Cold and flu season is upon us once again! I’ve heard that the flu is especially bad this year; and there have been more cases of RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) in my state as well. It’s been pretty bad in my city already in the last month or so. After 2+ years of suffering going on from the C virus, it seems that germs are wreaking havoc just as strong as ever. (And yes, unfortunately, Covid-19 is still around too.) All of this is just not fun, right? However, if we take a few precautions, maybe we can enjoy more fun this winter and less discomfort!
For those of us that are around young children frequently, it feels almost impossible to avoid getting sick at times. But I have some good news! In my experience working with kids for many years now, I found out that this shouldn’t be the norm. I have some tips to help you stay healthy. I hope they will come in handy and be of great help to you. So let’s stay healthy…
Several years ago I started going to my Allergy/Asthma doctor at a major hospital system in the nation. Yep, we have one in my “small town” of Rochester, MN!
He taught me a very specific way to blow my nose and gave me some other great tips to help stay healthy.
Believe me, they work!! I rarely ever get sick. I had only 2 or 3 colds last school year. I can’t even remember the last time I had the flu- over ten years ago for sure. So give these tips a try!
During the school year, children can get an average of “8 to 12 colds or cases of the flu” according to a CNN report*. That puts us educators and parents especially at a higher risk since we deal with multiple children at once. We have to think of our families and the kids’ families too.
The following tips are from my Doctor.
- Do not use the first tissue hanging out of the tissue box, it has been exposed to the air and potentially has germs on it. Take the first one out, throw it away and use the next one.
- Only hold the edges of the tissue. Do not touch the middle part where you are going to be putting your nose.
- Only blow your nose into a tissue 1 time. Do not fold it over and use it again. You already touched that part. If you need to blow more, get another tissue.
- Always use a fresh tissue from the box. Don’t put tissues in your pocket or up your sleeve for later. The tissue in your pocket or up your sleeve will become contaminated.
- Keep your hands off your nose and eyes as much as possible. These are 2 entry points for germs.
- Do not use a handkerchief. Too many germs.
- Wash your hands often.
- Get a flu shot every year.
The tips below are from me. Some may seem like common sense, but, how many times have we done some of these things without giving them a second thought because it was easier or faster?
A. Allow children to blow their own noses as much as possible. They CAN do it. I’m teaching three year old children and they can wipe their own nose pretty well! They may need help now and then, but for the most part, they do the whole process on their own. They just need to be reminded when to wipe their nose. If your kids try to refuse doing it themselves, try handing them a tissue and that may help. Even older 2 year-old children can do it. After some practice, they will get better at it. If you must help a child, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you are done helping them. Better yet- if you have access to latex gloves, put some on before you help. Again, wash your hands when you’re done.
B. Teach your children when they cough or sneeze, to do so into the crook of their arm. If a child near you coughs or sneezes, turn your head away as fast as you can to avoid being “sprayed” on.
C. Don’t pick your child’s nose or wipe it with your fingers…get a tissue if they need help.
D. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy. Eat healthy, drink healthy beverages, and move more. This will help your body fight this winter.
E. Children that are sick should stay home. Consider letting them stay at home till the contagious period is over. Check about that with your health care provider too.
F. First thing when you get home from anywhere, wash your hands thoroughly with plenty of soap and warm water. Make sure your kids do too. In my classroom, we also have the children wash hands upon arrival.
G. Teach children not to stick their mouth to the water fountain, let some water run before taking a sip from the stream flow of the water. Parents should consider sending a water bottle with their children.
H. We love to teach our kids to share things right? Well that’s a partial yes, but we need to teach them not to share their drinking cups, water bottles, food, or tissues, etc… Personal items should mean personal even for the young ones. I know it’s easier said than done, but we can keep on trying!
I. If you are around several children that are coughing, sneezing and have runny noses, and you are able, you might consider wearing a face mask when you are near them. I know, I know. After so many years of mandatory masking we are all tired of them! But if they can help us stay healthy this winter (or anytime of year), then in my opinion, it’s worth the inconvenience. I decided to stop wearing a mask at school in June during summer school, and wouldn’t you know it, the first day I went maskless, I ended up getting the C-virus! Thankfully it wasn’t too terrible for me. When I returned back to school this September, I didn’t wear a mask for the first month or so because everyone was relatively healthy. Just within the last month I’ve noticed more sickness going around. So when I see a kid in my class coughing a lot, I put a mask back on. I mostly keep it on when I’m in close proximity to the coughing children.
J. Make sure to clean the door knobs, desk surfaces, key boards more often with sanitizing wipes or sanitizing spray. My advice is to do this at least twice per day.
I hope these tips help you stay healthier this year! If you have any additional tips to share, please write to me in the comments section!
Always remember, our words and actions have power!
Citations:
* http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/health/avoid-school-germs/index.html
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Miss Sue's Skills 4 Success 