Getting sick is normal especially for toddlers. It is one way of helping them boost their immune system, even if it is hard to watch your toddler suffering. Here is a guide to help you and your sick toddler make it through this difficult time.

Spot The Signs

The first step to caring for a sick toddler is to know how to spot the symptoms. Here are common signs that will tell you your toddler is sick:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Restlessness
• Low energy
• Lack of appetite
• Rapid breathing
• Rashes

Provide Comfort

Once you spot the symptoms, it is important to treat them at once. Doing this will make an illness more tolerable for your toddler. Use safe home remedies at first. Place a cool-mist vaporizer or a humidifier to moisten the air in your toddler’s room. Give him a warm bath or stay in a steam-filled bathroom for 15 minutes to loosen chest congestion.

In addition, give him a comfortable spot to lie down. Make sure he gets plenty of sleep. Remove excess blankets and clothing. Keep your toddler lightly dressed to prevent overheating. But do not allow him to shiver as this contributes to a rise in temperature. If he does shiver, cover your toddler in a lightweight blanket until the shivering stops. You may give him children’s acetaminophen, ibuprofen or Tylenol to stop shivering and lower fever. Offer him healthy foods and lots of fluids to prevent dehydration so he can keep up his strength. Try chicken noodle or vegetable soup, crackers, fruit smoothies, milk and of course, water.

Most importantly, your sick toddler will need physical comfort from you now more than ever. Cuddle him close to you, pat his back, give a relaxing massage and do soothing activities together such as reading a book or singing a song.

Check Your Toddler Regularly

It is very essential that you know how to use a thermometer so you can constantly check your toddler’s temperature. Mercury and digital thermometers are the most accurate. Monitoring your sick toddler’s temperature will help you determine if he is getting well or getting sicker by the day.

Seek Medical Help

Call your toddler’s pediatrician if you notice any of the following – fever reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit or if fever lasts for more than 2 days, a worsening cough, wheezing or if he is out of breath, rubs his ear or cries unusually when being put to bed, teary eyed (a sign of pinkeye or conjunctivitis, a redness and swelling of the mucus membrane that lines the eyelid and eye surface), extreme changes of eating and sleeping habits and if the symptoms last for more than 14 days or if your toddler takes a turn for the worse instead of starting to improve after 5 to 7 days.

It is a major concern for parents when their toddlers are sick. But it is especially important to be able to tell the difference between a serious illness and a minor one so you can provide the correct medical attention your toddler needs.