Eve has been sick for a week now. Well, since we started her in créche a couple of months ago she has been sick most of the time with a few breaks inbetween to allow us to catch our breath before the new virus sets up house. Up until now she hadn’t had a sick day in her short life so dealing with a sick child is a new one for me. Her latest illness seems to be a bad dose of bronchitis.
Sad but true fact of living in Ireland: it costs so much to go to your local doctor (€50 – 55 is the going rate, plus any prescriptions he might give you) that it makes you play the waiting game walking the line between paranoid and responsible parent. Well, she’s not getting any better so I’m bringing her today making the grand total I’ve spent on doctor’s visits in the last two months a whopping €260! All for colds and flus and things the doctor couldn’t help with anyway. Still, she’s just so miserable it doesn’t matter how much it costs if he can actually do something to help her.
Anyway. Here’s my list of ways to keep a coughing, sniffling, wheezing toddler as comfortable as possible. If you have any others please feel free to pass them on to me:
1. Stick a pillow under the top of her mattress to raise her head up a little. Helps to relieve the congestion so she can sleep.
2. Luke warm sponge baths to keep her fever down.
3. A little Vaporub massaged into her chest and back before bed after the bath.
4. All her favourite shows on the TV…Pingu, Boobah (well, she is sick after all), Pocoyo and Peppa Pig.
5. Plenty of cold drinks. She has her two sippy cups to hand at all times with cold orange squash in them to soothe her throat and to make sure she’s getting plenty of fluid.
6. She’s not eating well but she still loves her smoothies from The Happy Pear down in the village. They have a cold buster one that’s full of Vitamin C.
7. Plenty of cuddling on the couch watching Christmas movies like The Santa Clause and Miracle on 34th St.
8. Lots of rest. I know she’s not well when she comes and asks me can she go “night-night” at four o’clock in the afternoon.
9. Loose comfy clothes. It seems logical to bundle her up but that only makes her fever worse.
10. If all else fails a stiff shot of brandy works wonders. Heh, only joking…kind of.
11 replies on “10 Toddler Cold-Soothers”
Poor Eve! Poor you and Matt!! It sounds like you’re taking good care of her though. I hope she gets better soon, so she’s not miserable anymore and so you don’t lose your sanity. 😉
Is the brandy for you or her?
Weeeelll…
Although I do seem to remember someone who became quite the connoisseur of hot whiskey toddies whenever she had the slightest sniffle, ahem!
Hey! You got to do something to keep you warm on those bitter cold Irish winter nights! Whiskey just seemed cheaper than the electric bill!
Somehow I knew the conversation would take this twist if Sarah were involved! 🙂
You’re such a good Mama, Claire! Hope your darling Eve is better by now and you & Matt are regaining some sanity in your home!
Love to you!
Thanks Angie, sanity, such as it was, is returning slowly. She’s doing a lot better the last couple of days. Antibiotics are a wonderful thing!
Glad Eve is improving. Yes, repeated doctor bills and medicine are so expensive. We’ve had this lately and coupled with high dental bills. I’m also convinced you can catch something just in the doctor’s waiting room!
hi my baby is ill too and your infomation has given me and my baby hope and faith. What do i do when she wont drink? Can you please answer me because i need help!
xxx
Hi Halyley, if your baby is that ill please bring her to the doctor. Babies get dehydrated very quickly. I hope she feels better soon!
Here is another bit of encouragement for all those first time parents . . . babies get sick fast but they also get well fast. Just make sure they drink!
my son’s pediatrician said that vaporub can be “toxic” for toddlers. Being that i’m a new mom, i freaked when i found out my mother in law rubbed some on him when he had a cold….