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Having a toddler in daycare has its ups and downs. On the one hand, my son learns how to be independent, learns kindergarten skills, and benefits socially and emotionally.
On the other hand, he gets sick pretty often and occasionally sustains minor injuries while he’s doing toddler things with his toddler friends.
There’s not much we can do to stop our kids from getting sick and getting minor injuries while at daycare or school, but doing some preparation beforehand can help us manage those episodes when they happen. And they will happen – kids are curious and they get into everything.
As working moms, we don’t really have the luxury of time on our side. When stuff happens, it happens fast – and we better be prepared! I’ve done enough last-minute grocery store runs in the middle of the week after a long work day to know that preparation is everything. That unplanned 20 minutes wrecks my whole evening (and it’s never just 20 minutes!).
One of the best things I did when starting my son in daycare was stocking up my medicine cabinet in advance. Having what we needed at home made life so much easier, especially when we were in the midst of juggling work, household chores, and taking care of a sick baby.
Illnesses and injuries happen fairly often in daycare
So how often will our kids get sick or injured in daycare? Can’t be so much that you need to do all this extra preparation, right? Keep dreaming, mama.
When our kids first start daycare, we’re going to have to get through the dreaded ‘daycare syndrome’ phase. That’s the period of time in the first 6 months to a year when our kids are coming home with a new infection every other week. During this phase, we will need all the medicines we can hold in our cabinets – trust me, they won’t go to waste.
Even after that first year is over, they will still continue to get sick fairly often because they are always exposed to new and different germs. Most of these illnesses are respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, and ear infections. Fun times ahead.
What about injuries? Occasional falls, bumps, scrapes, scratches, and bruises also happen while our kids are at daycare.
Our child’s teachers do the best they can to keep everyone safe, but kids will be kids – they are curious about their surroundings and still learning about their bodies. They will get into things they definitely shouldn’t, and they may get mildly injured in the process. Not to worry – most daycare injuries are minor and can be handled with home care.
So yes, injuries and illnesses do happen at daycare fairly often (illness more so than injury). For working moms who don’t have a lot of extra time in our schedules, it helps to anticipate and prepare by stocking up with everything we need before we actually need it.
1. Children’s or Infant’s Tylenol
Age-appropriate Tylenol is a medicine cabinet staple with kids, whether they’re in daycare or school-age.
It helps manage common symptoms like pain, fever, and coughing that occur with many different infections. I am never without at least one bottle of Children’s Tylenol in my house (or Infant’s when my son was little).
Infants’ Tylenol Liquid Pain Relief and Fever Medicine (Amazon paid link)
Children’s Tylenol Liquid Pain Relief & Fever Medicine (Amazon paid link)
2. Saline nose spray or drops
Sticky mucus from respiratory infections can be difficult for kids to get out because they’re not that good at blowing their noses or coughing it out, and it can be pretty irritating to their nasal passages and throat. Saline nose spray or nose drops helps to clear up that sticky mucus.
Whenever my son got sick, I would always use a saline nose spray before he went to sleep to help him breathe easier at night (which meant less overnight wake-ups).
Saline spray or drops are particularly useful when combined with a snot sucker to clear out mucus.
Little Remedies Saline Spray and Drops (Amazon paid link)
Little Remedies Sterile Saline Nasal Mist (Amazon paid link)
Frida Baby NoseFrida Saline Mist Spray (Amazon paid link)
3. Snot sucker
Most babies don’t really learn to blow their noses until at least 2 years old, and even then, they aren’t very good at it. That means mucus can build up in the nose and throat, which can be uncomfortable and might even lead to secondary ear infections.
Enter the snot sucker – this amazing little gadget helps our kids out by quite literally sucking the snot out for them.
I used it every time my toddler had a respiratory infection, and it helped him bounce back so much faster than waiting for the mucus to clear up on its own. It sounds gross, but it’s totally worth it – better breathing, better sleep, and a happier toddler.
