Sick kids

Nothing can bring a mom’s life to a grinding halt faster than a sick kid.

It’s amazing how priorities change when your kid is sick. In the past, I’ve had a kid sleep in a car seat in our bed between my husband and me. And like most moms, I have sat up all night just to make sure I could still hear a sick child breathing.

My 1-year-old daughter has been under the weather this week, so here are a few tips I re-learned during this latest bout of sickness in our house:

1. Don’t be afraid to be that mom – No one wants to be the annoying mom who is greeted with a “oh, you again” eye roll at the pediatrician’s office. But the truth is that gaining a reputation as that mom is well worth the humiliation if it means your kids get well.

2. Bookmark WebMD – Go ahead and admit defeat. You’ve tried to avoid looking up every symptom online, but now is the time to give in. You’re going to look up how much Tylenol to give. You’re going to look up what a cough and a fever can mean. You’re even going to do a Google image search for that rash now covering your baby’s body. Don’t be a hero. Just do it. You know you’re going to.

3. Get an infusion of mommy power – Something amazing happens when your kids are sick: You become the most intuitive, wonderful mother in the world. I can hear my daughter wheezing from across the room even when my husband has no idea what I’m talking about. I can sense the baby stirring from the other room and can tell how high the fever is within a degree just by kissing their foreheads.

I’m not saying this to brag; every mom has this power. Yet each time my kiddos get sick, I’m amazed by this biological ability to help them, comfort them and help them get better, faster.

What tips do you have for helping sick kids feel better faster, or for moms to survive a sick kid?

Erin Stewart is a regular blogger for Deseret News. From stretch marks to the latest news for moms, Stewart discusses it all while her 4-year-old daughter crams Mr. Potato Head pieces in her little sister’s nose.