Care and Nutrition for a Sick Child

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Care and Nutrition for a Sick Child
Salim e-a Ebrahim ©
A. Fevers
Do not panic when a child has fever because fever is nature’s “medicine” for destroying
bacteria and virus in the heated human body. A temperature of up to even 104F is
acceptable in a child. Keep track of the temperature with a good, reliable thermometer
because a body temperature over 104F is harmful to the child (e.g. seizures). However, you
may cool the child by sponging the body with normal temperature water. At 104F
temperature the body’s own cooling system also kicks in and helps towards reducing the
temperature. Use of fever reducing medicines at 103F to reduce fever is acceptable but not
before because body heat is needed to weaken and kill bacteria and virus.
Never place a sick child directly under the fan or in the direct blast of the cold air from an
air conditioner or an open window to lower the child’s body temperature. The child will
end up with a cold-cough at best and pneumonia at worst.
B. For Flu, Coughs, Colds, and Sore Throats
Immediately STOP giving the following POISONS:
1. Refined sugar (it removes calcium and therefore vitamin C from the body) in all its
forms e.g. sweets, chocolates, carbonated colas, noncarbonated "drinks", ice cream,
packaged “juices” which contain HFCS sugar, biscuits, cookies, cakes, pastries, etc.
2. White flour in all its forms: e.g. cakes, biscuits, cookies, pastries, and white (or even the
so-called brown colored) breads unless they are really made from whole wheat.
3. Packaged crisps/chips and other junk foods so popular as TV snacks. They contain
chemicals in the form of colors, preservatives, and artificial flavoring as well as sugar, salt,
and bad saturated oils (called trans fats) which make children obese and weak. Specially
keep children away from rancid junk foods which are twice as harmful in destroying
vitamins and minerals in the body. The FritoLay brand of Pepsi Cola International was even
adding aspartame in their junk foods manufactured in a Third world country in 2012.
4. Colas and carbonated drinks e.g. coca cola, pepsi cola, sprite, etc. which contain, in
addition to the huge amounts of HFCS sugar, phosphoric acid which devastates bone
matter.
5. False “juices” and “electrolyte drinks” in packages. These are simply sugared water
with chemical colors and artificial chemical flavors.
NOTE: During hot weather make a homemade electrolyte drink by mixing apple, grape or
fruit vinegar with honey in a glass of water. To fight dehydration, simply dissolve a quarter
teaspoon of salt in the drink for rehydration. Add lemon or lime juice if no natural vinegar
is available but avoid using artificial chemical vinegar! All natural fruits contain electrolytes.
So, after workouts drink water and natural fruit juices or simply eat fruits to quench thirst.

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C. Nutritional Foods to give to a Child especially when a Child is Sick:
1. DO NOT FORCE A CHILD TO EAT. The human body when sick does not want to spend
energy in digesting heavy, oily foods. Let the child make its own choices. Its body knows
what it wants. Simply ask the child what it would like to eat and then try to accommodate
its wants.
2. Eggs and especially egg yolks are very nutritious and give as many as a child can eat
every day in different forms e.g. fried, omelette, scrambled, with onion and tomato, etc.
3. French fries, chicken, brown-flour cakes and cookies, etc. fried at home and made with
good oil are all good for the child when s/he feels hungry. Oil and butter (not margarine
which is a trans fat) is good for children. Avoid all restaurant foods because they
invariably use trans fats.
4. Fruits and nuts are packed with vitamins, minerals and other natural biochemicals
similar to vitamins but not yet identified as vitamins. Give as much as your budget can
afford them.
5. Drink lots of whole milk, buttermilk and soups made from chicken, green grams (mung
beans), other lentils and fresh vegetables. Be sure to put into soups fresh or ground
turmeric, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and an onion. (Do not make excessive use of onions in
any soups - one is enough - to avoid embarrassing flatulence.) All these soups have
electrolytes in abundance.
6. Give lots of water with naturally made vinegar with honey to taste or effervescent
Calcium + Vitamin C tablets each per a glass of water or green tea with honey. Be sure to
give these drinks a half hour before meals or one hour after meals and avoid drinking water
and juices during meals. This is important for good digestion for everyone, especially a sick
child.
D. Extras:
1. A magic cure for coughs and colds! Before going to bed massage the soles of the child's
feet with a Eucalyptus rub and put on socks. Nobody knows why this works but it does.
2. When sick, let the child take a break from school and rest at home with lots of sleep.
3. Sleep early at night! One hour before midnight is equal to two hours after midnight!
Sleep removes toxins from the brain, the organs and the muscles. Therefore do not
underestimate the value of sleep.
4. Restrict overlong watching of television and playing computer games. This consumes a
tremendous amount of energy by the brain and Vitamin A by the eyes instead of these
being used to combat the illness. Reading will make the child sleepy putting it to sleep
which is what is needed. Or, let the sick child out into the garden to play in the fresh air.
The oxygen in the fresh air helps to destroy the bacteria and viruses in the mucous
membranes of the nasal passages and the throat as well as gets circulated in the body.
5. Be sure to avoid the exhaust fumes from vehicles when out walking or playing.
6. Use salt water (diluted brine solution) for gargling and rinsing nasal passages.
But most of all, do not forget to smile, show love and hug the child! Mothers have a
natural instinct for this type of "love potions" but Fathers should also make the effort.