Hi, I’m Min Yi, CareLine Advisor/Nutritionist from DanoneDumex. Try to take a day off to give your child the time and affection he needs when he’s ill and this could help deepen your relationship with him. Here are some tips on what you can do for him at home.

• Change your child’s bed sheets and let him nap in your bed if he wishes. Be patient if he is moody or irritable.
• Tune in to the children’s channel and read him stories. If he has the energy, you could play puzzles and board games with him.
• Your child may have poor appetite during his illness. Be sure to nourish him with regular meals and nutritious food.
• Give your child a soft diet that is easy to swallow and digest for example bread with a little jam or rice porridge with some mashed vegetables.
• Avoid giving fatty or too much complex carbohydrate foods.
• Food should be bland (definitely not spicy or pungent) to avoid irritating his throat and digestive tract.
• If your child does not have diarrhea or is not vomiting, you can give him foods like milk and fruits. (Some creativity like using milk in desserts or fruits as juices goes a long way in nourishing and cheering up a sick child)
• Where there is diarrhea or vomiting, allow plenty of rest and ensure sufficient fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Anti-diarrhoeal medication should never be given to children below 2 years old.