Have you been battling sickness over sickness these past few months?

A lot of parents can become extremely nervous when their little one gets sick. Not just because their little one is extremely uncomfortable, but because also, they are worried their child’s healthy sleep habits will disappear.

Brooke here to remind you that a child with amazing sleep habits is a child who can sleep through anything and also, get back to those skills after a time period of fun, emergencies or sickness.

So, let’s discuss Sleep & Sickness.

If we are dealing with Nasal Congestion, Cough, Runny Noses as in Seasonal Allergies or Viruses let’s ensure that we are making the child comfortable.

A runny nose should not mean that we are quickly bringing our child into our room, or creating a floor bed on theirs. There are ways to make them comfortable within their own sleeping spaces. Always communicate with your pediatrician.

A quick list of must have’s out family loves when we are sick are:

-Humidifier

-Nasal Suction

-Warm Baths

Remember it is always important to ensure safety measures are taken. Really become educated on sticking pillows under mattresses or having babies be inclined. Always chat with your pediatrician.

Okay, let’s get into some discussion on handling sickness and then, jumping back into routine.

Routine while Sick:

FLEXIBLE. It looks FLEXIBLE.

This means that sleep is the best medicine, or so they say. So, we let them SLEEP. Parents always ask, but how long? That is totally up to the parent, but I always suggest adding 15-30 mins to each nap and then, an early bedtime. Early as in 20-30 mins early if naps were well and 60-90 mins if naps did not go so well.

If they are falling asleep in the car or on you, no worries. Sleep is what they need. So, allow them to sleep and enjoy the cuddles.

After Sickness:

Let’s drop the wording, “bad habits” and know that these interventions we start when our kiddos are sick are actually, “survival habits.”

You are trying to ensure that your little one receives rest… because it is the best medicine, but also, you are wanting to rest as well.

So, after everyone is feeling better we will jump back into the healthy sleeping habits.

How do we begin?

Staying Home: Ensure that we are implementing all of the routines (bedtime, nap time and consistency all day) after being sick. Sometimes schedules become chaotic, but now that we are healthy, routines and schedules should get back to consistency.
Offering Early Bedtime: Your little one really needs to catch back up on sleep. Offering early bedtime allows their sleep debt to build back up.
Making Bedtime Fun: Let’s offer a bedtime chart, let’s implement some playtime during bedtime and let’s continue to encourage them and support them when they may be reluctant to get back to their sleeping habits.