Toddlers get sick. A lot.
Between daycare germs, seasonal viruses, and those random fevers that seem to appear out of nowhere, I've learned that having a few things already at home makes those stressful days — and especially nights — a little easier.
Over the last two years, I've slowly built a small medicine cabinet with the things I actually use for my daughter.
It's not a long list but simply the things I've found myself reaching for again and again.
Only got a "mom minute" before someone needs a cuddle? Here are the things I keep on hand.
Children's Tylenol
Fever and discomfort relief we keep stocked.
Children's Motrin
Ibuprofen for fever and tough sick nights.
iHealth Thermometer
The first thing I grab when she feels warm.
Little Remedies Saline Drops
Drug-free relief for stuffy noses.
Pedialyte Powder
Easy-to-store hydration for stomach bugs.
Honey
Natural cough soothing for kids over 1.
Vaseline
Simple barrier for diaper rash and dry skin.
Blueberry Pediatrics
Pediatric care from home via messaging or video.
Hydrocortisone 1% Cream
Helpful for bug bites, rashes, and itchy spots.
Desitin
Diaper rash cream that lasts a long time.
Oral Syringes
Tiny, cheap, and easy to misplace.
Band-Aids
Small sized bandages for little cuts.For Colds and Stuffy Noses
Little Remedies Saline Drops
A stuffy nose is usually one of the first signs that my daughter is getting a cold.
I always keep a drug-free saline solution at home. I like the one we have because I can use it as drops or a spray, and I find it especially useful before naps and bedtime when she's really congested.
Now, actually getting it into her nose is another story.
She does not like it.
Usually my husband holds her while I quickly give it to her. Nobody is having a good time during this process, but I still keep doing it because I've found it really helpful when she's congested.
Mom tip: Keep it somewhere you can grab quickly. A congested, cranky toddler is not the time you want to start searching through bathroom cabinets.
For Coughs
Honey
Honey is one of those things I already have in my kitchen but now also think of as part of our sick-day supplies.
Since my daughter is over 1, I sometimes give her honey when a cough is bothering her, especially around bedtime.
I also sometimes sit with her in the bathroom with the warm shower running when she's congested. Nothing fancy — just things I've found useful on those uncomfortable cold nights.
Important: Honey should never be given to children under 1 year old.
For Fever and Those Sick Nights
iHealth Thermometer
This is probably one of the things I use most whenever my daughter is sick.
The moment she feels warmer than usual, out comes the thermometer.
I usually check her temperature a few times because I've noticed that the reading can vary a little, and I like to get a better idea of where her temperature actually is.
Children's Tylenol and Children's Motrin
I keep both Children's Tylenol and Children's Motrin at home for fever or discomfort.
I follow the dosing instructions for my daughter and check with our pediatrician if I'm ever unsure about what to give or how much.
For Stomach Bugs and Keeping Her Hydrated
Pedialyte Powder
Unfortunately, we've had our share of stomach bugs.
I keep Pedialyte powder at home because it's easy to store and I can make it when we need it instead of keeping bottles around.
The one I buy does have added sugar.
Normally, I'm pretty conscious about added sugar in the things I buy for my daughter. But when she's sick, has barely eaten, and isn't drinking enough, that goes way down my priority list.
She likes the taste. She drinks it. That matters more to me on those days.
Oral Syringes
This is such a small thing, but keep a few extra oral syringes.
Of course I use them when I need to measure and give liquid medicine, but I've also used them for fluids.
During one stomach bug, my daughter was refusing to drink her Pedialyte.
So I literally sat there and gave her an entire serving with an oral syringe.
A little at a time.
It took forever.
But she drank it.
That experience alone is why I now keep extra syringes at home. They're tiny, cheap, and somehow disappear exactly when you need one.
For Rashes and Itchy Skin
Hydrocortisone 1% Cream
Between bug bites, itchy spots, and random rashes, I like having 1% hydrocortisone cream at home.
If my daughter has an itchy rash that seems to be spreading, I check with her pediatrician to see if hydrocortisone is appropriate to use. Since 1% hydrocortisone is available over the counter, I find it useful to keep a small tube at home so we already have it if her pediatrician recommends using it.
For Diaper Rash
Desitin + Vaseline
Even with an older toddler, diaper rash still happens — especially after diarrhea or a stomach bug.
What I personally do is apply Vaseline first and then Desitin on top.
You really do not need the enormous tub of Desitin. A little goes a long way.
For Little Cuts and Scrapes
Band-Aids
Toddlers fall. They scrape their knees. They somehow get tiny cuts when you have absolutely no idea what they even touched.
So yes, I keep small sized Band-Aids at home.
And honestly, sometimes I think putting on the Band-Aid is what makes my daughter feel better — not the Band-Aid itself.
It's also a fun activity for her.
The Pediatric Resource I Like Having Available
Sometimes the hardest part of having a sick toddler isn't figuring out what's in the medicine cabinet.
It's figuring out what I'm supposed to do.
Is this fever okay?
Should I wait?
Is this rash something I need to worry about?
Do I need to take her somewhere?
I've had plenty of those moments, especially at night, and that's one reason I personally use Blueberry Pediatrics.
Blueberry is a subscription-based pediatric service that lets me reach out for pediatric care from home. I like having another option when I have questions about my daughter's symptoms instead of sitting there wondering whether something needs an in-person visit.
And I really like that I don't have to think, "Is this question worth paying for another visit?" every time I'm unsure about something.
Blueberry doesn't replace my daughter's regular pediatrician, well-child visits, or emergency care. For me, it's simply another resource I like having for those "I really don't know what I'm supposed to do here" moments. They have an app where you can just input the symptoms and chat with a doctor.
Want to check out Blueberry Pediatrics? Learn more here.
Final Thoughts
I don't think you can ever be completely prepared for a sick toddler.
There will still be the unexpected fever. The stomach bug that starts in the middle of the night. The cough that suddenly sounds worse when everyone is supposed to be sleeping.
But I've learned that having a few basics at home removes at least one small piece of the stress.
I'm not scrambling to find saline. I know where the thermometer is. I have Pedialyte in the pantry. And if I'm sitting there wondering whether something is normal or whether I need help, I know who I can ask.
That's really what my toddler medicine cabinet is about.
Not preparing for everything.
Just making those already-hard sick days a tiny bit easier.
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