5 Ways to Survive Your Child’s Sickness Bug

A sickness bug and children are never a good combination. It’s the phrase you dread to hear in the school playground – tummy bug, sickness bug. “Charlie threw up all over the carpet today.” And you desperately want to ask how close to ‘Charlie’ had they been sitting prior to this event? So, here are my 5 tips to getting you and your family through your next sickness bug.

This article is based mainly on symptoms of Gastroenteritis that usually clears up within a few days. If you are worried click here to find out more and where to seek medical help.

Read our tummy bug story here.

Surviving Your Next Sickness Bug

1. Benefit of the doubt...

Tummy pain can happen for all sorts of physical and mental reasons from trapped wind to anxiety, so it is sometimes really difficult to know if what your child is feeling is the beginning of a sickness bug. So preparation is key.

Get the bucket ready (or in my case empty it of all the random rubbish that has accumulated in it). Find the paper towels and antibac spray and put them in easy reach. Place your child in an easy to clean part of the house – not in their bed if you can because really there is nothing worse than trying to wash a duvet!

2. Team up...

But if you don’t have the luxury to prepare for the sickness bug invasion then you are going to have to work with what or who you have got. Sickness and diarrhoea can go everywhere so start with the child – get to the bathroom and start their clean-up. If possible try and get your child to stick to using one towel and wash everyone’s hands religiously. Wash bedding separately in a hot wash. All this will hopefully help to stop or slow the spread.

Tag-team if you can. Work out which adult is the least likely to hurl at the sight and smell of vomit – it’s quite easy – it’s the one looking less green. And be very, very grateful as they do the cleaning. Tummy bugs are relentless in their conquest so work together harmoniously because one of you is soon to be next.

3. Fluids, fluids and more fluids...

It is one of the best things to do when you are battling a sickness bug – drink, hydrate, sip. And the advice today is to keep it simple – water or squash. Encourage your child to take little sips if they are still feeling sick. Try to avoid anything to heavy like fizzy drinks or juice as their digestive system will still be feeling very delicate.

And I know what you are all thinking – what about milk? Because that’s what a lot of the little ones will want. And there is a lot of conflicting advice. Milk or dairy products do make sickness and diarrhoea smellier (if that was even possible?!) My mummy advice would be to start with water if you can. If (like my youngest) milk is the only option, then start with slow sips and see how they go. But brace yourselves for the bottom end.

4. Avoidance is futile...

The sickness bug is coming for you. There is no escape. Accept it. You can wash clothing, bedding, hands over and over but once it’s got your child – you are probably next. So, give them the cuddles that they need. Share your bed with them in the middle of the night – they will probably feel a bit cold if their system is a bit empty. Allow them the post-tummy-bag random cravings (within reason) as their hunger returns. Because you will be next…

5. Share your story...

Seek medical advice if symptoms are not passing or if you are worried.

But for those who have had a rough few weeks, the perfect way for you to recover from their tummy bug, is to share the woes. Once you are all back to normal, find the funny side again. Share the tips and tricks you discovered to keep yourselves sane. Share the gross bits and the good bits. And hope you get a few months break before the next sickness and diarrhoea bug.