The Dallas Mom Friend Guide to Surviving Cold & Flu Season

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There are a lot of wonderful things about Fall: cooler weather, pumpkin patches, football, Halloween, and finally being able to take your kids outside without immediately melting.

And then there’s cold and flu season.

Once you have little kids — especially kids in preschool or daycare — it can sometimes feel like someone in your house has a runny nose from September until May. While we can't prevent every bug that makes its way home, having a few things ready before you need them can make those inevitable sick days a whole lot easier. Here’s how we prepare for cold and flu season.

1. Check the Medicine Cabinet Before Someone Gets Sick

There is nothing worse than realizing at bedtime that someone is feeling under the weather and the medicine you thought you had expired six months ago. Before cold and flu season really gets going, take a few minutes to go through your medicine cabinet. Check everything, replace anything that's expired, and make sure you have the basics your pediatrician has recommended for your family. This is also a good time to make sure you have an accurate thermometer and know where it is. Somehow thermometers have a magical ability to disappear precisely when you need one.

DMF Tip: Keep children's medications in their original packaging with the dosing information intact, and always check with your child's pediatrician before giving a medication or if you're unsure about the appropriate dose.

2. Have More Than One Thermometer

Speaking of thermometers, this is one of those things I didn't realize I'd appreciate having multiples of until I had a baby. Keep your most reliable thermometer at home, but consider putting another one in your diaper bag or travel kit. When you're away from home and suddenly wondering, Does he feel warm?, it's incredibly helpful to be able to actually check.

3. Stock Up on Saline

A stuffy nose is miserable for anyone, but it's especially frustrating for babies and toddlers who haven't exactly mastered the art of blowing their noses. Saline spray or drops are one of those things worth keeping around. Depending on your child's age and your pediatrician's recommendations, pairing saline with an age-appropriate nasal aspirator can be incredibly helpful when congestion strikes. 

DMF Tip: Your child may act as though you're committing a terrible injustice every time you approach their nose. If they’re especially strong-willed, try doing it during bath time. The warm, steamy bathroom can already help loosen things up, and they're usually distracted enough that you may actually get the saline in before they realize what's happening.

4. Get the Humidifier Ready Before You Need It

If your humidifier has been sitting in a closet since last winter, now is a good time to pull it out — and if you don’t have one yet, we love this one. Make sure it's clean, check the manufacturer's instructions, and confirm that it still works. A cool-mist humidifier can help add moisture to dry air when your little one is congested. The important part: keep it clean. Follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions carefully so you aren't accidentally introducing mold or bacteria into the room.

5. Keep a Few Sick-Day Foods Around

When little kids don't feel well, suddenly every food they've loved their entire lives can become unacceptable. I like having a few easy options around that don't require much preparation: crackers, applesauce or pouches, bananas, soups, popsicles, and whatever other simple foods your child reliably eats.

DMF Tip: Hydration is especially important when kids are sick, so keep their favorite cups clean and accessible. 

6. Protect the Couch

This may be the least glamorous advice in this entire guide, but it might also be the most useful. If your child has a stomach bug, put washable blankets or towels over the couch, their favorite chair, and anywhere else they're likely to camp out. Layer them. If there's an accident, you can pull off the top layer instead of trying to clean your entire sofa during a nap. 

7. Have a Middle-of-the-Night Setup

Illnesses have impeccable timing. Before you go to bed with a sick little one in the house, put the things you're most likely to need somewhere easy to reach: thermometer, tissues, water, saline, an extra set of pajamas, and anything else you've been using under your pediatrician's guidance.

DMF Tip: Our laundry room is near our nursery. We like to have everything laid out in there where little ones can’t reach any medications, but Mom and Dad can get to everything quickly. 

8. Lower Your Expectations for Sick Days

This one doesn't come from the medicine cabinet. Sick days are survival days. If your child wants to watch more TV than usual, watch TV. If dinner is crackers, applesauce, and half a banana, so be it. If the playroom is destroyed and the laundry doesn't get folded, it will still be there tomorrow. Your job that day is to keep everyone comfortable, hydrated, rested, and loved.

A Little Prep Goes a Long Way

You can't completely avoid cold and flu season when you have kids. But having the basics stocked, knowing where everything is, and preparing a few comfort items ahead of time can turn a stressful sick day into a slightly more manageable one. When you're awake in the middle of the night holding a congested toddler, slightly more manageable feels pretty wonderful.

And don’t forget, a stocked medicine cabinet is helpful, but it isn't a substitute for medical advice. Trust your instincts. If you're worried about your child's breathing, hydration, behavior, fever, or symptoms — or something simply doesn't seem right — call your pediatrician. For severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, seek urgent or emergency medical care.

This post is based on personal experience and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or replace guidance from your child's pediatrician or another qualified healthcare professional.

Sincerely, 

Your Dallas Mom Friend