What do I do to prevent sickness?

amother

Wed, Sep 19 2012, 2:54 pm

My kids usually get stuffed nose and start coughing, and a week later they get fever for several days and then it goes away. I always wonder what I can do at the coughing stage to prevent fever and development of cold. I try giving more warm tea but they don't like it.
Is there anything I can do for a EBF baby too?

zaq

Wed, Sep 19 2012, 7:34 pm

the single most effective way to prevent spread of infection is frequent and thorough handwashing with mild soap and water. ALL THE TIME, EVERY DAY. Your hands and theirs. Once the kid starts coughing, that train has already left the station; he's infected and he's going to go through the whole process. You can minimize symptoms by encouraging rest and administering warm fluids--not necessarily tea, but anything warm and tasty the kid will take-- soup (chicken is best but whatever), cocoa, apple juice, lemonade, with or without honey. Plain honey has been shown in an Israeli study to be more effective than a placebo for children's coughs, but don't give honey to a child under 1 year old. Dairy products are believed to increase mucus so not too much of that. children's Tylenol if there are aches and pains or fever. But the only way to stop a cold in its tracks is not to let the kid catch it in the first place. Good luck with that--if you can get your kids to wash their hands before eating or touching any part of their face or anyone else's, you're doing better than most hospitals and health depts.