Common Problems
Flu, or common cold.
When children have the flu or upper respiratory infections the best thing to do is to keep them comfortable.
Children often don't eat or drink when they are sick. We are concerned about dehydration. We recommend a small amount of pedialyte every hour on the hour. Pedialyte is expensive, so if the child is over one year of age please give Gatorade or another electrolyte product.
A cool mist humidifier is also recommended.
If the child is breathing (in and out) more than 60 times per minute, then you must go to the emergency room!!!!
For children over the age of 6, some common cold remedies may give then 3-4 hours of relief.
Stomach Flu, or Gastroenteritis.
When the child has vomiting and diarrhea keeping the child hydrated is very important. We recommend pedialyte and if the child is over one year of age, we give Gatorade. Gatorade is not perfect but children will often take Gatorade before they take pedialyte. It is important that the child has sugar, electrolytes and water. There are other products on the market and you may use the product of your choice. Please don't just give water. When a child has diarrhea, he loses a lot of sodium. Your child needs the electolytes.
Give constipating foods like bananas, rice (steamed rice or rice cakes), applesauce (apple juice is not helpful) and saltine crackers.You can give other foods as well just as long as they are bland.
We would tell you to hold the milk and milk products (except breast milk) when the child has the stomache flu as this will make him uncomfortable and it may even cause pain.
There is a study that states that children who take milk during gastroenteritis recover at the same time as children who don't milk, but why would anyone want their child to be uncomfortable.
When the child has vomiting and diarrhea keeping the child hydrated is very important. We recommend pedialyte and if the child is over one year of age, we give Gatorade. Gatorade is not perfect but children will often take Gatorade before they take pedialyte. It is important that the child has sugar, electrolytes and water. There are other products on the market and you may use the product of your choice. Please don't just give water. When a child has diarrhea, he loses a lot of sodium. Your child needs the electolytes.
Give constipating foods like bananas, rice (steamed rice or rice cakes), applesauce (apple juice is not helpful) and saltine crackers.You can give other foods as well just as long as they are bland.
We would tell you to hold the milk and milk products (except breast milk) when the child has the stomache flu as this will make him uncomfortable and it may even cause pain.
There is a study that states that children who take milk during gastroenteritis recover at the same time as children who don't milk, but why would anyone want their child to be uncomfortable.