Sick Just Got Real {Tip and Tricks for Beating the 'Ew', Plus a Pfizer Giveaway!} #SickJustGotReal

This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

When it comes to motherhood, there are a few things that we should come to expect--- Kids are unpredictable. Messes, avoid them as we may, WILL happen. And of course, there will ALWAYS be 'ew'.

You know what I'm talking about, right? It never fails even the kid who refuses to share everything else will share their germs! When one child is sick, it's only a matter of time before the rest of the family is hit! Suddenly we find ourselves covered in snot and vomit and wondering how on earth so much yuck can come from such a tiny creature.

Oh, the glamours of motherhood!

Thankfully for us moms, there are some great tips and tricks that can help us get our kids feeling back to normal again. But before we get to that- some facts about the 'ew':

Recognizing “Ew”

• Pediatric doctor Dr. Nina Shapiro and microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba share their expertise on how germs exist beyond what meets the eye and how to get kids back to being kids again when germs cause those Sick just got real.™ moments

Germs at play

• The sun's ultraviolet light rays kill bacteria, so playground equipment in the shade will have more bacteria.
• Sandboxes are a germ culprit, particularly if they remain uncovered overnight, which allows bacteria to enter.
• Any microorganisms on kids’ hands will spread to monkey bars, slides, teeter totters, swings and other touched surfaces where other children can then pick them up when playing.

Germ class is in session

• Half of students don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom ­ – and of those who do many don’t even use soap.
• Less than one-third of teachers said they regularly disinfect germ-laden objects in the classroom.
• Desks often have more bacteria than a toilet seat and if eating happens in class, the number of germs multiplies.
• Up to 2.7 million bacterial cells per square inch live on common school surfaces such as water fountains, desks, computer keyboards, bus seats and cafeteria trays.
• Shared technology in classrooms introduces new high-touch surfaces for spreading germs – the computer mouse, keyboard and tablet surfaces have some of the highest germ counts.
• Each keyboard key contains up to 1.3 million germs—that’s more than 135 million germs on the entire keyboard, and a standard iPad screen has up to 192 million bacteria! 

“Ew” is in the air

• In addition to school and the playground, the supermarket is a festival of “ew”, with shopping carts, credit card machines and reusable grocery bags acting as the leading germ carriers.
• Some germs can live on dry surfaces, such as toys, for several hours.
• Colds and other respiratory infections are spread by the hands and touching the nose or eyes, while 81 percent of people with the flu virus spread it through the air when they cough. 
• Most kids touch up to 20 objects per minute and touch their face 50 times per hour – leading to wide germ spreading.

Say goodbye to perfect attendance

• More than 38 million school days are missed by U.S. children each year due to the flu.
• Parents miss about 126 million workdays annually caring for a sick child, which equates to 40 billion lost dollars.
• Missing work to stay home with their sick kids and worrying about sickness outbreaks going around the classroom were the top concerns parents have when their child is sick at school.

Reading all that is enough to make you want to put your kids in a germ-free bubble, isn't it!? But let's be realistic--- even in a bubble, our kids would find a way to share their 'ew', so the only thing we can do as moms, is to help them get better faster when the sicknesses to come about. For that, these are my few quick tips:

• Avoidance Measures. As I said, we cannot lock them in a bubble and we cannot keep our children from ever being exposed to sick germs, but there are measures we can take to limit that. Practice regular hand washing, cough into elbows, etc. And when kids are sick, keep them home! Keep the germs from spreading faster!
• Lots of Rest. When the little ones are sick, rest can truly be the greatest thing to help their bodies fight off whatever it is they are fighting. Sick days are lazy days in our home. Bump up the bedtime, let them sleep in, pop on their favorite movie and let them just relax.
• Extra Cuddles. While the kids are resting, take the opportunity to give them a lot of extra love. It'll help them, and YOU, feel much better. After all, seeing your kiddos sick is ROUGH on a mama. Let the dishes go for a bit, just cuddle and rest with your kiddos.
• Have the Right Tools. You know what's worse than having sick little ones? Having to drag sick little ones out to the store to buy medicine to make them feel better. First and foremost, kids are miserable when sick...they don't want to leave their cozy beds to head to the store...and when they do? More germs! Now, sometimes it cannot be avoided, but when you can, a well stocked medicine cabinet is a must!
  
  
  

For a well stocked medicine cabinet, Pfizer Pediatrics are a must:

Kids get sick no matter how much you do to prevent it.  The pediatric brands of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare are there with three solutions – Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin® and Children’s Dimetapp® – to tackle the “ew”iest of symptoms. 

Ease those aches and pains, while reducing a child’s fever fast with Children’s Advil®, a great solution for kids as young as 2 and up to 11. Children’s Advil® comes in several great-tasting flavors, including: Sugar-free Dye-free Berry, Bubble Gum, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit and Dye-Free White Grape flavors. There’s also Infants’ Advil® White Grape, which provides unsurpassed fever relief (among OTC pain relievers) with a syringe for easy dosing for children 6-23 months.

For your child’s cough, trust Children's Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief to control and relieve symptoms all-day or all- night. Available in grape or orange flavor, for children ages 4 and up. Please note that while most Children’s Robitussin® products can be used starting at age 4, some are only for children age 6 and up.

Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free eases your child’s stuffy and runny nose, while quieting a bothersome cough. All in a great-tasting grape flavor that’s dye-free, for children 6 and up.

*It is important to remember to always read and keep the cartons for complete warnings and dosing information on Pfizer Pediatric products and to use as directed

We can't avoid the sickness, but when we can, it's good to have these tips and Pfizer by our side to help our children get back to acting like kids again. You can learn more at the links below:

·         Sick just got real.™ website

·         Sick just got real.™ Facebook page

And to help you combat the 'ew' in your home, Pfizer is giving one lucky reader the chance to win. Winner will receive $25 Visa gift card and additional Pfizer Pediatric products: (1) Children's Advil® Suspension, Grape, (1) Children's Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief, (1) Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner will be contacted via e-mail after giveaway ends, and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. One entry per household, winning entry will be verified. Odds of winning depend on valid entries received. A Modern Day Fairy Tale is not responsible for prize delivery.