Taking Care Of Your Sick Kids

Baby Celeste caught a bad cold while I was away earlier this week on the West Coast. Wednesday night, following my return to New York, it got worse. Her coughing was so intense it would occasionally transition to mild choking and heavy breathing. Laura and I let her sleep in our bed so we could monitor her throughout the restless night. The only good thing was that she didn’t have a fever, and she never lost her smile. That’s why the pediatrician suggested we hang in there that night, and see her the next day.

It turns out Celeste caught a virus, which caused a lot of congestion, a sore throat and nasal drip. The nasal drip is what caused all the coughing. Doc prescribed a mild cough suppressant, and Children’s Benadryl to dry the nose. Celeste is doing much better and we’re all thankful for that.

But what I’m really thankful for is that I work in a business and startup culture that is flexible and understanding of unexpected kid commitments. For a variety of reasons, it made most sense for me to work from home and take a few hours off to take Celeste to the pediatrician. Laura and I are both fulltime working parents, so we carefully manage our busy work and parenting schedules. With our beloved nanny, Aliana, we work as a team. It’s often tight and never easy. But being part of your kids’ lives during events like this is important.

Tagged as: Benadryl, Cough, Parenting, Pediatrics, sick

onlinedesign

I only wish they had the "fast melt" technology when my girls were little. I still feel bad having had to chase them down and hold their nose to make them swallow the most awful tasting poison to get "all better."

Just imagine what a child thinks about you when you are trying to force feed them what seems like drain-o in a spoon...to make them "all better."

I have heard that some of the new child meds taste SO good, parents have to keep them locked up so it does not get consumed like candy.

I applaud your comments on how "we carefully manage our busy work and parenting schedules" - Is there any other way to do it, really? Thank you for sharing your thoughts. (Get well Baby C.)

Pamela Parker Caird

Very true, Max. I am thankful that start-up culture and Internet culture lets me work whenever and wherever, which allows me to be away (and on the BBerry) at times when it's needed for my kids.

maxkalehoff

Very important. And a lot of people don't have that luxury (or necessity).

Taking Care Of Your Sick Kids

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