Sleep Aides for Sick Children

Rose knows that over the last month both of her friend's grandchildren have fought strep throat, vomiting, fevers and body aches. Thankfully with medicine and TLC they feel much better, but still have a hard time sleeping through the night. Here are some tips and techniques to make your child more comfortable when they are sick.

When a child is sick they can become easily dehydrated due to fevers, vomiting and diarrhea. It is very important that they are well hydrated with fluids like; water, diluted fruit juice, Gatorade, Pedialyte or weak decaffeinated herbal teas; such as Sleepytime tea, peppermint or chamomile. Pedialyte is recommended by pediatricians to replace necessary electrolytes. Warm milk not only will hydrate your child it is also a great sleep aide. Milk is full of tryptophan which is known to make you drowsy. Cow’s mild causes phlegm, so sunflower seed milk is an excellent alternative (see recipe below). Babies under one should either have breast milk or formula.

Buy a good humidifier. When children or anyone is stuffed up we open our mouths to breathe while we sleep causing us to wake with a sore throat. Sleeping with our mouths open will also add to our dehydration. Keeping the air well hydrated will ensure we sleep easier. You can also try a child’s saline nasal spray to aid a child’s stuffy nose. Read the recommended dosage for your child’s age as it may not be advisable for a child under the age of two. Children over the age of two can prop their heads up to help them breathe easier. Children under two can use a nasal nose bulb or aspirator to clear out their nose.

Our bodies perform many functions to maintain our health while we sleep. That is why is necessary to get the recommended hours of sleep for their age group. While infants can sleep up to 18 hours per day a healthy 1-3 year old still needs 12 to 14 hours of sleep. 11 to 12 hours for 3 – 6 year olds, 10 to 11 hours for 7 – 12 year olds and 9 to 10 hours for 13 – 17. While healthy adults, 18 years and older, need at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night. When children are sick they may require more sleep than the normal for their body to fight off the infection.

If your child has a bad cough that prevents them from sleeping and staying asleep a natural cough remedy can help them sleep.

Cough remedy I
1 teaspoon of honey *
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Stir mixture in a little bit of drinking water and drink immediately.
Take this 2-3 times a day.

Cough remedy II
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
Mix with a little bit of drinking water and drink immediately.
You can take this as many times as you want.

*A warning to parents: A child under the age of 1 should never be given honey. Their digestive system is not fully developed causing them to be at risk for contracting infant botulism. Over the counter cough and cold medications for children under the age of 6 were banned in Canada last year because the medicines proved to be ineffective and actually caused more harm than good. Experts are questioning whether the ban should apply to kids under the age of 12 as well.
Hopefully these tips and techniques will help your child get the much needed rest they need. If they do, than you will sleep a lot easier too.

Sunflower Seed Milk
NO: gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs

Ingredients:
1 cup soaked sunflower seeds
2-3 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
water

Preparation:

Soak 1 cup of raw sunflower seeds overnight.
Rinse sunflower seeds and add to Vitamix or other high-powered blender.
Fill blender container with water approximately 1/2 full.
Add raw honey and vanilla extract.
Blend until contents are liquified.

Since I didn't measure the water and every blender is different, you may have to add more depending on your blender.
The Vitamix does a very good job of liquifying the ingredients, so there is hardly any pulp.
You can strain the pulp if you wish, but I don't.

Sunflower seeds contain linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. The seeds are also good sources of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc. If that isn't enough, they are also rich in cholesterol-lowering phyotosterols (phytochemicals naturally occuring in plants).
The best way to eat sunflower seeds is raw, not roasted. Raw sunflower seeds have not been heated or treated with salt. You can find raw hulled sunflower seeds at your local natural foods market.

Absolutely great as a drink by itself, added to cereal or smoothies, or simply topped with spices (cinammon, cardamom and nutmeg) and devoured along with some pumpkin spice bread.
How much protein?
Sunflower seeds contain 8grams of protein per 1/4 cup.
A great addition to anyone's diet!

How else can I use it?
Sunflower seed milk can also be used in recipes that otherwise call for dairy or soy milk. We even used it to make potatoes au gratin!