You know about Murphy’s Law, right? Of course you do, and if you have our kind of luck, Murphy’s Law probably comes into play for you as well. My kids can be perfectly healthy for weeks, despite germs running rampant in their classrooms or playgrounds. I will be diligent with hand sanitizer and vitamins but as soon as we arrive at some tropical destination, the viruses take over. Runny noses, coughs and the dreaded fevers.
As a family that spends a lot of time on the road, we keep a stocked mobile medicine cabinet so I can manage challenges like this. The thermometer is always close by, so we know just how high of a fever we are dealing with, and once a fever has been confirmed, we break out the Children’s Tylenol. If my child doesn’t have a fever, but he’s feeling achy and sick, I still give him some Children’s Tylenol to manage the pain.
My children have never been typical in terms of weight or size for the ages, so I also carry the dosing instructions with me and give the appropriate dose for his or her corresponding weight, rather than age. I find that this is particularly important if your children are small for their age.
While I’m waiting for the Children’s Tylenol to do its job, there are some other things I can do to bring down a fever and help my child feel better.
- A warm bath is soothing and can help bring down a fever.
- If a bath isn’t possible, or it didn’t help, a cool compress on the back of the neck, forehead and under the armpits can help.
- Pump the clear fluids. Water is great, but if your child isn’t compliant, popsicles, freezies, clear juices and even jell-o can help keep them hydrated.
- Get lots of rest. This can be tough while traveling, but a day resting can lead to several days of fun, so take the time to let your child recover.
- Make sure your child is washing his/her hands regularly and carry hand sanitizer so that it is possible wherever you are.
- Sanitize! Clean doorknobs, railings, light switches and any other surface that the child may have touched. Is he feeling better? Hand him the disinfecting wipes and let him be the germ killer, just make sure he washes his hands afterwards.
If an hour or two has passed and my child is still not feeling better or the fever has not reduced, I give him/her some Children’s Motrin which contains Ibuprofen. I have rotated between Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin to combat a high fever or pain in the past. I am a firm believer in staying on top of the problem, rather than trying to fight it when it becomes severe. I follow the same dosing rules with Children’s Motrin as I do with Tylenol.
Take a look at the following chart for information about when to give Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin.
It is important for us to be prepared when we are away from home, but also when we are in our own homes. Colds and fevers always seem to be at their worst through the night and the last thing we want is to be stuck without the medication they need. We always have both Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin ready to handle whatever we have to deal with. You can save on the medication you need with this coupon.
Happy & Healthy Travels!
This post has been generously sponsored by the makers of Children’s Tylenol® but the opinions expressed are my own.
Leave a Reply