Cold and Flu Must-Haves for Toddlers

This past week Rowen has been battling a nasty upper respiratory infection aka a bad cold.  Her poor eyes are glazed over and watery, her nose is chapped and cracked from all the wiping, and she’s just plain miserable looking.  I feel so bad for her, but she’s been a trouper and I think she’s finally on the mend!

To go along with the “sick” theme in our house this week, I thought I’d share my Cold and Flu Season Must-Haves!  Here are the remedies we keep on hand just in case…

1// Llama Llama Home with Mama – This is the perfect book to save for a sick day at home!  The rhymes are playful and so easy for little ones to remember (Rowen recites it often)! 

2// Crane Cool Mist Humidifier, Elephant – We actually run this humidifier every night while Rowen sleeps, but it is especially handy for when she’s sick!  Just knowing that it’s allowing her to breathe easier at night when she’s congested gives me peace of mind!

3// Boogie Wipes – These are a godsend when you have a kid whose nose is a faucet.  I love the smell and the aloe on the wipes helps to reduce redness (see #6). 

4// Wet-Ones – I went out last night and bought a large container of these.  They’re great for wiping hands and surfaces when your little one is sick.  Knowing I am at least trying to keep the germs at bay (even though it’s probably inevitable I’ll get sick) makes me feel better!

5// Children’s Dimetapp – Yes, we use medicines on our kid and yes, they work!  Growing up with a pharmacist as a father I’ve always known medicine to help ease my pains when I’m sick and I won’t keep Rowen from knowing that ease, too.  I’m not opposed to things like Essential Oils, but honestly I prefer to go to the drug store!

6// Burt’s Bees Lip Balm – Rowen’s poor nose is being wiped so often that its become red and swollen.  We’ve been using this lip balm to help ease the redness, and so far it’s working!

7// Dr. Teals Bubble Bath – Nothing beats a warm bath when you’re sick and this soap makes your bath that much more enjoyable!  A friend of mine gifted us a bottle when she found out I was pregnant and ever since we’ve been using it on Rowen.  It smells wonderful and is so relaxing – perfect for sick days!

8// Honest Kids Juice – We don’t do a lot of juice in our house (it’s mostly water and milk), but we usually make an exception when she’s sick just so we can ensure she’s getting enough fluids.  I love this juice because there are only 9 grams of sugar compared to the 16-20 grams most juice pouches/boxes have (seriously, you might as well just give them a can of pop)!

9// Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars – We keep a lot of these breakfast bars on hand.  I figure it’s a decent way to get some food into her system when she’s not very hungry, plus she loves them!

10// Vapo Rubs – Vapo rubs like this one are my “go to” when I am sick with a cold.  Because the scent is so strong, instead of rubbing it on Rowen’s chest or under her nose, I put it on the bottoms of her feet and on her humidifier so it dispenses throughout the room…works great!