How to Treat Flu in Toddlers
Keep your child hydrated., Let the child sleep longer., Keep your child warm., Help your child breathe with a humidifier., Make chicken soup., Comfort your child.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep your child hydrated.
Children may forget to drink enough fluids when they are not feeling well.
In addition, you child will lose water faster than usual if her body is producing mucus or if she is running a fever.
Offer her plenty of liquids frequently and encourage her to drink even if she isn’t thirsty.
Good drinks include water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water.
The juice, broth, and lemon water will also help replenish her electrolytes.
Monitor your child for signs of dehydration including decreased urination, no tears when crying, sleepiness, dizziness, constipation, headaches, irritability, dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes, passing dark or cloudy urine.
Getting enough fluid will also help control your child’s fever. -
Step 2: Let the child sleep longer.
Fighting of the flu will sap your child’s energy, so extra sleep is very important.
Let your child sleep for as long as he can.
This may include naps during the day.
The amount of sleep your child needs will vary according to age and individual needs.
In general healthy children need:11 – 18 hours as newborns 9 – 12 hours from 4 to 11 months old 11 – 14 hours from 1 to 2 years old 11– 13 hours when they are 3 to 5 years old 9 – 11 hours when they are 6 to 13 years old 8 – 10 hours in their teens , If your child’s temperature rises, she may get the chills and even start shivering.
This occurs when the body temperature rises in relation to the air temperature.
If your child gets the chills, take her temperature to see if she is running a fever and keep her warm.
A normal body temperature is
98.6°F (37°C).
Most pediatricians define a fever as a temperature of
100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
Tuck her into bed and put extra blankets on the bed.
If your child is an infant, wrap her in a blanket and hold her.
Your body heat will help keep her warm.
If her fever starts coming down she may suddenly feel very warm and remove the blankets.
Let her regulate her temperature as needed.
Remove extra blankets if your infant starts to feel very warm. , Use a cool-mist humidifier to keep the air moist in his room when he sleeps at night.
This will make it easier for him to breathe, soothe coughing, and help him fall asleep quickly.A cool-mist humidifier is safer than a hot-water vaporizer for children.
This way if he bumps into it in the night, there is no risk that he will get burned.
If you don’t have a humidifier, you can make one by putting a pot of water on the radiator in the child’s room.
If the radiator is on, the water will steadily evaporate and moisten the air. , Chicken soup is excellent for helping the body fight an infection.
The fluid will prevent dehydration and the salt and nutrients will replenish electrolytes that may have been lost during sweating.As your child starts to feel better you can add some vegetables, noodles, or chunks of chicken to the broth to make it heartier.
As your child starts to feel better, her appetite will return. , Providing emotional support will help him to relax, sleep and fight the infection.
He may be prone to crying or irritable when sick.
Try to offer him ways to distract himself from the discomfort of being ill.
You can:
Provide him with a favorite book or read to him until he falls asleep for a nap Play music or a book on tape for him so he can listen while relaxing in bed Allow him to watch television or a movie -
Step 3: Keep your child warm.
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Step 4: Help your child breathe with a humidifier.
-
Step 5: Make chicken soup.
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Step 6: Comfort your child.
Detailed Guide
Children may forget to drink enough fluids when they are not feeling well.
In addition, you child will lose water faster than usual if her body is producing mucus or if she is running a fever.
Offer her plenty of liquids frequently and encourage her to drink even if she isn’t thirsty.
Good drinks include water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water.
The juice, broth, and lemon water will also help replenish her electrolytes.
Monitor your child for signs of dehydration including decreased urination, no tears when crying, sleepiness, dizziness, constipation, headaches, irritability, dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes, passing dark or cloudy urine.
Getting enough fluid will also help control your child’s fever.
Fighting of the flu will sap your child’s energy, so extra sleep is very important.
Let your child sleep for as long as he can.
This may include naps during the day.
The amount of sleep your child needs will vary according to age and individual needs.
In general healthy children need:11 – 18 hours as newborns 9 – 12 hours from 4 to 11 months old 11 – 14 hours from 1 to 2 years old 11– 13 hours when they are 3 to 5 years old 9 – 11 hours when they are 6 to 13 years old 8 – 10 hours in their teens , If your child’s temperature rises, she may get the chills and even start shivering.
This occurs when the body temperature rises in relation to the air temperature.
If your child gets the chills, take her temperature to see if she is running a fever and keep her warm.
A normal body temperature is
98.6°F (37°C).
Most pediatricians define a fever as a temperature of
100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
Tuck her into bed and put extra blankets on the bed.
If your child is an infant, wrap her in a blanket and hold her.
Your body heat will help keep her warm.
If her fever starts coming down she may suddenly feel very warm and remove the blankets.
Let her regulate her temperature as needed.
Remove extra blankets if your infant starts to feel very warm. , Use a cool-mist humidifier to keep the air moist in his room when he sleeps at night.
This will make it easier for him to breathe, soothe coughing, and help him fall asleep quickly.A cool-mist humidifier is safer than a hot-water vaporizer for children.
This way if he bumps into it in the night, there is no risk that he will get burned.
If you don’t have a humidifier, you can make one by putting a pot of water on the radiator in the child’s room.
If the radiator is on, the water will steadily evaporate and moisten the air. , Chicken soup is excellent for helping the body fight an infection.
The fluid will prevent dehydration and the salt and nutrients will replenish electrolytes that may have been lost during sweating.As your child starts to feel better you can add some vegetables, noodles, or chunks of chicken to the broth to make it heartier.
As your child starts to feel better, her appetite will return. , Providing emotional support will help him to relax, sleep and fight the infection.
He may be prone to crying or irritable when sick.
Try to offer him ways to distract himself from the discomfort of being ill.
You can:
Provide him with a favorite book or read to him until he falls asleep for a nap Play music or a book on tape for him so he can listen while relaxing in bed Allow him to watch television or a movie
About the Author
Teresa Kim
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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