Fall And Winter Really Important Health Items For Kids

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. These are my own opinions on items that I use and like.

Fall and Winter are right around the corner. The changing season bring in beautiful foliage, colors, and a refreshing cool weather.  From children to adults, everyone looks forward to the cozy feeling that the cooler weather brings. As well as enjoying hot chocolate while wrapped up in a blanket, bonfires, and everything pumpkin flavor.

But cooler weather doesn’t come alone. It comes accompanied by the cold and flu season. These two go hand in hand. They are unfortunately, besties.

This means, kids will, inevitably, bring colds home and get sick.

Now is the time to make sure that your medicine cabinet is stocked up with important items that you will need to help your children get through their colds and help them feel better faster.

Below, I have put together a simple list of items. These products are easily accessible and do not need to be expensive, as the generic brands perform well, comparable to their counterparts. You can use this list as a full to follow, a guide, or a starting point.

Important Health Items For Kids

Medicine

• Cold and Flu medicine – Any brand of your choosing will work. Your child may need extra help to fight and alleviate the symptoms of a cold. That’s where the medicine comes in to help them recuperate faster.

• Pain and fever reducer – People usually use: Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, or Motrin. You can either purchase, brand name or generic brands. Talk to your pediatrician to decide what will work best for your child.  These will help your child be more comfortable in the event that they spiked a fever or are experiencing pain.

• Vapor Rub – The 2 brands I usually recommend are Vicks Vapor Rub or Matys All Natural Chest Rub. However, any brand will do the job. They are great at helping clear your child’s breathing passages when they are congested. They also help reduce coughing, which will help your child feel more comfortable.

• Tea – Peppermint tea is fantastic in helping relieve coughing, congestion, nausea, sore throat, and even an upset tummy. Now, this is hoping and assuming that they will drink it : ).

My children are not particularly fond of drinking tea. But I can tell you this, when they are sick, they at least drink half of the cup. Which is good enough for me.

Note: Peppermint tea is safe for kids to drink, 2 years old and older. You should still do your research and consult with your doctor.

Vitamins

Vitamins help strengthen your child’s immune system and help fight the germs that may come along.

Here are 2 options to consider:

• Vitamin C is widely known for being great at helping shorten the time of illness because of its antioxidant qualities.
• Multivitamins are also a great choice. They give the immune system a boost, help their energy levels, and help their overall health.

There are many more options that are also effective, but I primarily chose to mention only these two, as they are more widely known for their helpful health properties. However, as always, I encourage you to do your research and check with your doctor to choose what will work best for your child and their needs.

Thermometer

You need to be able to get an accurate reading of their body temperature. In the event of a fever, this will allow you to keep track whether it’s going up, keeping steady, or lowering. This is important information to have on hand, in case their condition worsens and you need to take them to the doctor.

Note: make sure your thermometer is charged and/or has working batteries (and spare batteries).

Get your FREE and simple Fever Tracker here!!!

Cooling patches to reduce fever

Gel sheets for reducing fever, such as BeKoool soft gel sheets, are a great item to have in your medicine cabinet. They are non-medicated and stay cool for hours (which beats using a wet towel that requires constant rinsing and replacing). The gel sheets can be placed on their forehead, cheek, neck, or any other body part to provide cooling help.

Humidifier

A humidifier is a great item to have in their room. They add moisture to the air, which is great for when your kiddos are sick. It’s a natural way to treat dryness in the nose and throat. Which will help your children breathe better and have a good night’s sleep as well.

There are different types of humidifiers to choose from. You might choose to have a cool mist humidifier or a warm mist humidifier. It all depends on your preference since they both perform equally. I have used both. But prefer the cool mist type.

Some humidifiers also have an essential oil tray. This gives you the choice to add your favorite essential oils to use for aromatherapy as well.

Face tissues

Whether you choose Kleenex, Puffs, or any other brand, face tissues are an essential item to have at home. Especially when they have a runny nose and/or are constantly sneezing. They are gentle on the nose and will keep your kiddo clean.

Hand sanitizer

The hope is that our children will wash their hands every time they blow their noses. But the truth is, sometimes they might not. Hand sanitizer is a powerful item to have close by to fight those germs.

Place the sanitizer right next to the tissue box, making it more accessible. Your kiddos will be inclined to take a pump and rub their hands with it.

Note: Watch out for the little ones. They love to play by lathering their hands with it. Before you know it, they would have emptied the whole bottle playing games, lol.

Lounging, comfortable, breathable clothes

This is more of an honorable mention. Since all our kids’ closets are well stocked with comfy clothes.

But make sure that they have clothes that are not only comfortable and breathable, but that are easy to put on and take off in case of an emergency.  Also, when the kids are sick, they might not have the energy to put on and take off that super cute but intricate pajama set. Keep it simple and comfy.

To sum up

As much as we love this time of the year, unfortunately it comes with its most undesirable friend. This means that we have to be prepared, so it doesn’t catch us off guard.

For all of us parents with children, that are in school or daycare, know that getting sick during this time of the year is a given.

So, let’s stock up on everything we will need to fight these upcoming colds.

Happy Fall and Winter everybody!

Ps: I love Fall even if I have to fight colds! Leave a comment below if you love Fall too and let me know what your favorite kid’s health items are.

Psss…As parents, we always want to make sure our kids are healthy and safe. And part of that, is taking care of ourselves. Check out How To Practice Self-Care and Mindfulness as a Mom for some tips.