I have been compensated by Pedialyte for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.
The past 2 weeks have been very hard for our family. Every single one of our kids got the stomach flu and it was so awful! I don’t think there are many things I hate more than the stomach flu. We even ended up going to the ER for our 2-month-old because he spiked a fever from it. I am so glad to say that we are finally on the mend now! I’ve learned a lot about stomach viruses in the last 10 years and these are my best tips for not only surviving them but preventing others in the family from getting it!
My first tip is to make sure that you have an oral electrolyte solution available for you and your kids to drink. This is especially important for kids because they can get dehydrated so quickly. We love Pedialyte because it tastes great and it’s the #1 pediatrician-recommended oral electrolyte solution. Pedialyte has just enough sugar in balance with sodium to promote fluid absorption more effectively than common household beverages. Pedialyte comes in many flavors for children and adults and in different forms and sizes to suit their needs.
In fact, our discharge instructions for my 2-month-old included a little Pedialyte in a bottle for him. Of course, you need to check with your own doctor before giving a child this young anything besides breastmilk or formula. You can see my 5-year-old daughter in the background of this pic… she was also very sick that day too!
My second tip is an obvious one, but disinfect everything! Use a disinfecting spray that is known to kill most viruses. When the stomach flu hits our house we immediately start to spray and wipe all handles and counters. Washing toys and anything that gets touched a lot is a good idea too. If you have 2 bathrooms it may be helpful to have the kids that are sick use one bathroom and the others to use the other one.
Tip 3 is another obvious one and probably the #1 way to actually prevent the spread of the stomach bug… hand washing. I tell my kids to wash their hands to the tune of ABC’s and when the song is finished they can stop. This way they know how long to wash their hands. We also buy washcloths in bulk or use paper towels so that they can use a new towel to dry their hands off each time.
Believe it or not, once the stomach flu is through doing it’s thing, kids are almost always back to normal the next day. With the help of Pedialyte, we have been able to prevent any dehydration episodes which is the biggest cause for concern when my kids come down with the stomach flu.
We always find the Pedialyte easily in the baby isle at Walmart. They have plenty of flavors to choose from and they even have Pedialyte freezer pops! We can lose vital fluids when we’re sick, but Pedialyte helps prevent mild to moderate dehydration.
What are some other tips that you have to survive the dreaded stomach flu?
Be sure to click the pic above for an Ibotta offer for $2 off any (2) one liters of Pedialyte!