Kids get colds. Kids get a lot of colds. Sometimes it feels like kids always have some sort of sore throat, cold, or runny nose. It definitely takes some practice to figure out what works for your child to make their life, and yours, a bit easier.
I have a few tips and tricks that I have come up with that really seemed to work out for us. There were definitely trials and tribulations in our quest for resolving the dreaded all night crying because of stuffy noses. Mostly related to the damn vaporizers.
- My first tip and the biggest tip I can give is to ignore all of those websites that say to buy a COLD air vaporizer. BALONEY. Absolute and utter baloney. Not only does it not open the sinuses but it immediately sinks to the floor so if you want to get it anywhere near them, they will get really cold. Everywhere that I had been reading that the only vaporizer to get is cold, was because of the child touching the vapor itself. Well don’t let your kid touch it. When they are in a crib, they can’t get out and touch the vaporizer over on a stool. When they get older you can move it to the top of the dresser if you are worried. We have used our vaporizer every single time when Inga was sick and she has NEVER attempted to touch the steam or really ever had the opportunity. The only vaporizer that we felt worked for us was the Vicks Gallon Vaporizer with a Night Light. We went through about 3 other vaporizers first that had amazing reviews until I thought, hey this one is only like $20. Let’s try it. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. It has slots to put in Vicks pads as well as a well to put in the Vicks Vaposteam liquid. They both work equally well I think.
- The other item that we don’t think we could live without is saline spray. Not just the cheap saline spray that you would use as an adult, but rather the saline spray that has a gentle mist. We don’t really have a preference for a brand because they all basically do the same thing, but they are definitely a must have. Arm & Hammer makes one that we tend to buy most of the time.
- I feel like all I do is try to peddle the Nosefrida Snot Sucker, but really it is that amazing. We have used this thing from the day she came home from the hospital. I did some reading and read that the bulb syringes that you usually get to clean out sinuses can really damage the inside of a little one’s nose. So I saw this crazy contraption and thought that it has to work. Most people are grossed out at the idea of sucking out their own kid’s snot, but do you honestly think something would be that popular if the possibility of inhaling your child’s boogers was high? Your child would need to have boogers up into their brain to fill the entire tube for it to even get up into the filter. Inga has had some serious colds and the highest it has gone up is about an inch. I promise, you won’t eat boogers. Just buy it and you will be happy.
Like I said at the beginning, every parent has their own process that works for their children but I can guarantee that if you don’t have these right now, I really suggest introducing these. I think every single time on Facebook that a friend says their child has a cold, I suggest the Vicks Vaporizer. I feel it is really a hidden gem.
What are some of your tried and true tricks that you use to help your child get through a cold?
4 Comments
Leave your reply.