Sick-Day Survival Guide

A parent's plan for safe dosing and seasonal health.

- JESS SMIT

It always starts after bedtime: a hot forehead, a cough that won't break, a search bar full of questions. In a city with year-round humidity – and school terms that seem to pass bugs around like party favours – parents in Singapore juggle colds, flu, HFMD, allergies and the occasional haze week.

Here, two senior paediatricians - DR KAO PAO-TANG and DR AGNES TAY from the International Baby Child & Adolescent Clinic (IBCA) at Parkway MediCentre - share what to keep at home, what to avoid, and how to ride out the common Singapore bugs with less stress and more sleep.

Medicine cabinet essentials

Keep a digital thermometer; age-appropriate pain and fever relief (paracetamol, and ibuprofen if your doctor says it's suitable); oral rehydration salts; saline spray or drops; and a small supply of antihistamines recommended for known allergies.

Store everything locked away, labelled, dated and out of sight of young children. “Check expiry dates at the start of each school term,” says Dr Kao. “Get rid of any old bottles so you aren't guessing at 2am.”

Dose safely: read the label every time