One thing many parents may remember about early childhood for their kids is this: They never had so many colds! It is true, children pick up a lot of germs, and this time of year, that opens up the possibility of not just simple colds, but also more dangerous flu.
Learning a few simple tricks to avoid contact with germs is a great way to prevent unhappy, sick kids and missed school (and work) days! Here are a few ideas to help keep kids healthy during cold and flu season:
Kids Understand
Even very young children can get the concept of unseen germs that make you sick. They can also understand that most cold and flu germs enter the body through the eyes, nose, and mouth, so one easy trick? Remind them to keep their hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth.
Washing Hands
Next to keeping hands away from the major germ entry points, keeping hands germ-free is the most important thing you can do. With the change in weather, it may mean dry skin, but remind kids to wash their hands at every opportunity, but especially after using the bathroom or playing in risky areas like the playground at school or at the local fast-food place. Using soap and generous amounts of water are important – here’s how to do it:
- Wet hands with warm water, then turn the water off (this discourages early rinsing)
- Soap up
- Scrub top and bottom for at least 20 seconds (Singing
- Rinse well with warm water
- Dry (we’re finding out that paper towels are best in public restrooms)
Make sure that, at a minimum, kids know to wash up before they eat, after using the bathroom, and when they’ve been around someone who is sick.
Be Prepared When Washing Isn’t Possible
Hand sanitizer is an acceptable substitute for washing when it’s not possible to get to a washroom. Use sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and make sure to be especially careful with very young kids to prevent them from accidentally ingesting it.
Elbow Out a Cold
Teach children to cough and sneeze into their elbow. It doesn’t matter which elbow, because germs are ambidextrous! This is much more sanitary than covering the mouth with a hand, which will more easily spread germs.
There is no Good Substitute for Tissues
Sleeves, back of hands, the couch they’re on – anything works for a sniffly kid. A sneeze can propel germs at almost 100 mph! If a tissue is handy, get it! During cold and flu season, be sure to keep boxes of tissues everywhere so they’re easy to get to.
Do Not Share
Most of the time, we encourage our children to share with their friends. Of course, there are some things we should not share. Teach kids to avoid sharing drinks, straws, forks, and spoons, especially during cold and flu season. Remember, a germ only needs a single entry point, and the mouth is a big one!
Take Care of Yourself and Your Family
One of the best ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season is actually one of the easiest – through prevention. It’s important to eat well and get plenty of rest – our bodies recover from all kinds (even germ-induced) stress when we sleep. Also, make sure that everyone in your family gets a flu shot. Prevention is priceless, and nothing is worse than a tragic illness that could have been avoided.
Nobody likes being sick, but fortunately, many of the viruses which cause colds and flu are avoidable. By following these simple ways to stay germ-free and healthy, you and your children can enjoy all the fun activities the season has to offer!
Related Resource
WebMD Teach Your Kids to Avoid Colds
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