Most of my health advice comes from asking myself, “what would my mother do?” But then I realize that while my mom was full of great tips, she was also prone to believing a lot of health myths, especially when dealing sick kids (she still does, despite my insistence that she’s wrong). Here are five you might not know about:
Giving a child cold medicine.
Apparently cough medicine is “very nearly useless,” and things like nasal decongestants can make things worse. Instead, use anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen like Advil or Motrin) for aches and chills.
Too much milk and juice.
Milk is low on iron and can reduce a child’s appetite. Limit it to 32 ounces a day up to age 3, and 16 ounces from 3 to 5.
Giving “fresh air” to a bandaged wound.
This dries out the wound and leads to a scabbing, and increases the potential for scarring. Plus, bandaids keep the wound protected longer, so the body won’t feel a need to scab over the cut.
Overusing the car seat.
It’s convenient to move your infant around while keeping him/her in the car seat, but babies can work on holding up their heads and strengthening abdominal muscles while being held. Just leave the seat in the car and carry your baby.
Don’t be afraid of a fever.
Don’t panic! The height a fever has little to do with the seriousness of infection. And don’t believe old wives’ tales—like bundling, avoiding bathing, or “feeding a fever/starving a cold.”
If your child looks exhausted when he/she has a fever, that’s OK. If they look exhausted when their temperature returns to normal, then it’s time to call the doctor.
Did any of these surprise you? What myths do you have?
From Julie’s Health Club. Photo by joanna8555.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I know my family are so convinced that if you walk outside with a wet head you will catch your death! Ha! I am living proof that a wet head has never killed anyone.My in laws keep it burning hot inside their house because they believe my son will get sick if he sweats outside and comes into the cold.
I think one big myth i grew up with is that you should tilt your head back when you get a nose bleed!! That actually causes the blood to backflow. NOT good for clotting!
why do they call them myths?
The most important thing I think as parents caring for their children is to use common sense and trust your instincts
I tend to be very skeptical about health myths. "You'll catch cold if you go outside with wet hair." No you won't–GERM cause colds, not weather. There's a fact to refute just about any myth.