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Raising children is never easy: you have to feed them, clothe them, teach them, deal with their problems, and, worst of all, care for them when they are sick.
Whether your kid has a cough, a fever, a stomach bug, or baby colic, life at home can get insufferable. And it’s not only upsetting because your child suffers, but also because you don’t always know how to help them. Even when you have a critical illness cover, it cannot resolve your child’s sickness by itself. After all, money cannot solve all of your problems, even though it may help you buy the necessary medication.
In such a situation, your first order of business is to stop worrying. You need to have a clear head to care for your sick child. Only then can you think about helping the kid get comfortable, feeding, and treating them. Read on to learn about steps you need to take to make sure that your child gets better soon.
Step 1: Stop Worrying
Parenting is no easy task, and it gets even more complicated when you’re dealing with a sick child. Although you might be doing everything in your power to help your kid feel better, sometimes there is nothing you can do to achieve this goal. It means that, more often than not, you should stop worrying and focus on making step-by-step improvements in your child’s condition.
A fever, runny nose, cough, or stomach ache all cause discomfort and sometimes pain. Additionally, some illnesses have long-lasting effects on the body. For instance, a sore throat may cause problems with breathing several weeks after a cold has run its course. However, worrying about these issues instead of focusing your efforts to make the situation better will not bring any positive results.
While you can’t take away the pain of your sick child, you can learn to deal with it better. Here are some simple ways to keep your cool when your kid gets sick:
Accept the Situation
If your household becomes a sick ward, accept that it will be the case until your kid gets better. Acceptance will help you focus on taking care of your kid without getting distracted by other concerns. It will also give you the motivation to get through this challenging time as fast as possible.
Get Some Rest
As a parent, it’s almost impossible to switch off completely. However, there are many times when you need to rest to look after your child properly. If you’re constantly stressed out or tired from staying up all night tending to the sick child, your parenting will suffer, and your kids will end up feeling more miserable than they already are.
Step 2: Help Your Child Get Comfortable
Kids don’t like being sick any more than adults do. They just don’t know what to do about it — aside from complaining a lot. After all, they want to make themselves feel better as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t always understand why they can’t have what they want. Here are some tips on how to make them feel comfortable:
Make Sure That the Room Is Dark and Quiet
By turning your child’s room into a haven, you can significantly improve their well-being. When sleeping in a dark and quiet room, your child won’t be distracted by anything that goes on around them and will have an easier time sleeping. And because a quiet room with little light makes them less anxious, children with a fever are more likely to sleep well and feel better in the morning.
Control the Temperature
Getting too hot can make your child sweat or even cause fevers. On the other hand, getting too cold will make them shiver and shake. Always check if your child has enough blankets or clothes to keep warm.
However, be careful not to go over the board and cover your child under the blankets. If necessary, use a thermometer to check the temperature and adjust accordingly. Additionally, if your child has a nasty case of fever, check their temperature every hour or two. If it’s too high or too low, call the doctor.
Give Your Child Plenty of Fluids
Water, juice, or herbal tea are all good choices when it comes to supplying your child with fluids. Dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea can cause chills and fever symptoms that worsen quickly. It may even lead to seizures in infants and toddlers. In such situations, you need to give them lots of water to prevent them from becoming dehydrated. But remember to check with their doctor before giving them anything new or unusual!
The Bottom Line
Caring for your sick child comes with many responsibilities. Hopefully, after reading this article, you better understand how to act in such a situation. Remember that you can make your child’s condition better if you follow two simple steps: stop worrying and focus on helping your child feel more comfortable.
Next time when your kid gets sick, instead of wringing your hands, accept the situation as it is and start to act. You should control your child’s temperature, create a safe environment for it, and give it plenty of fluids. Nevertheless, do not let your duties chip away at your well-being and get some rest whenever necessary. And, if you have any doubts — call a doctor. If you do all of these things, you should have no problem helping your child get well.