mist” to be easiest for the littlest noses. I keep a few fresh ones around since you don’t reuse these.
Boogie Wipes (3-Pack), Amazon, $10 Another baby item I felt sure was a scam is “Boogie Wipes”, but now the whole family is hooked. Saline moistened wipes that keep everyone’s nose from looking like Rudolph and feeling on fire, it is a sick-day splurge beyond regular tissues that is worth it in our book.
Pedialyte Powder (3 Packs of 8), Amazon ($24.31) One of the best fever fighters and immunity boosters is hydration. When necessary to give a little hydration boost, we rely on having the Pedialyte Powder around. It give flexibility to have different flavors which can encourage fussy little patients to drink, instead of one jug of the same old. Plus the consistency of the powder mixed with water versus the premixed option we find is better if you’re dealing with tummy troubles because the slimy viscocity of the Pedialyte from the jug can be too much sometimes.
Culturelle Probiotics, Amazon, ($17) I’ve now gotten into the habit to ask the doctor if they recommend probiotics whenever we’re discussing a new prescription or new course of medicine (even just more Tylenol and Ibuprofen than usual) because we’ve found that the probiotics help with any GI complication. We do not do probiotics on a regular basis, just as needed and per pediatrician recommendation.
No-Contact Thermometer, Walgreens, (similar, $22) After what feels like years of searching we finally have a thermometer that works! The pharmacist said this is the one they use on their own kids and after Margaret’s recent virus I brought this thermometer into the ER and Pediatrician’s office with me to make sure it was accurate against their thermometers, and it is! Follow the instructions for where and how to use it, but I suggest taking multiple readings each time. Apparently it is even FSA eligible. The reviews are low on the website but we’ve really put it through the test all day every day for the past week and it has been an MVP.
Clorox Spray w/ Bleach (2-Pack), Amazon, ($30) I love Mrs. Meyers and oily lavender scented organic fancy sounding counter sprays and cleaning agents. But there are bacteria and viruses out there that truly will only respond to bleach. Here’s a little tidbit from the CDC on this subject pertaining to the Norovirus for example. This past go around with Margaret, one of the sudden issues was gastrointestinal and after a little code-brown bathtub surprise, a cleaning agent with bleach was the only option.
