Tips for when your household is sick

[Username721]

Myself and my DH have a 12 month old. He also has two pre-teens that live with us 100% of the time.

Over the last 24 hours, DH, myself and one of the older kids have come down with gastroenteritis. The baby has been sick once but otherwise seems ok.

I’ll spare you the finer details, but it’s absolutely horrendous. The vomiting isn’t the hardest part, the muscle aches and general lethargy is far worse.

We’ve muddled through today, just. I keep a clean, tidy home but that’s went out the window until we’re better.

I’ve seen some threads where posters say the kids get unlimited Netflix etc, but that doesn’t apply to my 12 month old. They’re too young to stay focused.

Send tips, ideas, sympathy etc!

Towels on the floor/ under sick buckets
ventilate
bleach as many high touch and all bathrooms regularly
high wash towels
regarding baby , you have teens do not much advice you dont know ! …. Keep hydrated and monitor for hydration / wet nappies / temps / unusual cries
as for entertaining it !…. No chance….. Netflix for the teens to stop them waking a baby !…… hope it passes soon x
sympathy sent…. Tis never fun!

Just sending sympathy. We had gastroenteritis from a pizza place (which will remain unnamed!) in lockdown and it was horrendous, we also had a 9 month old puppy at the time 😬. At one point I was worried we'd end up in hospital-not a place either of us wanted to be at that time. Even water wasn't staying down (or up if you catch my drift!) we were in the loo every 5 minutes, even sips of water instigated a response that would make Niagara Falls jealous and we both had fevers of about 40-41C 🤢.

Towards the end (it lasted about 10 days!!) we asked people to drop off dioralyte to get our energy back up. And because our tummies felt so bruised, we lived off toast and crackers for a while and slowly reintroduced food.

It really is the pits so sending you strength!

Thanks, both!

It’s a nightmare isn’t it? The washing machine didn’t stop all day yesterday and keeping up with the constant cleaning is hard when you feel like you’ll faint every time you move!

Use paper plates and cups for food & drink (if anyone can face food) to save washing up.

Oh that’s a great idea re the paper plates and cups!…. Stealing for future bugs!!

Sorry OP. Gastroenteritis can be really rough. Hydration is the most important thing here. Dioralyte and little sips of flat full sugar coke. Thorough disinfection of bathroom / towels / bedding / kitchen when the bug has run its course. Bland foods in small portions when vomiting and diorrhoea have stopped. Try to keep warm and as comfy as possible. Paracetamol for any aches and pains.

Hope you're starting to feel better 🤞