Does this sick season feel crazier than ever? Do you just feel inundated with illness in your house and like there is no end in sight? I see you mama, I am right there with you in the thick of stuffy noses and respiratory viruses. I was very excited to be able to speak with Dr. Krupa Playforth, a pediatrician and mom of 3 to have a thoughtful discussion about navigating the cold and flu season on the You, The Mother Podcast. Dr. Krupa believes that every parent deserves clear, evidence-based, nuanced answers to common child health questions to help moms and dads feel empowered and equipped on their parenting journey. In this episode, she walks us through how to navigate the cold and flu season, how to support illnesses at home, and when to escalate care.
**Please note, this conversation is for educational purposes only and cannot be considered medical advice.
Now let’s dive in to learn how to navigate this season!
Well mamas, respiratory illness season is upon us and it feels like our children are constantly coming down with some type of bug. Every year, from October until about March, pediatricians and parents are seeing a huge resurgence of respiratory illnesses, i.e., coughs, colds and congestion. And although we expect to see sick kiddos during this time, our expectations surrounding illnesses has certainly changed. For the first time in 2+ years, we have entered into our first cold and flu season unmasked, and as much as it feels so good to lose that accessory, it was nice to not catch as many germs the last two years.
It truly seems like RSV is on an upswing this year, and we are hearing about this virus more than we have in the past, what is going on? Well, Dr. Krupa explained to me that RSV is a virus that isn’t new to us and has been seen every year from October to March but what is new this year is the numbers of patients that were seen in October is higher than patients doctors have seen in the past and many of those patients are severly ill or end up hospitialized. The kids that are getting really sick and need to be hospitalized are the kids that are really young or have underlying health issues like prematurity, heart disease, lung disease. Any child can get really sick from RSV but it is running rampant currently, but parents need to know that RSV is not new, and most kids have had it already by the age of 2 and have recovered just fine. However, please note that because most kids have had RSV by age two, toddlers in the pandemic are an anomaly. Kids under the age of 3 haven’t really been exposed to RSV in the last 2-3 years which is making the uptick in diagnoses seem even more prominent. The number and volume of kids being exposed for the first time is higher so they will get sick and spread it more. You can have RSV more than once but normally the first time is the worst and right now we are seeing higher volume just because people haven’t had the opportunity to get the exposure to develop the immunity.
I asked Dr. Krupa to share her opinion on the anxiety surrounding illness after the pandemic. How do we possibly recover from the panic surrounding your kids getting sick after these last two years?
She tells us, even as a pediatrician her own mom brain takes over and she experiences the same anxiety as any other parent. The last two years has had serious impact on our mental health in general and especially when it comes to getting sick. Something that ordinarily would not have made you panic, such as pink eye or a cold has now sent you down a spiral.
Truthfully, it is going to take time and take our kids getting sick and see that they will recover to start to ease our anxieties. A big part of childhood is getting sick, and we have to accept that and be willing to live with a little risk in our lives.
It is almost crazy to think about life pre-pandemic where before a playdate you shared with your friends that your child had a bit of a runny nose and no one minded because kids would all share germs anyway! But then the pandemic happened and now there is this judgement around bringing your kid anywhere with a runny nose or a little cold because of the fear of sharing germs. Dr. Krupa and I both agreed that we are hoping to get back to the way things were before, because a little runny nose never hurt anyone!
Another thing that can help ease the panic and stress around dealing with sick kids is to realize what is normal when it comes to sickness. In those first few years of your child being around other kids whether in daycare, preschool, or kindergarten, they are going to get sick. It is expected that children go through 6-8 respiratory illnesses per year, plus a few other sicknesses like tummy bugs, pink eye, hand foot and mouth, etc. That equals about 10-12 illnesses a year which rounds out to about once a month AND if each one lasts 1-2 weeks, it can feel like it is endless. But trust Dr. Krupa when she says, it will come to an end.
So now that we know how often we will be dealing with illnesses, what are some tips to help avoiding illnesses or cut the sick time in half?
There is no magic trick to avoiding illness but it comes down to the basics. Basic soap and water handwashing is so important. We know that viruses such as RSV can live on surfaces like hands and counters for a few hours so just by washing your hands and surfaces like doorknobs and counters can really cut down on the germ spread.
While a lot of parents look for homeopathic supplements or natural remedies, there just isn’t a ton of science to back most up. However, that being said, it has been proven that honey (only used for children over age 1) has great evidence for supressing coughs especially at nighttime. You can give your child a spoonful of honey several times a day (be sure to brush teeth after!) but other than that, it is really just allowing their immune system to do their thing.
Many times as a mom, you are worried that you are going to be known as the one always calling the pediatrician but Dr. Krupa assures us to trust that mom gut! While you do not want to be overly panicky, it is truthfully better to make the call and have someone tell you your child is okay then to sit at home and worry, and potentially miss something serious. And while we do keep hearing that hospitals are at max capacity, do we just try to stay at home when we have a sick little? Again, trust that mom gut and also maintain regular contact with your pediatrician and use that after hours line!
Here are a few signs that your child may need to go to the hospital:
- They are breathing more rapidly
- Grunting with each breath
- Flaring nostrils with each breath
- Retraction – skin at throat or chest is pulling out with each breath
- Head bobbing
** All of the above are signs their body is using extra muscles to breathe
- Finally dehydration – is your child peeing? So often we are concerned about our children eating when sick but making sure they stay hydrated is of upmost importance.
Now how do we help each other handle the burnout when it comes to parenting sick kids? We need to remember to prioritize yourself outside of the caregiver role when your child is sick. Communicate with your partner that you need to take a break, maybe it is a drive to get yourself a coffee, go for a walk outside, listen to a podcast or audiobook or get on the phone with your friend and vent about how hard this season is. Also, lean into your friends and your village. If you know someone is home with sick kids, reach out to offer dropping off a coffee. There is so much power in taking care of each other and being nice to each other and being a good friend.
Another great resource to rely on is The Pediatrician Mom, created by Dr. Krupa, which is a safe space that cotains practical and educational content for parents. Social Media and the internet can be so powerful but can also have so much misinformation so this is a place that provides clear, evidence-based, nuanced and practical answers to the most popular questions they are asked as pediatricians.
This is a tough season for all parents, but remember that, it is a season and we will get through it, one tissue at a time.
Supporting You, The Mother,
Abbey Williams, MSW, LSW
