when your toddler isnt feeling well....do you do anything special for them?

[bicah]

I was just wondering if anyone does certain things when your kids arent feeling well...For instance certain foods you give them, a special book, movies, etc. I always feel so bad when my son has a cold (right now) and I try to think of special things to do when he is under the weather. I know kids have certain things that will make them feel better, I was just wondering what everyone else does.

[carolyn]

I hate it when John isn't feeling well.  Sometimes I feel so helpless when he is so miserable.  I let him take a lead on what he wants. If he wants to lay on the couch watching Playhouse Disney, we do.  If he wants to watch a movie, he can.  If he just wants snuggles, he gets them.

I also let him tell me when he is hungrey and what he might want....within reason.  I keep him drinking lots of water and juice.  When he got sick at Disney World in January I bought him a special cup from one of the shops.  It made it a bit easier for him to drink when it was in such fun cup.

I hope your little one fees better soon.

[KathrynK]

when dd has a cold she deals with it really well and we just carry on as normal. She has only been proper poorly once- she picked up a nasty flu-like virus from daycare a couple of months ago. All she wanted to do was sit on mummy's lap and suck her thumb for 2 days so we watched some Baby Einstein, I broke my own rule and had the TV on some of the time, and we read some books. And just cuddled. Mmmmmm.

[sandraorion]

We make a bed in the living room and use special "mommy" blanket. (One that I used once when I was sick.) The big changes are that he can watch all the TV he wants, he gets to drink juice, and can eat and sleep whenever he wants.

Lots of cuddles of course.

[Erin M]

We watch loads more TV and I generally let her eat whatever she wants (within reason) -- as far as the eating goes, it really seems to be that she seems to want what is good for her.  When she had a stomach bug a few months ago, all she wanted to have was small sips of water and crackers, a little bit at a time -- which is exactly what toddlers with upset tummies are supposed to have!  I think the TV helps distract her from how yucky she's feeling. 

[Mom to M&M]

Similar to what Erin just posted. When DD is sick we let her watch a lot more TV if she wants (she generally watches at most an hour a day, often less) and don't worry about food consumption. We just focus on keeping her hydrated and offer lots of cuddles, etc.

[kim&savannah]

Pretty much the same as what everyone else has said--lots of TV time (that's always what she wants), watered down juice (which used to be a special treat--now she has some pretty much every morning with breakfast), eat what she wants, lots of reading (unless I'm sick too, then I don't usually feel up to it and we just snuggle on the couch and watch movies all day).

Luckily DD doesn't feel too bad when its just a cold--maybe one day of it is hard.  It's mostly only been when she's had stomach bugs that we notice the difference.  Otherwise she's extra grouchy but still running around like a maniac

~Kim

[SarahK]

Besides the extra TV and cuddles, as most others have posted, I put my ds in our mai tai wrap (sp?).   He usually wants to be held a lot and my arms get tired!    He enjoys being in the wrap (side or front carry, not back carry when he's sick) and just walking around the house.   I can sometimes get some household chores done at the same time.