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are the best options for the little patient.

Medicines can also raise the body temperature giving the child flushed cheeks. Make your child drink plenty of water and urinate frequently so that he does not suffer from any harmful side effects.

Keeping the child entertained

If your child is sick with fever or flu, do not allow him to spend the whole day watching cartoons. Too much television can cause fatigue, headache, watery eyes, blurred vision and irritability. The best way to keep children entertained is to buy some CDs or cassettes with nursery rhymes or children's stories. Children usually forget their sniffles when they are listening to 25 Silly Songs or engrossed in the audio version of Tales of Faraway. Make sure that you keep this collection for emergencies only or they'll be bored soon.

Colouring books, dot-to dot books and jigsaw puzzles are also healthy alternatives. It keeps their minds occupied and away from their illness. Allow them to sit up for short intervals with plenty of rest in between.

Some parenting tips

There are a myriad of cough syrups available in drugstores but not all are suitable for your kids. If your child has dry and racking cough, he probably needs a suppressant. A productive cough requires an expectorant so that the body can get rid of the mucus. If the child is asthmatic and his cough is accompanied by a wheezing sound, a bronchodilator will be needed to improve the passages of air into the lungs. Giving age inappropriate or wrong medicine can complicate your child's condition.

Maintain a record of each child's illnesses by keeping all prescriptions in a file. This helps you in case of emergencies, while traveling and in case your child's pediatrician is unavailable.

Know your child's blood group. Keep a written record of any allergies and adverse reaction to any medicines that has occurred in the past.

Some household remedies that really work

Squeeze a few drops of ginger juice (by using lemon squeezer) on a teaspoon of honey. This thins the mucus and greatly reduces chest congestion.

Sprinkle coarsely ground black pepper on a teaspoon of honey for throat infections and incessant cough.

Mix one or two teaspoons of honey in warm water and make the child sip it slowly. It helps the body cleanse itself of harmful toxins.

For painful tonsils, heat a little olive oil or desi ghee. Rub it on sore areas near the base of ears and along the throat column. Place cotton wool and wrap a strip of cloth around it to keep them in place.. It greatly relieves inflammation and. painful swallowing.

It takes a combination of smart parenting, proper nutrition and correct medication to help the child recover quickly. Make sure that your children wash their hands often and brush their teeth regularly so that they do not succumb to every floating germ and bacteria.

Learn more about this author, Gulrukh Tausif.
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