surviving cold and flu season with littles

(I received a free Vicks Smart Temp Wireless Smartphone Thermometer from Influenster. Some links contain affiliates All opinions are my own and should not be considered professional or medical advice.)

When my son was born he was healthy all the time. He never got sick until he turned 18 months old and started attending the nursery at church. Now, with four kids age five and under, as you can imagine, we’re dealing with sickness all the time. As a parent there are few things sadder than when your little baby is helpless and miserable. Along with all the wonderful things that this time of year brings comes a lot of the yuckies. 
We could talk about the benefits of getting enough rest, good hand washing hygiene, getting the flu shot (we always have our kids get the shot instead of the mist since it doesn't contain the live strain)... and it's true all those things can be helpful (and this is not a debate about whether or not you should get flu shots, that's entirely up to you and your family), but it's almost inevitable that your child will get sick at some point, some more than others. There are definitely some things that I turn to when my kids are ill and I wanted to share them with you.

First of all, you’ve got to have a good thermometer that you can rely on. I recently had the chance to try out the Vicks Smart Temp Wireless Smartphone Thermometer that not only takes your temperature, but also can keep track of your symptoms and medications you’re taking in the free app (available in the App Store or Google Play) that you download to work with the thermometer.

You can create a profile for each family member and choose which way you’ll be taking the temperature reading –orally, rectally, or under the arm–so it can automatically adjust. As a busy, sometimes scatter-brained mom, I find it really nice that I can keep track of their temperatures and medications in the app. I do wish that there was a way that you could use the thermometer without the app, because sometimes you just want to take a temperature really quickly, you know?

Bottom line, I like a lot of the features of the Vicks Smart Temp Wireless Smartphone Thermometer, but the most important thing is that you find a thermometer that works and works for you.

Another product I like for my little sickies is Chestal Honey Cough Syrup. I discovered this when my son was two years old and sick with a bad cold and cough. It was so hard to find something that would offer him some relief, but was safe for such a young child to take. This has honey in it so you obviously can’t give it to children too young, but it’s a great solution for toddlers who can’t take most medicines yet.

I can't talk about cold and flu remedies without talking about essential oils. Lemon and On Guard essential oils are two that are tried and tested with me. When I had strep throat last year (that went undiagnosed for far too long, but that's another story), some hot water with two drops of On Guard in it was the only thing that offered me relief. You might not be able to get your little one to drink hot water, but one of  my favorite things is to diffuse them; that way they benefit your whole household!

Finally, I love the Vick’s Baby Rub to help comfort my little sickies, which can be used on children as young as three months! I love the way it smells, and the eucalyptus does wonders for helping to clear their airways. Plus, what baby doesn’t like a little massage and start relaxing right away? Added bonus!

I hope your household stays healthy this season, but just in case, what are some of your favorite cold and flu remedies?