If you don't know it already, flu season is upon us; I've been told by healthcare providers that we are at epidemic proportions, which is crazy! ( I could make a rant about staying home from work and school, but that's another post altogether) What's crazier still is how you can just watch it drop your family, one by one, leaving chaos in its wake.
I'm currently in the trenches, armed with disinfectant and children's ibuprofen, and I am still going strong. My kids are recovering fairly quickly, which is a blessing, as it's now affecting my husband. (If you thought a Man Cold was bad, look out for Man Flu.) I have 5 things that I do every year, and it usually covers us, if not speeds recovery.
#1- Drink. Water. Constantly.
Pedialyte to those over a year old. Breastmilk (if you can do so) bottle feed the babies, and push that water for yourself! I personally take a water soluble supplement daily, and I swear by it for keeping my body going.
#2- Rest when they do.
You might think about scrubbing down everything when you finally get them all to sleep, but put a pin in it. Grab your disinfectant spray, your clorox wipes, or your essential oils blend, and give everything a once-over. Then, GO. REST. Your body is fighting this sickness, too, even if you aren't experiencing symptoms. Give yourself a fighting chance!
#3- Invest in humidifiers.
With winter comes air that sucks. Cold, breath-taking air outside, and hot, throat-drying air inside. The best way to help breathe easier is to have that nice cool mist in the air. Your local retailers have pretty good ones, ranging from $25-$50. Pick one up for the bedrooms, and maybe even the living room, too. Make sure you wipe 'em out daily, too! Some even come with menthol discs or drops. Keep an eye on those, too.
#4- Aspirators and Nose-Suckers
These things give me the heebie-jeebies, but since there's a filter, I finally got one. The difference between an aspirator and this bad boy is HUGE. I was able to clear more, and flush with saline less! The big, name brand is known as the Nose Freemie. But I grabbed mine on clearance at Wal-Greens, and it doesn't use anything fancy for a filter. (Win/Win, keeping it frugal) Just remember to rinse and wipe between noses.
#5- Do Not Hesitate To Go In
You might think it's best to stay home when you start feeling awful, but going to your walk-in clinic is going to help SO much more. As a Scrunchy Mom (cross between silky and crunchy. It's weird, don't ask), I do what I can to soothe symptoms homeopathically. But if I notice a HIGH fever (101 degrees or higher), a sore throat that keeps them from eating/drinking, change in personality, and having trouble keeping them awake, you bet your bottom I'm going to the doctor. If caught within the first 48 hours, you can get a prescription for Tamiflu, which helps to reduce the length and severity of the flu, and is AMAZING when used in kids. Little ones can get complications, too, and a firm diagnosis will give you (and work and school) a handle on what you're dealing with, and an excuse to stay home and snuggle up.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go start some canned soup, and turn on my BTVi3 to stream Disney movies all day.