It’s Cold Season, Here Are Some Tricks TO Manage Them
“Compensation for this post was provided by hydraSense®. Opinions expressed here are my own.”
It’s that time of year again, the kids are sniffling, rubbing their noses and sneezing non-stop. Viral season. Yuck. I dread this time every year; we play viral roulette in our house. Which one will bring home the dreaded cold first, we don’t know? Then the games continue with viral dominos; one boy gets sick, then the next and the next then we get sick.
Which one will bring home the dreaded cold first, we don’t know? Then the games continue with viral dominos; one boy gets sick, then the next and the next then we get sick.
Back to school brings back to school illnesses. Though many of these illnesses don’t require antibiotics, there are plenty of things you can do to help alleviate the congestion and irritation these colds bring.
What a relief when my older son learned to blow his nose! Unfortunately, my 4 and 1-year-olds are not quite there yet. During their colds, breathing is often difficult, and sleeping suffers, especially for the baby. Those are the worst times for kids, and for us as parents. A miserable baby during the day is hard enough as it is. At night, it is a whole other level of misery. They are snotty and sad and congested. And then we are sad and sleep deprived!
Here are my tricks to managing your kid’s next cold:
Drink it up
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest. This is a simple suggestion but really helpful. If your child has vomiting or diarrhea, it is especially important that they are drinking adequately to maintain hydration. Frequent sips of small amounts of fluid can work wonders. Try using a “crazy straw” to entice reluctant sippers, or even a syringe if they really don’t want to drink!
Treat discomfort from a fever
If your child has a fever, try using acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce it. If your child is less than 2 months of age, see your doctor ASAP if there is any fever. Otherwise, treat any discomfort associated with fever or aches and pains.
A humidifier is your friend
Breathing in humidified air can help decongest and allow you and your kids to breath more easily. Adding drops of eucalyptus oil can help your child breath even better, but keep out of the reach of your child, as it can be toxic.
Honey, honey
Honey can aid in cold recovery in children over the age of one year. On a spoon, in warm water, milk or tea, honey has great, natural antiviral and antibacterial properties to help fight infection. I think it’s the best medicine for a sore throat.
Get the gunk out
Saline drops or spray and suction can work very well to clear the nose of mucous so your child can breathe more easily. In my house, we have various hydraSense® nasal sprays with nozzels to accommodate everyone in our family. Each kid has his own hydraSense suction as well. Luckily we don’t need to use the suction on my 6-year-old much, but the baby still uses his often. Using 100% natural source seawater really helps relieve nasal congestion to help kids breath better. It’s safe for all of them and you can use it multiple times a day to get that gunk out.
A lot of parents are fearful of using a nasal aspirator, but you shouldn’t be! You act as the vacuum to literally suck the mucous out. Don’t worry! It doesn’t go in your mouth. It gets sucked into the filter, and then you take it apart to clean in easily yourself. Simple, fast and effective!
Good luck this viral season! You’ll get through it!
Dina is a wife, mother of 4, and adrenaline junky. She loves to share children’s health information from her professional and personal experience. More About Dr Dina.
