For many families, the holiday season is often chock-full of social events and family-friendly activities. However, in some cases, the excitement, stress and packed schedule may make your children more susceptible to picking up a cold, flu or other illness. Dealing with a sick child can be stressful even in the best of times, but when your child gets sick during the holidays, you may not be sure what to do. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to prevent illness and to help your child get better if she or he does get sick, including keeping your little one hydrated and supplementing his or her diet with an iron free multivitamin if needed. Here’s what you can do the next time your little one falls ill during the holidays.
Sickness During the Holidays
If you’ve ever wondered why kids tend to get sick more during the winter season and had to spend some time researching can you give Tylenol and cough syrup together, you may want to learn more about some of the common factors that lead to wintertime sickness. Unfortunately, the winter season often combines a number of risk factors that can sometimes become a perfect storm for infectious diseases. For instance, factors that can raise your child’s risk of getting sick include:
- Colder weather outside and more time spent indoors
- More time in large groups of people
- More contact with those who may be carrying seasonal illnesses
- A lowered immune system due to a more indulgent and less healthy diet
- A higher susceptibility to disease due to less sleep and higher levels of stress
- The higher prevalence of seasonal colds and flus
Thankfully, there are a few easy steps that can help mitigate the fallout if your child happens to get sick during this season. As soon as you notice certain symptoms in your child, you should:
- Avoid traveling and cancel plans if necessary
- Focus on appropriate medication and doctors’ visits as needed
- Incorporate healthier foods into your child’s diet to boost their immunity
How To Ease Cold & Flu Symptoms
Should your child get sick while the holidays are ongoing, it’s imperative that you work to ease his or her cold or flu symptoms straightaway. You can easily accomplish this at home if you:
- Give your little one a cold compress if he or she is running a fever
- Make sure your child stays hydrated with plenty of water, tea and broth
- Cook cold-combatting foods such as chicken noodle soup
- Consult with your pediatrician about giving your child appropriate medications
- Consider adding in vitamin supplements or baby cold syrup if needed
- Give your child much-needed emotional support and check in on them regularly
Dealing with a sick child during the holiday season can be both disorienting and stressful. Fortunately, knowing what to do should that situation arise can help diffuse the stress and lead your child back to good health. This holiday season, keep an eye out for the factors that could increase your little one’s chances of getting sick, take preventative measures and be prepared to handle any illness swiftly and effectively should it occur.