Is there anything more difficult for parents than when their child is sick? Not much. Fortunately, children learn to talk and can then point and tell where it hurts. But as a parent, you're still often worried about fever and pain, until the little one gets through it and smiles again.
What can you do to support your child with various common ailments?
Here are tips for home care of children with:
Fever
Cough
Stomach ache
Sleep problems
What can I do when my child has a fever?
1. Foods that help the body
It's completely normal for children (even adults) to want to eat less when they have a cold or flu. The body needs its strength to do other things than digest food, namely fight viruses. Therefore, eating easily digestible but nutritious food is best. Such as watermelon, vegetable juice, miso soup, warm soup with blended vegetables, onions and garlic, coconut water and fruits like pineapple and grapefruit. Avoid all white sugar, ready-made fruit juices and all dairy products until the child is well.
2. Extra water
Give the child extra water, lemon water and small sips of warm water with ginger, lemon and honey.
3. Beneficial herbal teas
Give herbal teas with chamomile, peppermint or elderflower. Elderberry syrup is also very effective and the taste is usually appreciated.
4. Supplements for children with fever
Good supplements for fever are vitamin C, zinc and propolis as well as vitamin D in child dosage.
5. Soothing & cooling
Place a cold, wet towel on the forehead.
6. Cool bedroom
Ventilate the bedroom several times a day and change the pillowcase.
7. Soothing scents
Use essential oils in an aroma lamp in the bedroom, such as essential lavender or eucalyptus.
Remember!
Fever is the body's way of fighting infections, it's completely normal. But if the fever becomes very high, very quickly, or is very high for more than 3 days, you should contact a doctor.
What can I do when my child has a cough?
1. Remove dairy
Remove all dairy products until the cough is gone.
2. Extra water
Drink plenty of water, small sips can be taken during coughing attacks, and preferably herbal tea with honey.
3. What can the child eat?
Eat soup of various kinds, preferably with vegetables and cooked garlic.
4. Help for the cough
Rub throat and chest with a carrier oil such as pure almond oil or jojoba oil mixed with a few drops of essential oils of peppermint (only for children over 3 years) and eucalyptus or lavender. Use 2 drops to 10 ml of carrier oil.
You can also make your own "chest rub" salve with natural ingredients.
**Recipe for "chest rub" salve
Ingredients
4 tsp beeswax
7 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp shea butter
10 drops eucalyptus oil
8 drops lavender oil
2 saucepans, one that can sit inside the other as a double boiler.
Instructions
Place the smaller saucepan inside the larger one. The smaller saucepan should not touch the bottom of the larger one.
Bring the water to a gentle boil.
Add the beeswax to the smaller saucepan and let it melt.
Add the shea butter and let it melt. Mix well.
Remove from heat.
Add coconut oil and essential oils. Mix well.
Pour into a glass jar with a lid.
Let it cool, it will transform into a solid cream.
Can be stored at room temperature for about 1.5 years, store away from sunlight and heat.
5. Soothe the throat
Give the child 1 tsp with half fresh lemon juice and half honey. Remember that honey varies in quality, we always recommend cold-extracted honey.
6. Supplements for children with cough
Good supplements are vitamin C, zinc and propolis for children and especially our Lung Health.
7. Sleep position
Raise the head of the bed with books so the upper body is elevated at night.
8. Humidity
Use a humidifier at home to ease breathing.
What can I do when my child has a stomach ache?
1. Log what your child eats
If this happens often, write down what your child eats for a period of time and see if there's a recurring pattern or a possible hidden allergy. You can also take a food intolerance test, which is different from visible allergies that cause rapid reactions. Food intolerances can cause delayed reactions that can persist for a long time and worsen overall health.
2. Increase your child's fiber intake
If your child often suffers from constipation or diarrhea, it may be due to an imbalance of fiber in the diet. Suddenly increasing fiber intake can also worsen the problem, so it must be a gradual change over several weeks. The best way to increase children's fiber intake is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
3. Good foods to eat for stomach aches
For ongoing stomach aches, give blueberries, cooked rice, cooked fish, cooked vegetables and homemade soup.
4. Foods to avoid for stomach aches
Avoid meat, eggs, raw fruit, especially apples, white sugar, beans and legumes until the pain is gone.
5. Tea for the stomach
Chamomile tea is soothing for children with upset stomachs. Peppermint and lemon balm are also good herbal teas.
6. Heat soothes
Get a hot water bottle or wheat pillow and place it on the stomach. We promise the whole family will want to use it.
7. Supplements for children with stomach aches
Good supplements are probiotics, which are beneficial gut bacteria, also called lactic acid bacteria.
8. Fermented foods
If your child likes fermented foods, sauerkraut is good for the stomach.
What can I do when my child can't sleep?
1. How is the bedroom environment?
Review the sleeping area. For example, how is the bed positioned, where are the windows, are there mirrors that disturb, does it get appropriately dark, does the child feel safe? How can the bedroom be improved?
2. Cool bedroom for sleep
Ventilate the room during the day so it's fresh at bedtime, it shouldn't be too warm. Many children (even adults) sleep better with socks on.
3. Calming oils
Use essential lavender oil in an aroma lamp in the bedroom.
4. Calm the senses
Play calming music or nature sounds like ocean waves. We recommend Dr Jeffrey Thompson's wave sounds.
5. Good tea that calms
Make your own evening tea for the children.
Ingredients
1 dl lemon balm
1 dl peppermint
1 dl chamomile
Place all ingredients in a jar. Put on the lid and shake until well mixed.
For children: let 1 tsp tea steep in 1 cup of warm water for a few minutes.
For adults: let 1 tbsp steep in 1 cup of warm water for five minutes. Add a little honey if desired.
6. Review the diet
Food intolerances affect our sleep. It's important to ensure that children get good food that doesn't disturb their system. You can give them protein-rich food during the day and more carbohydrates in the evening such as rice, potatoes and bananas and see if that supports sleep.
Avoid sugar as much as possible, definitely in the afternoon and evening. Give a banana instead.
7. Supplements for children with sleep problems
Good supplements are magnesium.
Children under 25 kg can have their legs rubbed with a pea-sized amount of Ancient Minerals cream which provides magnesium through the skin. It's very good when they have restless legs.
Please share your best tips!
