I’m back with a bang! I know I fell off the face of the earth these past few months, but I’ve been hit by one illness after another with the little ones, and they still haven’t fully recovered. At this point, I feel like I need more than just a glass of wine!
Let me share what we’ve been through and hopefully provide you with some survival tips for dealing with chest infections, ear infections, chicken pox, and more. I can’t help but laugh as I write this—if I don’t, I might just cry.
Birthdays and First days.
Amara’s 1st birthday came and went on July 26th, and shortly after, Ava started nursery in August. If you’re wondering why she began preschool at three years old, it’s because, in the UK, childcare only offers 30 hours of free schooling at that age. Unfortunately, I don’t have a money tree in my imaginary backyard!
Soon after, Ava developed a blocked duct on the upper eyelid, now this actually took months to clear up and it is still not completely healed. Then, she caught a nasty chest infection that wouldn’t resolve on its own. After three weeks, we finally got her on antibiotics, only for Amara to start showing symptoms of the same infection, which eventually required antibiotics as well.
Ava then developed a severe ear infection that also wouldn’t clear, leading to more antibiotics after a week and just when I thought Amara was on the mend, Ava cried about her other ear, leading to yet another ear infection. I didn’t want her on anymore antibiotics, and so I managed her pain and fever with ibuprofen and continued with the drops.
The SAGA Continues…
I was ready to get back to work on Tuesday after I had taken some time off. However,Sunday night, Amara started looking really ill—pale, drowsy, and vomiting. My heart sank. I decided to wait and see if she would vomit again before heading to A&E. Of course, she did, and we faced a long wait from 8 PM until we finally left at midnight. It turned out her illness was due to the chest infection, which had made her wheezy and nauseous. She received medication, more antibiotics, and asthma treatment before we left. By the time we got home, I had developed a terrible migraine that started as a mild headache at the hospital.
Now, it’s early October, and Amara is still wheezing a bit after finishing her antibiotics. I took her back to the doctor, and thankfully, she’s on the mend. To make things easier, the nurse gave her an asthma pump to help open up the chest. Just when I thought everything was finally looking up, guess what happened? The dreaded chicken pox hit Ava full force! Just reading this makes me tired.
So, we’re currently dealing with chicken pox, and I expect Amara to catch it within the next three weeks. Fun times, but hey, resilience is key. Here are some tips and tricks to combat these illnesses.
Blocked Eye Duct:
- Use hot water on a cotton bud with some salt, applying it consistently twice a day until the blockage clears.
Chest Infections:
- Apply Vicks Vapor Rub on the soles of their feet and chest every night.
- I used lavender and eucalyptus wax melts.
- Warm water with lemon and honey (and a pinch of ginger) can be sweetened enough to make it palatable for kids. For those who are more difficult, a syringe with small doses can make it a fun game.
- A nebulizer with saline water pods worked wonders—use it morning and night. And of course, ibuprofen, lots of water, and for kids who dislike water, try the water-to-juice ratio trick.
Ear Infections:
- Warm olive oil mixed with a pinch of ginger can soothe pain from earaches, acting as an anti-inflammatory and softening earwax that may cause pressure.
- Try to change their sleeping position to keep them a little elevated and avoid lying on the affected ear, though we all know changing a toddler’s sleep position is easier said than done. Ibuprofen can help as well.
Chicken Pox:
- You can bathe them in cool water with Aveeno Oat Bath soak, which helps dry out the chicken pox. Soak for 15-30 minutes, but not longer, to avoid drying out the skin.
- Calamine lotion is a must.
- Use Allerief Oral Solution to help with itching.
- Keep their nails short and clean; if they can’t stop scratching, use gloves.
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Avoid ibuprofen, as studies link it to secondary skin infections.
Mom Tip: Take care of yourself so you can withstand the matephorical plague. It doesn’t help if you are unwell too; you need to be your best self during these tough times. Always keep an emergency bag packed with wipes, medication, blankets, extra clothes, and bottles of water.
The Aveeno Bath Soak can be purchased on Amazon:
Hang in there, you’ve got this!
And yet you keep smiling. So proud of you..