When your kid is miserable with a stuffy nose, fever or stomachache, it's tempting to feed her what she wants (ice cream!) or let her skip dinner altogether. But research reveals that eating the right comfort foods can soothe her symptoms and strengthen her immune system. Even if your little one doesn't have much of an appetite, encourage her to eat; in combination with symptom- and age-appropriate OTC remedies, she'll feel better in no time. Here, the best foods for sick kids:

For a stuffy nose … feed them soup.
"The hot, steaming broth loosens mucus, so your child can breathe easier," says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, a registered dietician and the director of wellness coaching at Cleveland Clinic. For even more relief, serve up a bowl of chicken soup: Researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that this childhood staple may relieve cold symptoms by inhibiting inflammation-causing cells in the body."Plus, chicken soup has carrots, celery and onions," says Jamieson-Petonic."These veggies provide vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system."

For a fever … feed them calorie-rich fare.
Forget starving a fever! "You'll only deprive the body of the nutrients it needs to get well," says Jamieson-Petonic. A feverish child uses more energy, she adds, so they need to consume additional calories. If your kid doesn't feel like eating, try adding nutritional bulk to every bite he takes: Slip banana slices into a peanut butter sandwich, mix dry milk powder in mashed potatoes or mac 'n' cheese, and blend flaxseed into a fruit smoothie.

For a sore throat … feed them soft foods.
Does it hurt to swallow? Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, soup and yogurt can coat a painful throat while providing nutrition. Another soother for children above the age of one: honey. According to a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics; Adolescent Medicine, this sweet substance can also lessen nighttime coughing and improve sleep. So if your child can't stop hacking, swirl a spoonful into a mug of herbal tea or a glass of warm milk.

For a stomachache … feed them crackers.
"Bland foods stabilize digestion and gradually get the system up and running again," says Connie Evers, a registered dietician in Portland, Ore. Once the worst is over, she recommends moving on to more substantial fare, like bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Also steer clear of colas: The caffeine content can make nausea even worse.

For any type of illness … feed them popsicles.
For sick kids, proper hydration is key."Sleeping for long periods of time -- as well as running a fever -- can lead to fluid loss," says Evers. To make sure your child sips often, place a water bottle on her bedside stand. Evers also suggests freezing 100-percent cranberry and orange juices into homemade popsicles; the treat serves up extra liquids along with a dose of vitamin C.

For recovery … feed them balanced meals.
Even if they ask for it, don't serve them their favorite fast-food meal or sugary dessert."Foods high in sugar or saturated fat can increase inflammation in the body," explains Jamieson-Petonic."That can make kids feel worse -- and even slow the healing process." Fill her plate with vitamin-rich produce, whole grains and lean proteins instead."These foods strengthen the immune system, which helps fight viruses," she says."It can also help lower the risk of complications, like bronchitis."

It's cold and flu season, which means plenty of moms are facing that age-old parenting dilemma: Do I send my coughing, sniffly child to school? And if I make the wrong choice, will the school nurse call a few hours later asking me to take him back home?

Figuring out when to keep your child home from school and when he's well enough to go back isn't always easy, says Dr. Loraine Stern, associate clinical professor of pediatrics at UCLA School of Medicine in California.

“The truth is, you can't always tell how sick a child really is," says Stern. For instance, some kids may seem totally fine at breakfast but take a quick turn for the worse and end up very sick two hours later.

What to Do With a Flu
Of course, when it comes to such flu symptoms as high fever, vomiting and body aches, the answer is a no-brainer."If your child is running a fever, you should keep her home because she's not going to be able to sit at her desk and pay attention," says Stern. This applies to seasonal flu as well as H1N1 virus (swine flu), she adds.

What to Do With a Cold
When your child has run-of-the-mill cold symptoms like a runny nose and cough, deciding whether to send or keep him home isn't always cut and dry, says Stern."Let's face it, if you wait for children to have noses that are completely clear, they're never going to go to school," she says.

So, as long as your child doesn't have a fever and is acting normal, it's fine to send him to school with a minor cold. Even nasal discharge, as unpleasant as it may be, isn't reason enough to keep a child home.

“Young children often have this at the end of a cold, and it's perfectly normal and not contagious," says Stern."If the discharge goes on for seven to 10 days, it may be a sign of a sinus infection, but that's not something that's contagious either."

