My husband works full-time at a hospital and part-time at a school. As you can imagine, this means that cold and flu season is kind of a big deal around our house. Add in living in one of the “top ten worst cities for sinus and allergies” in the USA, and it’s not a great combination. One thing I didn’t realize about becoming a parent was how often your kid would get sick (especially if your husband works in two of the germiest places you can think of.) Yeah, most children average between six and ten colds a year. I knew the facts! What I didn’t realize was exactly what it meant to deal with six or ten colds a year. Not to mention, kids are totally willing to share their germs with their parents…and anyone else around them. Things can get pretty “ew” around our house pretty fast.
If you’re like me and you’re not feeling like being used as a tissue lately, you’ve probably come up with some good ways to help your sick kid get relief. We’ve got quite a few tricks up our sleeve when we feel a cold coming on, and we rush to the rescue as soon as we hear that first tiny sneeze. Here are 5 tips for relieving kids’ cold symptoms. . We hope thesemake your kiddo more comfortable when they’re feeling the ick.
1. Steam Showers
Snotty nose? Steam is my favorite way to loosen up that mucus and get some relief. It worked for me when I was a kid, and it works for me now. If steamy hot showers aren’t an option, you can always try a cool mist humidifier to get some moisture into the air. We love our humidifier!
2. Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing makes you think of cold season quite like chicken soup. Whether your family swears by caldo de pollo or Campbell’s in a can, there’s something soothing about chicken noodle soup. The warmth is soothing on a sore throat, and it helps kiddos (or adults) get some calories in when a cold has stolen their appetite. You can’t go wrong with this classic remedy.
3. Water
What? Water? Yep! Staying hydrated is my favorite way to keep that nose running. Runny noses are pretty ick, but it’s way better than letting your snot get so thick that it sits in your nose and you get a sinus infection. Trust me, I’ve done that enough times that now I listen to my old doctor’s advice and down as much water as I can during the course of a cold. I also drink a lot of orange juice during a cold, but that’s just because I like it.
4. Heating Pads
One of the worst things about cold and flu season is the muscle aches that come with some viruses. I mean, you already feel gross, but then your muscles turn against you too? Ew. That’s when a good heating pad comes in handy. Whether you choose the rice packs that you microwave or the kind you plug in, a heating pad can make a difference between sore muscles and “help I’m dying” muscles. We always try to keep ours handy!
5. Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, Children’s Dimetapp®
When Sick just got real™, it’s always great to have the right medicine on hand. Check out Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, and Children’s Dimetapp® for the worst, hardest to relieve symptoms that your kid is dealing with. Whenever we have a fever in our house, we always reach for Advil! Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, and Children’s Dimetapp® all have websites to help you find the best medicine for your child’s age and symptoms.
Even though cold and flu season might be almost over, we’ve still got spring allergy season. Make sure you have a game plan for when Sick gets real. *Remember to consult your physician before giving your child medication.
What’s your best tip for helping a sick kiddo feel better?
Contest: One lucky reader will win a $25 Visa Gift card and 1 bottle each of Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, Children’s Dimetapp®.
Hugs work best!
Lots of liquids and a bunch of tissues
Rest and fluids
We alternate advil and tylenol…plus lots of love and liquids!
Lots of liquids, hugs and resting!
Cuddles, drinks lots of water ,sleep, and medicine
I believe in lots of fluids and lots of love.
Mine always feel better with lots of cuddling.
My best tip is lots of rest and fluids.
My tip would be the steamy shower as that is what has been giving my daughter relief and gets it were she will fall asleep.
I always give my kids medicine to alleviate their symptoms but I think the key to making them feel better is cuddles.
I make sure my children get lots of rest, fluids and take medication.
I ask a nurse or doctor and do what I was told to do but always hear water stay hydrated good idea.
A heating pad, extra pillows, and some chicken noodle soup!
My tip is to stay hydrated. Thanks for the giveaway!
Drink lots of juice, chicken noodle soup, medicine and plenty of rest.
Have patience, with your child and the clock
I believe in plenty of fluids, soup, movies and lots of cuddles! Rest is good too, but depending on the age it doesn’t always happen. If it does I like to clean and sanitize.
I like to give my daughter’s pedialyte, water and ibuprofen
So many great products. Great medicine, lots of snuggles and lots of fluid seems to help. Oh and endless Netflix! 😉
Rest, cuddles, liquids and making sure they take their meds.
Putting a humidifier in the room when your kiddo sleeps has always worked well in our house.
REST, WATER AND MOMMY TAKING CARE OF THEM 🙂
Home made chicken noodle soup, popsicles and freshly squeezed orange juice and lots of hugs.
medicine, fluids, and cuddle time
Doing what you can to make them feel comfortable. This can mean a heating blanket, more blankets, less blankets, juices instead of just water, runs to the store for popsicles, and more.
I make homemade chicken soup and lots of bed rest. Plenty of fluids and a brunch of DVD’s to watch.
Cuddles, movies, and lots of fluid.
My best tip for making a sick child feel better is to pamper them by making a “bed” on the sofa and helping them to get as much rest as possible.
Lots of water, rest and cuddles.
Making sure they get plenty of rest.
Make sure they have lots of meds, liquids, and a chicken noodle soup broth.
Lots of rest and extra vitamins always helps.
Put on a good movie and let them cuddle up on the couch.
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My best tip is to make sure they get plenty of rest and fluids.
Just helping to control their symptoms so they feel comfortable and get enough rest.
Steam showers really do work miracles when kids are sick! And chicken noodle soup fixes everything!
I think snuggles always make the kids feel better when they are sick.
form name Barbara Montag
thank you
I try to comfort them in any way but my kids rarely want to be messed with when they are sick so I would just come in and ask them if thay needed anything.
getting sleep and meds and love!
