Your child has come home from daycare with the sniffles. You decide it’s probably nothing to worry about but you’ll keep an eye. Throughout the course of the next 12 hours, they get a high temperature, start coughing, and don’t want to eat anything. What do you do now?
If you’re like most parents, you’re going to panic! Your child seems to have caught something serious and you’re not sure what it is. If you’ve got other kids in the house, you’re going to fret about them catching something too. In a scenario like this, how do you keep your head and find a healthy solution? Here are some tips all moms can use.
What’s Your Child’s Day Like?
Are they young enough to stay at home most of the time? Or are they currently in daycare and/or school and seem to pick up everything that goes through? In both these cases, you’re going to notice something. Kids who don’t interact with other kids tend to be ‘healthy’, and kids who are outside for upwards of 6 hours a day tend to get ill, and a lot. And that’s actually very normal. Kids tend to get at least 8 cases of cold a year, which is nothing to worry about.
Talk to a Therapist
If you’re finding the panic from dealing with illness to be overwhelming, and you’re losing out on sleep and forgetting to eat as a result, it’s time to talk to a therapist. You might think this is unnecessary right now, as it’s your child that needs help, but try to make time for a quick half hour session. Talking about your feelings and how they’re triggered can help you avoid this kind of panic in future, which will make sorting out doctor’s appointments and administering medication a lot easier to handle too.
You’ll Never Be Unable to Access Help
Even if you can’t take them to see a doctor at the normal office, you can access after hours medical care if you’re seriously concerned about the symptoms your child is displaying. Failing that, you can always take them to the ER to get some tests done. You’re never going to be in a situation where you can’t access medical aid, and there’s always going to be a helpline you can ring for casual advice too.
You’re Not the Only Panicking Parent!
Really you’re not! It might seem like every other parent on the planet has a better grasp on their kids getting ill than you do, but you don’t see what goes on behind closed doors. All parents panic, and all parents lose their minds at some point or other. Understanding this and remembering it during those moments when you’re not sure how to help your child can make you feel less alone. Other parents have gone through this, and you can even reach out to them for advice.
If your child is ill right now, don’t panic! You’ve got this!
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