In this interview we spoke to Dr Rob Hicks about the stresses and strains of parenthood through the winter months. A survey by Braun discovered that many parents get stressed during the winter months worrying about illnesses and feeling low. So, we asked Dr Hicks what we can do to prevent this stress and worry at this time of the year.



Are parents becoming increasingly stressed during winter?

Parents do worry about their children's health generally. Many parents worry about their children's health so much that it makes them stressed and ill as well. If it's making you ill then something has to change, when a child is unwell it may be that you are up at night or you can't go into work and sometimes colleagues aren't that sympathetic. This adds to the burden of stress for the parent. If you're a new parent it can be very stressful because you're not sure if your child is really ill or not and often need a second opinion.

What are the concerns of parents at this time of year?

One of the concerns that parents have is what sort of illness their child may have, one of the simple things a parent can do is check a child's temperature. What I do stress is that no parents should be frightened or worried to ask for advice from a professional. There has been a trend for people to be discouraged from seeking advice from their doctor, but if you're not sure you should ask. It's always best to play it safe and make an appointment if you're worried about it. Plus, pharmacists can also be an excellent source of advice, these are professional people who have real knowledge on what may be causing the symptoms, they offer great advice so certainly ask a pharmacist for their feedback as well.

Should we have a medicine cabinet?

Keep an ear thermometer, paracetamol, ibuprofen and an information sheet on ailments in your medicine cabinet. Have phone numbers available so you're not scrabbling around for your GPs telephone number, maybe even put some preset numbers into your phone in case you have an emergency.

Do we get lots of coughs and colds during the winter months?

There are loads at this time of year and they're just going from one child to another. If your child is coughing and sneezing, wash your hands and their hands frequently throughout the day. Keep your immune system fighting fit, eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water.