It’s the time of year when kids can go from running around the house to horizontal on the couch in no time flat. Illnesses seem to hit kids hard and fast so it is important to be prepared. There are certain sick day essentials that you should have on hand to help sooth your little ones when they are under the weather.
We just had an illness go through our house and I was not prepared for it. What was the most stressful for us during this time was wondering it it was flu or covid. Covid presents very differently in kids than it does in adults and there is such a huge variation in symptoms. In our experience, the kids with covid had more GI issues than a cough.
We scrambled to find covid tests and they were nowhere to be found. The kid’s symptoms ranged from vomiting to high fevers, so we assumed the worst and settled in for 10 days. We also notified any family we had been around so they could do the same.
I wish I had been prepared with these sick day essentials. It would have taken away a bit of the stress. From now on, I will make sure I have these items on hand at all times.
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What to have in your At-Home Care Kit:
A good thermometer: I like an ear thermometer. With the ear one, you can take their temp while they are sleeping and don’t have to wake them up. I don’t find the forehead thermometers very accurate.
Covid tests: We have used QuickVue and BinaxNOW. Grab them if you see them, because they disappear of the shelves fast. We found ourselves calling every local CVS to see if they had them in stock, only to have them sell out before we reached the store. There are two tests inside each box, because rapid tests are meant to be repeated. I would have two boxes on hand at all times.
Pain and fever reducers: I always have Children’s Motrin (ibuprofen) and Children’s Tylenol (acetaminophen) on hand. It is good to have both, because if a fever is high, you can go back and forth between the two.
I also have these in chewable as well as powder form. These are great for travel because they won’t leak in a bag. Kids may have an easier time taking them over the syrup.
Pedialyte powder: the most important thing is to make sure your kids don’t get dehydrated. These little powder packs can be poured into a glass of water and they taste great. I always travel with these as well. Side note: they are great for hangovers.
Pedialyte pops: when my kids can’t hold anything down, a pop is pretty much all they will accept. The cold feels so good to them when they are hot with a fever.
Cough drops and cough syrup: Kids need sleep to get better. They can’t do that if they are coughing all night. Depending on their ages, cough syrup can help sooth a sore throat.
Cold face cloth: this always helps soothe a fever
Wash basin: the hardest thing about a kids illness is that they still don’t know the signs of vomiting coming on. Therefore, it just goes everywhere when you aren’t expecting it. If my kids aren’t well, they have this by the bed.
Waterproof pad: further to the previous point, these waterproof sheets are made for bed wetting but can save a couch or at the very least, a lot of laundry. I will always have them lie of one of these if there is a tummy bug going around.
Saltines: bland crackers are gentle on sick bellies. This is usually the only food I try to push during an illness.
Soup: Once they are ready for food, start slow with a broth and see how they hold it down.
Ginger ale or Gatorade: I hated ginger ale as a kid because my mother only gave it to me when I was sick. Now I love it. The ginger helps soothe a belly and there is no caffeine. My kids prefer Gatorade, which has electrolytes and helps with hydration.
Bell: my kids hate being sick, so this just brings a little fun to a bad day. All they have to do is ring the bell if they need anything. They love feeling like mommy is a ring away.
Cozy blanket: Everyone just wants comfort when they are not feeling well. I can’t say enough how much we love our Chappy Wraps because they are so warm and cozy. They are also machine washable and can go in the dryer which is a huge plus.
Clorox wipes: When someone is sick in the house, I walk around bleaching doorknobs and light switches every day to minimize anything spreading to other family members.
Masks and Hand sanitizer: these can help stop the spread of illness throughout the household.
Click here for a printable PDF of this list.
Lastly, since you won’t be leaving the house. You should figure out all of those home delivery apps. I love the Wegmans app and had all of our groceries delivered right to our doorstep. We use Chewy to deliver all of our pet supplies. Target pick up is also a great option.
These are the sick day essentials I would have on hand to deal with an illness. If there is anything I forgot or a product you swear by, please let me know.
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