On the other hand, a cough that's bad enough to disturb other kids in the classroom is a good reason to keep a child home.

More Signs to Stay Home 
Some signs to stay home are more clear-cut. For example, keep your child home if she has a highly contagious infection such as strep throat or conjunctivitis, says Stern. With strep throat, kids need to be on antibiotics for 24 hours before they can return to school. But with conjunctivitis (pinkeye), kids need only be under treatment, and they can go back to class."That means the condition is getting better with medication but not necessarily cleared up yet," says Stern.

Since ear infections are not contagious, there's no reason to keep your child home when she has one, even if she's taking antibiotics."Yet the current thinking is that the majority of ear infections get better by themselves without antibiotics," notes Stern.

Quick Reference Guide
Here's Stern's cheat sheet on the do's and don'ts of keeping a sick child home.

Keep your children home if they:

• Have a fever.
• Are unable to concentrate on schoolwork due to symptoms.
• Have symptoms (such as diarrhea) that disrupt activities  or distract classmates (such as a hacking cough).

Send your children to school if they:

• Had a fever that has been gone for 24 hours.
• Are alert and able to pay attention in class.
• Don't require a teacher to provide extra care.

And if you do have a sick child at home, try to see the silver lining."Enjoy the time at home with him," says Stern."It's a chance to do the kinds of things you don't have a chance to do when everyone's so busy -- like curling up on the couch with your child in your lap and reading books together."

You’ve heard the saying so many times it seems trite: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

But even though it may be cliche, nutritionists will tell you this tidbit is absolutely true. “Not only is skipping breakfast bad for a child’s metabolism, but it also means they’ll be so hungry later that they’re much more likely to make poor food choices throughout the day,” says Heather Cupp, a registered dietitian at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Anyone with kids knows, however, that weekday morning meals are usually the most hectic. With a limited amount of time to get everyone up, dressed and off to camp, school or day care, it’s no wonder that fitting in a healthy breakfast can seem like an impossible feat.

No matter how busy your weekday mornings, the whole family can still eat well. All it takes are a few key planning decisions and some smart food choices. Below, our experts’ strategies for turning the rushed (or nonexistent!) morning meal into a healthy, enjoyable group activity:

1. Prep ahead. Do as much as you can ahead of time to minimize the morning rush. If you’re having blueberry pancakes for Sunday brunch, make a few extra batches that you can freeze and use throughout the week. If hot cereal is a favorite, prep a few days’ worth of servings in your slow cooker and keep a big bowl in the fridge. Save even more time by setting the table and packing the car the night before.

2. Optimize your kitchen setup. Save valuable minutes in the future by taking time now to organize your kitchen so you can easily find the things you regularly need for breakfast, says Kim Cosentino, owner of The De-Clutter Box, an organizing company in Westmont, Illinois. “Think of the cabinets on either side of the stove as prime real estate, and use them for items that you use on a regular basis,” says Cosentino. “If you cook hot oatmeal a lot, put the oatmeal box in the cabinet next to the stove.” Similarly, store glasses near the fridge and sink, and stash dishes and silverware near the dishwasher to save time unloading.

3. Think outside the box. If you’ve got a picky eater who turns up her nose at traditional breakfast foods, there’s no reason the morning meal can’t be a sandwich or even last night’s dinner. “When I have leftover pasta of some sort, I heat that up or make a point of cooking some sort of pasta the night before so I just have to nuke it in the a.m.,” says Susan McQuillan, a New York City-based registered dietitian, writer and mother. “Usually the pasta already has some sort of vegetable in it, like broccoli -- or I just add chopped-up cherry tomatoes and olives before serving.”

4. Put the kids to work. The more routine steps your kids do on their own, the more time you’ll have to prepare and serve a healthy breakfast. So make it easy for them to pick out their own outfits and dress themselves every morning by organizing their closets and drawers by type of clothing (underwear in one drawer, shirts in another, etc.). Also put a “clean or dirty” magnet on the dishwasher to get them involved in setting the table and clearing it afterwards.

