With rapid global changes happening, children are susceptible to fevers all the time, so there are days and nights where the fever continues for a prolonged amount of time. It’s essential the children are fed with the right amount of food so that the child recovers fully with fever. Though your child may not have much of an appetite when they are sick, try to get them to eat, and some comfort foods can help.
It’s no fun coming down with a drippy nose, cough, tummy ache or fever — especially for a toddler who can’t bear to miss a minute of exploration. And when your little one’s sick and miserable, it can be hard on you too. So while you can’t wave a magic wand to make those icky feelings go away, there’s plenty you can do (outside of what the doctor orders) to ease your own parenting worries and help your sick toddler feel better.
Try some of these sickbed soothers for an extra dose of toddler-friendly TLC.
When your child is sick, it is important to give them food and drinks that will keep them hydrated. The body needs fluids to help fight infection, so it is important to keep your toddler hydrated.
The source of nutrition of your baby initially should be breast milk, and breast milk alone. Breast milk is a good source of antibodies and can strengthen the immune system of a child. Check to see if your baby is congested before you start feeding your child, as congestion can prevent your infant from feeding adequately.
Suitable for : Infants who are under six months of age
Barley water is a great remedy for a fever, cold, and cough. However, it is not suitable for children with gluten allergy and caution must be exercised if a family member has such an allergy. This is because the allergy might have been passed on to your child and you could be still unaware of this fact.
Suitable for : Infants who are at least six months of age
Sabudana is also known as sago; it is a good source of starch and can give your child a dose of energy. As it easy to digest, it is a preferred choice for children when they are sick. You can make sabudana porridge, serve it with vegetables, or you can simply give the water.
Suitable for : Infants who are at least seven months old or older
Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast are the foods that make up the BRAT diet. These foods are easy to digest and have a better likelihood of staying down than many other foods when your baby is sick.
Boil handful of basil leaves with 2 tsp of chamomile in 2 cups of water. Basil leaves have medicinal properties of curing infections within the body and when combined with chamomile, it relaxes the baby of the comfort caused by the fever.
Onion is great to treat cough, cold & fever. Grate some pieces of onion, make one spoon of juice from it. Feed it to your baby and that will work on her fever. It’s an effective home remedy for infants.
Turmeric milk is the remedy for all ages. Serve the milk hot with some turmeric in it and let it act on that cold. 2-3 glasses for 3 days and all that suffering will vanish.
Disclaimer : Please note, that turmeric must be introduced in small amounts to an infant. Too much turmeric is not very safe because it can cause stomach problems.
Similarly, CRAM is a diet that consists of cereal, rice, applesauce, and milk. This diet has a higher fat content than the BRAT. Cereal and milk can help boost your baby’s nutrition by giving them more protein when they are ill.
Other foods like fruits and veggies, as well as chicken soup, are considered good food for sick toddlers. Remember these when your child is sick, and if they have an allergic reaction, take them to urgent care