I am trying to accept that falling ill is a necessary evil of growing up. It is hard but it is something I have to come to terms with as a parent of a three-year-old who is frequently sick.
Short of pulling him out of school, I have already done what is humanly conceivable to immune and strengthen him. He has been consistently given multivits, cod liver oil, Chinese herbs, and even avoiding certain food, cold drinks as well as the aircon whenever possible. I didn’t even let him participate in a recent nursery outing. Yet, he is still falling ill. In fact, he hasn’t quite recovered from the last bout of flu and all in all, has been unwell for close to three months now.
So instead of being upset and worrying sick this time, I started preparing my mental state when I heard him sniffing, and not to be overly anxious when he started to cough and even vomit. It’s still a heartache to hear those chesty coughs when he’s sleeping, but I try not to let it detract me and just focus on nursing him back to health quickly.
I wish it was a whole lot easier but since not, I just have to bite the bullet and steel myself. If this is a neccessary process every parent must take, then I do need to make it more manageable for ourselves. Learn to relax along the way and take these things in stride.
I agree with you totally.. about wishing it was a whole lot easier.. but it just isn’t..
Hope he gets well real soon..
Comment by Mama BoK — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 6:52 am
Yah! You got to learn to relax & take things in stride. My parents also went through these coz when I was young, every wk I sure kana asthma attack.
Comment by Ashes — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 8:42 am
I think every mom hopes for a way to keep her kids disease-free, but it’s not possible. Everybody gets sick.
I try to tell myself that every cold or flu they get now is immunity stored for the future. It’s like a big checklist - yep, they’ve had that, that and that, and won’t be getting it again. It makes me feel a little better.
Comment by veronica — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 8:44 am
That’s a good approach for your mental health. Or else, you’ll always be in this state of being worried.
I hope Gavin will have boosted immunity soon. Btw, I heard there is collustrum supplement, which will actually help with boosting immunity (just like collustrum from breast milk); did you try that before? I’m not sure if it’s available for kids.
Comment by zara's mama — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 8:59 am
Take things easy, my dear. I believe this is just part and parcel of what us parents have to go through when the kids are young.
You know, Damien seldom fall sick (perhaps once a year?) before he attended Nursery, so imagine my ’shock’ when he fell sick so many times within the first 2 months of school…he’s got this phlemy cough now and i tell myself that all this is just a phase, once he build his immunity, things will be easier..
Hope Gavin will be fully recover very very soon.
Comment by Eileen — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 9:32 am
Hey Gavin,may you grow stronger each day and ultimately outgrow the asthma!
SS, good that you are always positive
Agreed that every falling ill also mean the body gaining another new immunization but hopfully the illness dont cause much destruction to the body making it take longer than it should to recuperate.
I know asthma is an draggy illness, Im not in position to make comment but just some sharing experience I acquired after trial and error on my girls…
Last week, my girls got the usual flu symptom, running nose, cough and slight fever, the begining of flu but immediately I brought them to see the doc… they took the medicine… drink plenty water… avoid forbidden snack… and plenty of rest… they recovered in 3 days!
Before that, they was once they had slight running nose, I tot just let their body immunity fight so didnt give any medication… end up, they lost the battle and after seeing doc, completed medicine, still not totally recovered…
When shd I let their body self-fight?
When shd I introduce medication to them?
Maybe they have better anti-body at that time?
Maybe they received the medication just in time?
I dono but these definately influence my decision nxt time when they fall sick again… and hopefully with more trial with minimal risk, I can gain a better conculsion…
and I realised cookies, especially butter cookies must give freshly open to the them… there was once the maid gave them some cookies that have been open for weeks, though kept in the air-tight container… they had cough after eating…
I realise the diff between my girls and one of my niece who is not incalucate to eat proper meal… she dont eat veggie, fruits, oatmeal… her meal portion is 1/3 of my girl… but she take sweets, cracker, biscuit…
When my girls reject nutritious food, I will try to coax them eat, my niece’s parent dont but let her be.
I gave my girls sweets, chocolates, ice-cream, biscuit, fried cracker, durian too but is rational 1 or 2 pieces each time…but my niece’s parent is one packet, one box, no restriction but just tell her dont eat so much… how can any children have self discipline at such temptation?
That goes without saying my niece is always sick and take very long to recover…(touchwood! I hope i didnt badmouth!)
Hopefully, by trial and error, I gain more knowledge of my girls “pattern” and better handling each situation occur.
Comment by wtpgrr — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 10:48 am
yaya…seems all the kiddos are falling ill every fornightly ever since they started school…haiz…imagine the mental stress….wish I could tell you to brace yourself and block out all ill tots but I can’t…can only tell you…i fully understand your stand now!!!
Me also jump and panic whenever I hear them sniff or cough in their sleep….worried that so bug managed to invade their little bodies when my back is turned…parenthood, stressful leh!
Comment by Jan (My lovely Rays) — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 11:47 am
Your post would easily have been written by my Mom. Still the same old words, don’t worry too much. I think kids fall ill easily but eventually they will grow out of it. Hopefully you can bring him go swimming when he’s better cos nothing helped in my case til I went for weekly lessons in the pool.
Comment by domestic rat — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 4:33 pm
MB: Hey, thanks! Yup, it’s never easy and it’s still a learning process for me.
Ashes: I remember what your mum told you. If kids don’t fall sick, they don’t grow…
Veronica: Yup, that’s how I’m trying to think. But it’s not easy.
ZM: Never heard of this collustrum supplement. But will want to check this out and see if it’s any useful to Gavin.
Eileen: The pediatrician told us he’s going to be sick every month at least when he started school. He’s also got that chesty cough with lots of phlegm.
wtpg: Gavin hasn’t got asthma. Just that the doc said he might be proned and we want to be careful not to let him develop into one.
I agree with you on the part about the food. You know, I don’t even give Gavin chocolates, ice cream or cookies. He seldom eat sweets and the cakes he eat are the plain ones. I even tell the school not to give him the biscuits. But still? Hiaz…the doctor only tell us it’s the flu bug. He might have caught it from school, or from from us who recently got flu at home.
It’s good you check your girls and understand the history of their illnesses, etc. It’s important. Sometimes kids are also allergic to certain food like Gavin, I try not to give him too much bean stuff cos it’ll trigger his nasal problem. Like you said, we learn by trial and error.
Jan: I can fully understand your struggle because of you’ve been through much more with your two kids. Believe it or not, you’re an inspiration to me cos I find you very cool headed in dealing with such matters.
DR: Ya, I wish he’ll recover fast but as soon as it subsides, it’ll come back. So everytime I think he’s alright for the pool, he suffers a relapse!
Comment by sesame — Wed, 2 Aug 2006 @ 5:51 pm
Yup, just don’t let it bother you too much. My hubby always says, negative vibes can affect the child, and inevitably brings about the sickness.
Comment by earthember — Thu, 3 Aug 2006 @ 9:20 am
Sory! So is me 乌龙! Wish Gavin is doing well now
Haha! Just realised I actually input such a l-o-n-g comment :p
Comment by wtpgrr — Thu, 3 Aug 2006 @ 1:57 pm
Hey..SS,
It’s always a learning process for me too..
Comment by Mama BoK — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 @ 7:35 am
ee: Negative vibes affect the child? That’s an interesting take and definitely something to always remind myself.
wtgr: Did you drink oolong tea?
MB:
Comment by sesame — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 @ 8:39 am