5. Make it quick, easy and healthy. “The ideal breakfast includes protein and fiber, both of which fill kids up and sustain them all morning,” says Elisa Zeid, a New York City-based registered dietitian and the author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips. By contrast, a couple of hours after eating a sugary, high-carb breakfast like a donut or pastry, “a child’s blood sugar will drop, and he won’t be able to concentrate.” Preparing a well-balanced, nutritious breakfast doesn’t have to take a long time. All of the following kid-friendly meals can be put together in just a few minutes:

· A peanut butter and banana sandwich with a glass of milk

· Trail mix made of nuts, dried fruit and whole-grain cereal

· Yogurt parfait made with high-fiber cereal and fresh fruit

· Slice of leftover veggie pizza, warmed in the toaster oven

· Corn tortilla with melted cheese and salsa

· String cheese, a handful of nuts and a banana

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You’ve packed the bags. You’ve dog-eared and highlighted the travel guides. With everyone excited for the family vacation, someone getting sick is the last thing you want. Here’s how to keep the family healthy while you’re away -- plus what to do if sickness does strike.

Stay Healthy (No Matter Where You Are)

1. Keep sipping.

Be sure to stay hydrated, especially if you’re driving. Dehydration can lower blood pressure and make you feel dizzy or drowsy. Because babies and kids get dehydrated faster, make sure they get plenty of fluids too. Staying hydrated supports the immune system, helping you and your kids fight sicknesses like colds and the flu.

Drinking fluids also helps prevent blood clots in the legs. Clots can occur when flying, especially for long distances. Drink plenty of water so you have to get up and use the restroom about once an hour, says Dr. Michael Zimring of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore and author of Healthy Travel. “When you get up and walk, you reduce your risk of clots,” he says.

2. Drink often, but drink wisely.

If you’re hanging out in the sun, avoid alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, which make you lose fluids. And be aware that sweating can quickly bring on dehydration.

If you’re traveling internationally, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guide to safe drinking water to find out where you can drink from the tap and where bottled water is best. This will save you and your family from traveler’s diarrhea, an illness sure to keep you in your hotel room instead of out enjoying the sights.

3. Avoid motion sickness.

Few things will make a car ride as miserable as a bout of motion sickness. Fix your eyes on the horizon to help prevent nausea and vomiting. To help the little ones, “play games (like License Plates) to keep kids focused on the midpoint of the road ahead,” says Dr. David Pollack, a pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

If you’re flying, stave off queasiness by avoiding greasy foods before takeoff, staying hydrated and snacking on crackers.

Beat These Common Vacation Ailments

1. Earaches

When flying, earaches and “popping” in the ears are common, especially for little ones. Give kids something to suck on, like a lollipop, bottle or pacifier. It’s unlikely that an ear infection would be reason enough to cancel a trip, but if you think your child has one, call your pediatrician before boarding the plane. Ear infections can lead to fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Still, “there is nothing better for an ear infection than getting out of a cold environment and to a warmer climate,” says Pollack.

2. Sunburn

Apply SPF 30 sunblock whenever you’re outdoors, says Dr. Ramzi Saad, a dermatologist at South Shore Skin Center and Spa in Plymouth, Mass. But if you or your kids do burn, Saad recommends cool compresses to soothe the skin, plus moisturizer to keep it from cracking and peeling.

3. Swimmer’s Ear

Water stuck in the ear canal after a day at the pool is painful but easy to treat, says Pollack. Try making a mixture of half vinegar and half water. “A couple of drops in each ear canal help to dry it out faster,” says Pollack.

4. Allergies

Depending on where you’re traveling, allergies might be a problem. If your kid suffers from seasonal or any other type of allergies, don’t forget to pack his medication. And even if your family doesn’t suffer from seasonal sniffles, it doesn’t hurt to pack an age-appropriate allergy medication along with health essentials you might need occasionally, like tissues, antidiarrheal drugs and antacids.

Remember: If there’s an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. For more minor issues, like a cold or flu, you can call your family doctor. He might be able to diagnose the issue over the phone and call in a prescription to a pharmacy in the area. And if you’re traveling internationally, plan ahead and get travel medical insurance, which can help put you in touch with a local English-speaking doctor and cover the cost of care.

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No mom enjoys hearing her child cough, even though pediatricians often remind parents that coughing is actually a good thing: It's the body's way of keeping the lungs clear and preventing pneumonia. But that doesn't make the problem any easier for you or your child, especially when your little one can't get a good night's sleep because of a nagging cough.

Figuring out the cause of your child's cough can be tricky, says Dr. Roy Benaroch, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Emory University in Atlanta.

"The description of the cough is really just a starting point because different people hear slightly different things," says Benaroch."You really need to look at the cough in context of the other symptoms.”

