Being a mommy can be really scary sometimes, especially when your little ones get sick. They’re so small and helpless, and you’d do anything to help them, but do you actually know what to do when illness strikes?

If not, don’t worry. Check out this list of some of the most common childhood illnesses and how to treat them:

Sore Throats and Tonsillitis

Sore throats and swollen uvulas are probably more common than tonsillitis, and they’re easier to treat too. Encourage your kids to drink plenty of fluids, including soup and other warm drinks, get them to eat ice cubes, let them gargle with water and perhaps give them some age appropriate pain medicine as a starting point. If that doesn’t clear up the problem, find out how to treat a swollen uvula and call the doctor if your child finds it tough to swallow, drools a lot, has a collection of pus at the back of the throat or has a sore throat for over a week.

Now, tonsillitis. This is a very painful condition, which can be caused by bacteria or virus, although a virus is the most common. Symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen and red tonsils, pain when swallowing, fever and headache. Children between the ages of 5 and 15 are most likely to get tonsillitis, and if you think one of your kids has contracted it, you should visit your doctor to have it checked out immediately. Treating tonsillitis means giving your child antibiotics, pain relief, and throat lozenges for the most part, but if they get it frequently, they may need to have their tonsils removed.

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A viral infection, chicken pox is extremely contagious and causes symptoms including an itchy red rash, fever and headache. Usually, it is children under the age of 10 who contract chickenpox, but you can get it well into your adulthood.

Mostly, you just have to let chickenpox run its course, but if you see any of the above symptoms in your child, it’s still a good idea to see a doctor because other, more serious, illnesses can manifest similarly.

In terms of treatment, you really just have to ride it out. You can administer Tylenol for children to help with the fever and pain and you can use soothing lotions and loose comfy clothes to soothe their itches, but other than that, it’s just a waiting game.

Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is very common in adults and children alike. It is caused by either virus or bacteria and causes those infected to suffer from bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Again, this is an illness that just has to run its course, and it usually does within three days or so. One thing you must do, though, is keep your children hydrated. Diarrhea and vomiting remove a lot of moisture from the body, which you will need to replenish. Many electrolytes are also lost that way, which means you might have to give your kid rehydration drinks to keep them well too. 

Whatever symptoms you see in your child, if you are even slightly worried, don’t hesitate to take them to the doctor. They are the people best placed to help your child and put your mind at rest.