It must be every mother’s worst nightmare … Your baby complains that it hurts and you can’t do anything about it. Stomach aches are just one of many examples of these cases. It starts, out of nowhere, and you can never be sure where it will go. When do you take your child seriously and when do you dismiss it as whining or tired? Although children can sometimes be manipulative in their statements, it is important to always take what they say seriously. Do your best to keep your child comfortable and assure him that everything will be fine. If you feel like your child is playing with you, so to speak, you should put an end to it as soon as possible.
Once your child complains of pain, be it a headache, a stomachache, or any other type of pain he may feel, you should always start by taking it seriously and asking questions. Questions that require the child to explain what he feels are the best. Never use suggestive statements or questions that can be answered with a yes or no, as they don’t give you much information and younger children tend to answer randomly one way or another. The more information you have about how your child is feeling, the better prepared you will be to help him. If the situation warrants it, monitor your child’s temperature and medicate accordingly if he has a fever (38 degrees Celsius or higher).
Once you know that something is legitimately bothering your child, and more importantly, you have a pretty good idea of what it could be, you need to show your child that you understand and care about how they are feeling. It is also very important that you comfort your child and assure him that everything will be okay. An easy way to do this is to explain what is happening. Remember, they are young and sometimes they can’t figure out what is really going on in their bodies and they don’t know what to expect or how to handle it. It will be very comforting for them to get this information in a language they understand. You can try telling them a short story about what is bothering them and include what to expect and what will happen next.
Lastly, if your child is complaining but there doesn’t seem to be a legitimate reason for it, they may just be cheating on you. Children are manipulative by nature and will do what they can to get the attention they want. It is quite possible that your little one’s whining and whining is simply for your attention and that the pain is just a way for them to get that attention. If you think this may be the case, you can follow your child’s play until you can confirm that your child is in fact leading. Once you are sure, it will be very important to stop this behavior as it can become a habit that will cause your child to whine for your attention on a regular basis.
When kids get sick, it’s not fun for anyone. It can seem like the whole family gets sick along with them. It is important to find out the true source of your child’s complaint. Once you know what’s going on, make your little one feel comfortable and show him that you care what his concern is. Telling them what to expect will help them take in what is happening to their bodies. If you realize that your child is cheating on you, you should cheat on him and do what you can to prevent him from repeating this behavior. Children get sick and it is part of life and growth. There is nothing like a mother’s touch to make everything better. They’ll be back to normal sooner than you think.