The first question you need to ask yourself is, "How sick is my child?" says Benaroch. For instance, if your child is sucking in her ribs with every breath, breathing fast or having trouble speaking in complete sentences, these are all signs of breathing difficulties that require prompt medical attention either in the physician's office or in the emergency room, he says.

Below is a guide to deciphering and treating the most common types of cough symptoms in young children.

Cough symptom: Wet and productive, or dry and hacking

What it probably means: It's likely a cold or another upper respiratory infection, which are the most common causes of coughs in children, according to Benaroch. He adds that while the child's cough may sound productive, it usually isn't; young children generally don't cough up phlegm.

How to treat it: Plenty of fluids and a vaporizer, which adds moisture to dry air, effectively ease coughs due to colds. Parents can also administer appropriate over-the-counter cough and cold medicine based on the age of their children. If the cough is accompanied by a high fever (more than 103 F), take your child to a pediatrician to rule out pneumonia. "If the fever comes on in the middle of the night, you don't need to rush to the ER right then," says Benaroch."In this case, it's usually OK to wait until the next morning.”

Cough symptom: Wheezy

What it probably means: This is the classic chronic cough that often accompanies asthma symptoms. Oftentimes, the cough is triggered by cold air or exercise.

How to treat it: If you notice that your child is wheezing, call your doctor right away, as it might be a sign of a first asthma attack. If the wheezing is severe and your child has difficulty breathing (struggles for each breath, makes grunting noises with each breath, or cannot speak or cry due to difficulty breathing), call 911 immediately. Depending on the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms, your child may need to take asthma drugs to control the disease, treat the symptoms or do both. 

Cough symptom: Dry and tickling

What it probably means: A cough that's caused by environmental allergies, such as mold or ragweed, often originates in the upper airways, says Benaroch. "By the time kids are about 6 or so, I'll often ask them to show me where the cough is coming from. With allergy-related coughs, they'll usually point to the upper chest," he says. Other symptoms that accompany the cough include an itchy nose and frequent sneezing.

How to treat it: The best solution for managing allergies is to try to minimize exposure to known allergens. However, over-the-counter allergy medicines, such as those that contain the antihistamine loratadine, can also be helpful.

Cough symptom: Bark-like

What it probably means: If your child wakes up in the middle of the night and her cough sounds like a seal or a small dog barking, the likely culprit is croup. This common childhood infection causes swelling of the larynx and trachea, which is why children also often have a hoarse voice and make a high-pitched, squeaky sound as they inhale. The cough usually lasts three or four days; it often improves during the day and then gets worse again at night.

How to treat it: "I tell parents it's important to remain calm so that the child remains calm. As children become more anxious, they tighten their throats and that just makes the cough worse," says Benaroch. The best remedy for croup is to take your child outside if it's cold or into a steamy bathroom if the weather's warm. The cold or steamy air will help reduce swelling and ease the cough. Severe cases may require oral steroid medications. Children under the age of 2 are at a higher risk of developing breathing problems with croup, so be on the lookout for the signs of breathing difficulty listed above.

Cough symptom: Severe, violent and rapid

What it probably means: It could be whooping cough, a persistent bacterial infection of the lungs that has been increasingly prevalent across the U.S. "In school-age children, the infection can cause very severe bouts of coughing," says Benaroch. "A child may not be coughing constantly throughout the day, but he'll periodically have violent spells where he coughs so rapidly that he really doesn't get a chance to catch his breath."

The name comes from the "whoop" sound that kids make at the end of the cough as they take a big breath to try to get air into the lungs. Although babies generally don't cough, they're at the greatest risk of dying if infected with the bacteria. Until the pertussis vaccine became available in the 1950s, whooping cough was a common cause of mortality in newborns, says Benaroch, "and unfortunately it seems to be making a bit of a comeback."

A big cause for the resurgence in cases, he says, is that the pertussis vaccine given to babies doesn't offer lifelong immunity, and many preteens aren't getting the recommended pertussis booster recommended at age 11 or 12. A booster is also suggested for adults.

How to treat it: Antibiotics are essential to stop the spread of the bacteria. However, antibiotics generally don't ease symptoms or shorten the duration of the illness. If you or a family member has a persistent or severe cough, it's a good idea to avoid close contact with infants until a doctor has ruled out whooping cough.   

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Photo: Corbis Images