“Get a kid, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.” Becoming a first-time parent can be really fulfilling and fun, but seeing our kids go from being bubbly to being weak and gloomy can be very scary. No matter how we have prepared ourselves for the challenges of having kids, things don’t always go the way we expect.
Protecting our toddlers from sickness and taking care of their health are the main priorities as parents. However, certain things are just out of our control, and at times, children can get sick out of nowhere. When this happens, toddlers often refuse to eat their food. If they don’t eat, they won’t get the energy and nutrients they need to heal. You hope you can make them understand this, but there is nothing more stubborn than a kid who’s sick.
So how can we make our kids eat their meal so that they can quickly go back to being the cheerful kid they usually are? This article will give you some tips on how to feed your toddlers who are in sickness.
Beware of food allergies
First off, beware of food allergies. Allergies can be as unexpected as your child’s catching flu. When feeding your toddlers food for the first time, beware of the early signs of allergies and be prepared to contact your local doctor and seek urgent help in the case. You may already be well-aware of your kid’s allergies, but in case you don’t, some of these common food allergies may trigger a breakout: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Do not try to give medication to your kid or take for granted the signs of allergies like hives and rashes, as these might cause severe complications if left untreated. Make sure to take your child to urgent pediatric care and follow your pediatrician’s advice.
CRAM diet
CRAM stands for cereals, rice, applesauce, and milk. Recent research in hospitals in South America and Asia validates that having cereals, rice, and milk (CRAM) in one’s diet in a stop-gap eating plan for an upset stomach is a more effective remedy for diarrhea when compared to BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). That is because CRAM provides the much-needed fat and protein that the BRAT diet lacks.
When your toddler suffers from diarrhea, a CRAM diet for your kid may be your solution. This diet is complete with protein and fat content that ease the diarrhea symptoms faster more effectively.
Your kid needs more hydration
If your toddlers don’t eat anything when they are sick from either cold, sore throat, flu, or stomachache, you have to keep track of your kid’s hydration. When we are sick, our body tends to excrete more fluids in the form of sweat, diarrhea, mucus, and puke. This nasty part of getting sick drains our body of water, and with a small amount of hydration, the body won’t be able to fight infections.
Letting our kids drink water time after time help replenish the lost fluids and supply their body with enough hydration. Of course, consuming large amounts of water can be a challenge for them, mainly because they are sick, making things easier for our toddlers and getting small sips of water from a water bottle. If water seems too bland and simple for them, offer them something more inviting, like a treat of fruit juice or milkshake.
If these don’t work for them either, you can get that creative chef in you and try improvising recipes that could give them the hydration they need instead. You can try feeding them with a fruit juice popsicle, yogurt, smoothie, slices of fruit (like watermelon and berries), milk, warm herbal tea, and a warm broth.
Sick kids need some fruits
Fruits are not only rich in Vitamin C but are also abundant sources of antioxidants that fight the bad stuff in our body. Feeding our kids with Vitamin C and antioxidant-rich fruits can do wonders for their bodies. These fruits include lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, and berries.
Feeding our kids with different sorts of fruits is the ideal choice when dealing with our sick toddlers. We not only give them a treat of sweet fruit slices but also provide them with the vitamins and minerals they need for health and immunity and that extra hydration their body needs.
Knowing what to feed them is not the main problem here. The challenge is how to make our toddlers eat it! Please note that children need fruits that are essentially soft and easy to chew and digest as their muscles can be feeble in these situations. You can be a little extra in presenting these foods to your sick toddler. It is best to serve slightly chilled fruits to your kids as it gives a sweet-cold sensation to their throats, providing them with temporary soothing. Blended fruits served as smoothies can be a great option too. Just remember that good negotiation and presentation can always help you feed your sick toddler all the good stuff he needs to recover.
Takeaway
Loss of appetite is quite understandable in kids suffering from sicknesses like cold, common flu, and upset stomach. Giving them the support they need and feeding them with the right food can hasten their recovery and bring back their usual bubbly glow. The key to efficiently help our kids recover faster is to be patient, understanding, and creative. The number one rule is to avoid panicking during emergencies and be calm and quick to respond.