Rain rain go away, come again another day, little children want to play, Rain rain go away……
The new school year started with the rains, and with the rainy season comes a lot of child ailments ranging from colds, cough, catarrh and maybe more serious cases like fever and malaria. While it may be common for little children to develop one or a few of these ailments, as a Mum there’s so much you can do to protect your little ones and toddlers during the rainy season.
Common cold in toddlers usually begins with these symptoms:
- A runny nose: The mucus is watery at first, then becomes thicker and may turn green or yellow.
- Nasal congestion: Your toddler has that feeling again – a stuffy nose. This nasal congestion happens when thick mucus and germs block their tiny nasal
- Low fever: Your toddler may have a minor fever, especially at night. Low fever happens during the first few days of the illness and may require medical attention to ease your little one.
Other symptoms of cold in toddlers include:
- Sneezing
- A sore or itchy throat (may be slow to spot in toddlers and can cause difficulty in swallowing)
- Dry cough: This is caused by a sore or itchy The toddler coughs to relieve nasal congestion and irritation in their throat.
- Fussiness and difficulty in sleeping
Common colds in toddlers may last between 7 to 10 days and sometimes longer. A Mum can take precautionary measures by protecting her toddler from catching a cold as they go to school during the rainy period with these few tips:
- Some school uniforms do not protect your toddler from the cold, especially in the early hours of the day. So, it is best to wear protective clothing such as cardigans and raincoats (while it is raining) over their uniform.
- Avoid wearing damp clothes on your toddler. During this period, there is minimal sunlight but be sure to air-dry your little one’s clothes and iron them to reduce their chances of infection.
- Your toddler’s diet should include fruits, milk, fish, and veggies rich in Vitamins A and C to boost their immunity and fight illnesses.
- Your child’s drinking water should be properly filtered. Always provide them with a bottle of clean drinking water before they leave the house to prevent them from drinking water elsewhere.
- After a rainy school day, shower them to stabilize their body temperature and give them something hot like tea or cereal.
- Make handwashing a routine, especially after visits from school.
- Maintain a clean home environment, close windows while it is raining, dispose of stagnant water around the house and prevent children from playing near wet walls.
Some initial actions to take to make children feel better if they happen to catch a cold:
- You can relieve your toddler’s runny nose and nasal congestion by applying nasal drops to their nostrils.
- Dress the toddler in lightweight clothing, cover them with a blanket, and place a cool cloth on their forehead while they rest. A gentle massage with baby oil (eucalyptus or chamomile oil) and a warm bath will help your toddler sleep better.
- Ensure that your toddler takes plenty of warm liquids like tea or other beverages at normal temperatures. Foods and fruits rich in Vitamins can also help speed up recovery.
You can help your toddler get the best out of the rainy season by keeping them warm, healthy, and active, even as they go about learning. Not too long, the children will get to sing…Sunny days are here again…..😀
