Kids and Viral Season...

This year winters have been the most unpredictable of all times as far as I remember. Donno how many times I’ve washed the jackets, blankets et al thinking ‘Done for this year, let’s pack for next year’ and took the stuff out the very next day…..And the main in this uncanny weather is kids… their throats, nose, chest goes for the toss…. Infections, congestions, flu and what not. Probably best time for medical business (pediatrics) to flourish. ;)

My son, S has always been the easy target for changing winds. Just an exposure to the gust of wind and here he catches the congestion... Like all other mothers, I ponder why only him. But believe me, all moms think alike in viral season. I go with loads of questions to doctor. And even before I download my wave of concerns, he is already ready with his list of medicines. As if his pen turned automatic writing the same set of prescriptions since morning. And most of the times, I know what he is going to prescribe, still I visit him to be doubly sure.

With each passing viral season, my knowledge set of medicines increases. (Which new cough syrup is effective or is most recommended, which salt/antibiotic is being prescribed these days). So is the home remedy list passed on by other moms and through internet. Sharing here a few of them:-

• Spoonful of Ginger honey paste/ turmeric-honey-black salt paste to be given after every few hours. Few people also try Nutmeg (jaiphal) and honey paste.
• Heat mustard oil and diced garlic cloves and carom seeds (ajwain) together. Massage with this oil at night when kids are about to sleep.
• Plenty of warm fluids like soups (better to rely on homemade ones), tea/warm milk (preferably toned milk in cough), lukewarm water for general water intake.
• Give them raisins or currants (munakka) or some cough lozenges so that their throats remain wet.
• Best is if kids can blow out the mucus from nose but of not possible, at least to breathe easily, use saline water nasal drops.
• You may surprise your kids with handful of dry fruits in their tiffin box (but then this depends on if kids like dry fruits, at least try out once).

With this entire list, I’m not saying it works in all the cases. At times, considering the severity, we have to switch to antibiotics/nebulisation, but all these home remedies can aid in getting results faster.

On each foggy/windy/rainy day I think whether to send S to school or not, whether to brave our noses to cut through the odd weather, but as discussed with teachers and other moms, classrooms are pretty packed and warm, so we can make sure of their safe and covered to-n-fro from school, then here you go… I mostly skip S’s school in cases of fever or extreme cough n cold. Also I skip his morning milk and replace it with ginger tea (with more milk and less water) if S is coughing.

These are few of my takes and steps in viral seasons. What’s your take on the viral season especially this year’s one? And which home remedies/medicines you follow? I’m just an ear away. 

Originally posted on Parentous...