Parents in action: What to do when your child is sick

You can eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep, but sooner or later we all get sick. Dealing with your own illness can be complicated.

The list of things you need to do only gets longer when it's your child that is sick.

Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine publisher, Angela Ardolino, has some tips to tell if your child is sick and what you should do about it.

Some Signs of a Sick Child:

• Fussiness, frequent crying or clingy-ness
• Does not eat well
• Lack of fluid intake
• Fever
• Irregular sleeping
• Irregular urination

Be prepared
Keep a phone list in a convenient place in your house and also save these numbers in your cell phone. Include telephone numbers of your child's doctor and who to call after hours, the hospital, poison control, the fire department, your local pharmacy and their after-hours line. Inform your babysitter of where these numbers are located in case of emergency in addition to how you can be reached when you are out and a backup person in case they can't get in touch with you.

Talk to your Doctor                                                           Speak with your doctor about what to do and what warrants an after-hours call or emergency. He or she can advise on handy items to keep in the house and commonly used medicines to keep in your medicine cabinet.

Research for yourself what common ailments children can have at each age and what you can do to prevent or help them get better if they do catch something. A good source for this is the American Academy of Pediatrics .

• Take a first-aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course for children and adults. Learn the Heimlich maneuver (for choking).
• Don't panic! Stay calm and take a breath in order to react the best you can for your child in the situation.

If your child is too sick for school:

Some local hospitals offer daily child care staffed by nurses. The requirements are different depending which facility you choose. There is also usually a small fee.

Find complete information on Tampa General Hospital's Kidcare program here .

When calling the Doctor:

• The earlier in the day you can contact the doctor the better. Chances are, if your child isn't feeling well in the afternoon, he won't feel any better by bedtime.
•  Remember to speak calmly and be ready to provide the doctor with your child's basic information like name, age, weight, date of your child's last doctor visit, medical history and current medications your child is taking.
• Provide detailed information on your child's symptoms, the duration of the symptoms, fluid intake, vomiting, temperature, etc.

Try to keep people with cold, flu or other symptoms away from your child. Let your physician know if you think your child has been exposed to an illness.

Sources:
1. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, www.EmbraceYourHealth.com

2. http://health.howstuffworks.com

3.  http://www.pampers.com