Great tips… I’ll make sure my kids get enough vitamin, fluid and take warm baths!
Lots of snuggles, lukewarm baths, plenty of fluids.
It’s such a bummer when our little ones are sick. These are great ways to help make them feel better. My medicine cabinet is always stocked, just in case.
Great tips. I’m super sick right now and hope to feel better soon. A bowl of soup sounds perfect right now.
SLEEP rest and Ginger Ale
My best tip is to get them as comfortable as possible, with favorite blanket, movie. medicine and lots of hugs.
I think that children’s advil works really great and also a lot of love and soup.
Children’s Advil has been a go to for my family since I can remember. It never fails!
Aw I didnt know Advil had their own plush owl. I am a firm believer steam showers can help a lot with colds!
A heating pad was such a comforting tool when the kids were sick. We use it, even though they are teens now.
When my kids are sick, especially my youngest, I make sure he stays cool by using a cold washcloth on his forehead. I also prop him up with lots of pillows so he can breathe better.
Lots of cuddles and books.
Lots of cuddles, lots of rest and if they are over a year honey and lemon water is our go to for cold/cough relief!
I make sure kids get enough rest and drink lots of water or tea
My kids are constantly getting colds now that they both attend school part time. These are great tips to help deal with all those sniffles.
I always try steam showers and chicken noodle soup first. I’ll have to try your other tips as well next time.
I make sure my kids get plenty of fluids, Children’s advil for the fever and body aches, good movies, and their favorite stuffed animal.
Wow, I did not know that kids average 6 to 10 colds a year.
And with the jobs your husband works, you must be a master at dealing with this!
give them lots of snuggles and trust your instinct with what care they need
I couldn’t even imagine 6 – 10 colds a year. I get maybe one or two and they knock me off my feet every time!
My tip is to make sure that they drink plenty of fluids and to give them activities to distract them from feeling bad.
Those are great suggestions. I agree with the thinking that orange juice helps. Also if your kids are a little older, I find that chicken broth is very helpful too.
That’s the worst when our kids have colds. We want to do everything we can to keep them healthy. My tip is to wash your hands a lot and try to clean everything with antibacterial wipes.
Rest, liquids, lots of love and attention!
Rest, juice and cozy spot on the couch.
Actually, when my daughter was little I tried the onion poultice in cheese cloth, and it worked like a charm! It really helps with congestion.
When my kids were still young, I made them chicken noodle soup when they were feeling under the weather. I’d put vaporub on the soles of their feet and cover them with socks to help relieve the congestion. Lots of hugs, comfort food, and undivided attention do work wonders too.
Warm blanket on the sofa with their favorite DVD on the TV.
I give my girls medicine depending on their symptoms. I have them drink plenty of water to keep them hydrated. I keep them comfy and we watch movies together.
Kids spend all day in a germ infested warfare. It’s no wonder they get sick all the time. Robitussin is my go to when my son and I have colds.
Get lots of sleep.
Keep them on sofa with books, blanket, soups and liquids.
Thanks for all the great tips when dealing with a cold. That’s a very difficult thing when our kids are not feeling well. Lots of chicken soup and lots of rest does the best for my daughter. Advil and Tylenol are great to have on hand as well.
We make sure to have them rest more, drink more fluids and take appropriate medicines.
Dealing with sick kids is the worst. We always make sure to have plenty of medicine on hand for when those germs strike tough, and extra rest helps too!
These are all great tips, I love using vapor rub when you can and extra hugs for sure! There are so many ways we can help our kiddos relieve cold symptoms!
Definitely lots of cuddles, books and popsicles.
I am a total believer in chicken soup! Lots of love and cuddling up to watch some movies
My best tip is to keep them warm, hydrated and make sure they get lots of rest.
I make sure they get plenty of rest and fluids.
These are some great tips. We like to use eucalyptus essential oils too.
I try to make sure my son drinks plenty and is cozy with a warm blanket and a movie.
I usually help my sick child feel better by giving him or her a lot of attention and plenty of fluids and I keep them comfortable and warm.
Making them comfortable , we cuddle on the couch and put on a movie.
Aside from the medical stuff, one of the beset ways to help the kids feel better is to give them their favorite toy to keep them company. That’s my biggest tip.
These are great tips. Plenty of liquids is just as important for the little ones when they’re sick as it is for us.
There is nothing worse than a sick child! I always make sure my kids have plenty of fluids and rest. And the humidifier works wonders as well!
I make sure they get a lot of rest and fluids and take medication.
Singing to them always help with a small dose of medicine.
The are all great ways to help the little ones feel better. We always used a humidifier and I made sure my son drank lots of fluids.
I did the same thing when my kids were little. Dimetapp was such a relief to have, the same with Advil. I also have a cool patch to help lower their temperature when they are running a fever.
Whenever my kids are sick they always get lots of fluids and a “steam”. They think the steam works like magic.
Lots of cuddles, steam and Children’s Advil seem to be a good combination in our house for tackling colds!
I was always so sick, lots of popcycles, rest and fluids! Hopefully avoiding the hospital trip that usually happened to me.
Let them have all of the popsicles they want.
A steam shower always works wonders when relieving a child’s cold symptoms. Staying hydrated is also a great tip.
He could bring all kinds of yucky stuff home from those two jobs. All your tips were helpful in keep sickness at bay. Stock up on medicine before you need to use it.
I grew up on Dimetapp, so I KNOW it works. I always give it to my kids when they are sick.
lots of fluids,,good cold popcyles,,and sitting on the couch cuddling
Yes! Cuddles from mom makes everything a little better 🙂
Just try to make them comfortable