How sick is sick?

[Princessperky]

Where do you draw the line of codeling when your DC is sick?

Ds woke up around 4am puking (all over the carpet, YUCK!) and then puked a few more times, in a bucket, then went back to sleep. Now he is up again and I am not sure how easy to take it on him, he is happy, but doens't want to eat (three bites of a english muffin do not a breakfast make for him) and well, he is playing while laying down. Would you make him eat (and later today clean up and such) or let him loll around while DD and I clean up?

(No fever, no other symptoms besides the lazy play and 4am pukefest)

 

[Joykins]

I never encourage a child who has thrown up and doesn't want to eat, to eat. In fact, i discourage them from eating anything besides a saltine for about 12 hours so the stomach has time to recover. I encourage them to take small sips of pedialyte or flat coke throughout the day and IF they want a saltine they can nibble on it. If they're sick for more than a day, then I try to slowly feed them some easily digested bland stuff.

Because this is what I do when I have the stomach flu, I may only throw up in the morning but I still feel lousy all day. I think someone who has been obviously ill in the morning can be spared chores etc. until they have an appetite again. Playing while lying down is also a way of dealing with mild nausea--a lot of the time it doesn't "hit" you until you sit or stand up.

 

[Princessperky]

Thanks, that nausea thing makes sense, didn't think of it that way.

Since he always acts healthy other than lazy play, unless actively puking (always, right, all twice he was/is sick)I always worry I am babying him too much (or asking to much).

Oh yeah and good news he asked for yogurt (or it is good news if I don't see it back)

 

[lucypevensie]

Ditto the above. Let that stomach and the rest of his body rest up and when the appetite comes back he will let you know. It's my opinion that rest is the most important aspect of healing. True rest, not lazyness. A feeling of malaise is not laziness, it's just your body telling you to REST.

 

[Leanna]

Yeah, I agree with what they said. We all had the flu this spring and were throwing up and when we had it none of us wanted to eat for a couple days. Son still ate but not much, he was really tired too. He was only 7 months so I had to hold him over the sink as he threw up over and over and over again. It was horrible.

 

[Princessperky]

Aww that poor boy .

I don't mean lazy as in I am mad at him for it, I don't want to give that impression (I might already have) but lazy as in no extra movements, or if he makes some he then lays quiet for a bit, but like I said still happy, just....well lazy. True rest? that would require him to stop giggling and stuff!

Anyway he ate some (he asked for it) and no puke since. it seems to have switched to diareah . and he definatly has more energy today as he is running out of the kitchen during breakfast!

Remind me again what to eat when you have diareah? besides bananas, he hates them .

 

[Princessperky]

While we are on the subject, what do you do to get your little one to drink more when sick?

 

[Leanna]

Popsicles for kids old enough ! Maybe Pedialyte. Just water and juice. No milk.

 

[Joykins]

Diarrhea-- avoid fatty, sugary, and spicy foods. Yogurt and cheese are probably fine but you might want to avoid high lactose foods for a few days.

There's the old BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) and clear fluids diet, but nowadays doctors find this too nutritionally limiting, especially for long bouts of diarrhea.

Getting kids who are really nauseated to drink? Pedialyte popsicles, ice chips, and literally spoons full of liquid if they don't have the discipline to take small sips.

Joy

 

[Princessperky]

Popsicles thanks for the reminder. He drinks, but not any more than usual, so I think a popsicle would help a bit.

Really I sometimes wonder if the kid is smarter than me, he is asking for yogurt and refusing his favorites that are on that avoid list.

BTW no more puke or poop of any sort for a whole day .