Dads: How to deal with kids’ winter sickness

As any dad knows, having a sick child turns the whole day upside down. You have to take time off from work, cater to his or her every need (more so than usual) and find ways to help keep the illness at bay. This is especially true in the winter months, when colds are as common as ugg boots. But, make new sentence luckily there are several at-home remedies that can quell a sickness in-between trips to the doctor.

Of course, parents should only place medical care in the hands of professionals, but for the common cold, sometimes the best way to alleviate symptoms is to use products and items that can be found at home, WebMD.com reports. While it's impossible to cure the ailment, a dad's main role should be to make his kids as comfortable as possible.

For starters, menthol salves and rubs have proven to be an effective way to reduce chest congestion. Additionally, indulging your kids with some light snacks can improve their mood, but remembering to push fluid such as ice water, juice and even popsicles as well.

For more substantial sicknesses, such as ones that are accompanied by a fever, doctors suggest not calling a pediatrician until your child's temperature reaches 102 degrees. Similarly, for infants younger than 3 months, mom's and dad's should become concerned if their babies' body temperatures approach 100.4 degrees.