Frida Baby NoseFrida SnotSucker for Baby (Amazon paid link)
4. Pedialyte
Pedialyte helps to keep our kids hydrated and restores lost electrolytes if they have diarrhea, have been throwing up, or just won’t drink enough fluids.
When my son was around one and a half, he had the habit of throwing up his food whenever he was sick. Pedialyte really came in handy then. It kept him hydrated and helped us avoid any trips to the emergency room due to dehydration (which can require immediate medical attention if it gets severe).
Before giving babies under one Pedialyte, it’s best practice to consult with their pediatrician first.
Pedialyte AdvancedCare Electrolyte Solution with PreActiv Prebiotics (Amazon paid link)
5. Vicks Baby Rub
Vicks Baby Rub has always been helpful whenever my son caught a cold, flu, or other unknown respiratory infection. It’s the kid version of regular Vicks, minus the potentially harmful or irritating ingredients like camphor, which can be toxic to children.
Vicks Baby Rub is considered an ointment and has a soothing smell of eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender. I use it on my son’s chest and back to help comfort him and ease his breathing whenever he’s sick.
Vicks BabyRub Chest Rub Ointment (Amazon paid link)
6. Thermometer
The old hand on the forehead technique might be able to tell us if our child has a fever, but a thermometer helps take the guesswork out of things.
For infants under 3 months, rectal thermometers are most accurate, but after 3 months we can use a digital forehead thermometer, or an ear thermometer once they’re over 6 months old.
Knowing their actual body temperature helps us make the best decisions for their care – low fevers might not require much more than at-home care and close supervision, but high fevers may warrant trips to the pediatrician or even the emergency room.
Frida Baby Rectal Thermometer for Baby (Amazon paid link)
Frida Baby Thermometer, 3-in-1 Infrared Thermometer (Amazon paid link)
7. Adult cold and pain medicine
When our kids are sick, it’s only a matter time of time before we catch whatever they had. When it’s our turn, it’s always helpful to have cold and pain relief medicine so that we can at least be somewhat functional.
Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil Co-Pack, Cold & Flu Medicine (Amazon paid link)
Theraflu Severe Cold Relief Hot Liquid Powder Combo (Amazon paid link)
8. Sanitizing wipes or spray
Regularly sanitizing our homes and surfaces helps limit the spread of germs that make their way in. I’ve pretty much accepted that I’m going to get sick whenever my son does, but there’s no reason anyone else in the house has to get it too. Keeping our homes clean can minimize the spread of lingering germs that their little hands come into contact with.
Lysol Disinfectant Wipes (Amazon paid link)
CleanSmart Toy Disinfectant Spray (Amazon paid link)
Dapple Baby All Purpose Cleaning Spray (Amazon paid link)
9. Cold packs
Our child’s teachers can probably manage minor injuries at daycare until we pick them up, but we might want to continue home treatment if there’s any swelling, bruising, or lingering pain.
Cold packs are an effective reliever of pain and inflammation for things like squished fingers, fall-related bruises, or minor contusions. They always came in handy for those little bumps and bruises my son got at daycare.
ICEWRAPS Round Ice Packs for Injuries Reusable (Amazon paid link)
MED PRIDE Instant Cold Pack (Amazon paid link)
10. A first aid kit and Band-Aids
For all the cuts, scratches, and scrapes we’ll need to manage at home, we should always keep Band-Aids and a first aid kit in our medicine cabinets.
First aid kits usually have everything we need, including bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, Neosporin, tweezers, anti-itch and antibiotic ointments, gloves, and tape.
All-Purpose Portable Compact First Aid Kit (Amazon paid link)
KeepGoing Travel First Aid Kit for Kids (Amazon paid link)
When our kids are enrolled in daycare or group childcare, it’s likely that they will get sick often and sustain minor injuries from time to time. Preparing for this by stocking up our medicine cabinets in advance helps reduce last-minute stress and anxiety, and makes managing everyday life much easier for busy working moms.
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