Common ailments and Remedies

When our children are small they are prone to many illness and we tend to panic even when they sneeze. There are some tips which I have learnt along the way for some of the minor illnesses which can be handled in consultation with your doctor.

·        Cough and Cold: the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that we don’t use any over-the-counter cough and cold syrup for children under the age of six.  Our children when they initially join school probably get about one cold a month. The frequency reduces when the immunity becomes stronger. Try nebulising with saline. Use nasoclear to flush out the nose as they are not capable of blowing their noses just as yet. 
     
      Make them sleep with their head elevated. Don’t use vicks or rub alcohol on their chest as many would recommend. Their skins are super sensitive. Above the age of 1 you can give them honey and ginger to soothe their throats. Hot soup also helps to relieve a sore throat. Incase there is a lot of phlegm and your child is having breathing difficulties or vomiting after a coughing bout or has fever it is better to consult your doctor.

·        Fever:  the 'three day rule' always applies here; if the fever goes away after three days then the origin of the fever was viral and only requires symptomatic relief, otherwise it was bacterial in origin and would require an antibiotic. Fever is a way of the body telling you that there is an infection and fever suppressing medication should only be given when the child is uncomfortable or the fever is 100 and above. The fever is the way of telling the body that to fight the infection. Do consult your doctor if the fever is 102 and above despite giving calpol/crocin.

·        Diarrhea: plenty of pro-biotics like enterogermina and curd are advisable. Most diarrheas are self-limiting in nature and resolve within 3 to 4 days. Avoid food that will irritate your babies’ tummy and ensure your baby is hydrated. Try giving your child a BRAT diet – banana, rice, apple sauce and toast. Give a lot of nimbu pani and coconut water. Keep your babies body hydrated. In-case there is no relief within 24 hrs and the child passes more than 4 stools and is accompanied by fever ,consult your pediatrician. 

·        Constipation: lack of fibre in diet can cause constipation in babies; ensure that your child eats one small katori of veggies and fruit every day, as also drinks plenty of fluid. It’s all about the fluid and fiber ratio in their diet. You can give your child a sachet of pediatric laxopeg a day (for not more than a month) or use a glycerine suppository. Incase the problem doesnt resolve do consult your doctor.

·        Skin rash/dryness: calamine and coconut oil always help, but make sure to see a doctor to rule out any infection/allergy.

·        Hand, foot and mouth disease: this is a viral infection which most pre-schoolers get; there is no need to panic. It is self-limiting and the doctor would prescribe ointments like 'Tess' and 'Orasore' to relieve pain while eating. Vanilla ice cream is known to soothe mouth sores so your child can have plenty of that.

     ·         Worms: make sure to de-worm your child according to body weight, every six                months.The medication used for this purpose is Abendazole but should not be              used often.

·        Teething: give your child 'calcarea phos' (homeopathy) as prescribed by your doctor and make sure you give your child one of those cooled teeth-ers which calms their gums.

·    Minor cuts and burns: clean a cut under running water, apply pressure for 1 minute so that it stops bleeding and then apply 'Betadine' ointment.  Keep the affected burn area in cold water and apply a topical antibiotic.

·   Ear pain: it could be because of too much earwax build up or a bacterial infection. If there is no fever then its most likely to be earwax buildup –soliwax can be used to clear out the excess wax (to be used thrice a day for three days) and in-case of fever and earache, a doctor needs to be consulted for an antibiotic and ear drops.

The most important thing that you can do is not to panic and stay calm - only if you are calm and collected, will your child be calm as well. And being relaxed will ensure that you follow your maternal instincts and take care of your child. Children feed off stress, so for a happy baby you need to be a happy mommy. There have been instances where I have really panicked over my child falling sick which I could have taken in my stride. Like there was this time when my child was constipated and every time he pooped there was blood. 

When you see your child’s blood you panic big time, so I decided to Google. I have come to realize that Google is your worst enemy in times of distress because it will give the worst possible outcome when you type out the symptoms. Always ....always consult a doctor first before knocking on Dr. Googles door. And of course it couldn’t get worse if you end up with a doctor who is retarded enough to recommend that your child needs a colonoscopy at age 2.5.  Thankfully better sense and of course maternal extinct pervaded and I got a second opinion. Turns out all that straining had caused a tiny tear in his patoote and all I needed to do was increase the fiber in his diet. 
Bottom-line: Don’t panic. Stay Calm.

Murphy’s law of parenting- if you are up all night with a feverish, screaming and miserable child, his symptoms will disappear as soon as you step into the doctor’s office.