Simple cures for tots

It can’t be helped. At one point, your kids will come running to you with a throbbing pain in their temples, or with a swollen mouth due to a toothache. They might complain, too, of body aches and muscle pains after a day of playing or after sitting too long in front of the TV or computer.

Since kids will be staying at home these days due to the continuing quarantines, it’s best to familiarize yourself with a few first aid treatments or some home remedies to help ease, minimize or if possible, stop the pain altogether.

Stomach pains

Tummy troubles can be fairly common, caused by something as simple as eating too fast, indigestion, lactose intolerance, among others. Among the more common home remedies include drinking more water as dehydration usually makes digestion more difficult and less effective. You can also add ginger to your food or drink it as tea as ginger reportedly “contains chemicals called gingerols and shogaols that can help speed up stomach contractions.” Bananas may do the trick too since these contain vitamins and minerals that can help ease pains and muscle spasms.

Toothache

While toothaches have to be checked by your dentist, minor pains, irritations or swelling may be remedied in the meantime. Mix half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and use it as a mouth rinse. Salt water is said to be a natural disinfectant that can help reduce inflammation, heal oral wounds or loosen food particles stuck in between your teeth. You can also put a cold compress—or just ice wrapped in cloth—on the affected area for 20 minutes. This can help ease the pain and swelling as the cool temperature can cause blood vessels in the area to constrict.

Body aches

Kids have so much energy to expend that they could go on and on all day—whether they’re playing, running, or sitting, glued to their computers, tablets or even TVs. So when they come running to you with sore arms, back aches or leg muscle pains, what do you do? Relieve muscular discomfort by putting ice on the affected area to ease the swelling. Make sure to get enough rest and sleep so the body can recover from the day’s activities.

Medicard’s MACE App

If symptoms persist, it really is better to consult a doctor. In some cases, these aches could signal far more serious ailments that you should treat immediately. Medicard Philippines, the leading health maintenance organization in the country, is making it easier for parents and guardians to seek professional help via the MACE app, which you can download via the App Store or Google Play. Just a few clicks on your phone and you’re all set to make appointments with your doctor or get a schedule for an examination.

Sources: medicalnewstoday.com, healthline.com, medicardphils.com