Posts Tagged "Flu Season"

20Sep2022

Cold and flu season is just around the corner, and you want to keep your child as safe from these illnesses as possible. While it seems impossible to fully avoid the cold or flu, it is still important to take the steps to minimize your child’s risk of catching either illness. You can protect your child during cold and flu season with these tips.

Maintain Your Child’s Health

First, you want to ensure your child is leading a healthy lifestyle. Your child needs a well-balanced diet to get the nutrients they need to strengthen their immune system. You can also boost their immune system by making sure they get regular exercise and nine to 14 hours of sleep each night.

Stay On Top Of The Flu Vaccine

If your child is six months or older, talk to their pediatrician about the flu vaccine. This vaccine can help them build up immunity to fight off the flu virus. It should be noted that your child may still catch a cold or another strain of the flu, so it is important to take other precautions as well.

Make Hand-Washing A Habit

It is easy to spread germs when children touch everything, so you need to make hand-washing a habit for your child. They should especially wash their hands after touching shared items and playground equipment. You also want to ensure they wash their hands before each meal. If they cannot get to a sink, encourage them to use hand sanitizer or hand wipes until they can wash their hands.

Teach Your Children Good Hygiene

Now is the time to ensure your child knows how to practice good hygiene. Teach them to sneeze or cough into their sleeve to prevent the spread of germs. This way, your child is doing their part to keep the cold and flu at bay. The more people who cover when coughing or sneezing, the less likely they are to spread germs to others.

Keep Them Home When Sick

If your child does become sick, be sure to keep them home from school and other activities. You do not want your child to spread their cold or flu to others. In addition, you do not want to risk them feeling worse after they get home. Once again, the risk of germs spreading lowers when everyone takes precautions when they are sick.

Whether your child is under the weather or you need to schedule a flu vaccine, Kids 1st Pediatrics offers the care your child needs. You can schedule an appointment at kids1stpediatrics.net.

24Jan2022

Cold weather season is also the peak of cold and flu season, and if you have a new little one, it’s even more important to keep them healthy during this time of the year. Many loved ones will be eager to meet your new little bundle of joy, so make sure you take every precaution to keep them protected from illnesses. Below are a few important steps you can take to try to keep them as healthy as possible!

Protect Against Illnesses During Flu Season

  • First, try to limit visitors during your baby’s first six to eight weeks of life. Anyone who visits should be free from any sick symptoms and should wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizer before holding your baby. Adults and children alike should also avoid kissing babies on their faces or hands. There are many respiratory illnesses that are transmitted by close contact, and as much as we want to shower them with kisses, it’s best to keep them safe by kissing toes instead!
  • If you need to get out and about, visit stores or shops during times of day when they are less likely to be busy, and avoid peak shopping times to limit exposure to larger crowds. Avoid places with large gatherings of people – a quick trip to the grocery store is a necessity. Still, you may want to forego events like concerts, festivals, and larger indoor gatherings until your baby’s immune system has become more developed.
  • Finally, trust your instincts and watch for any early signs and symptoms of illness. If your baby is unusually fussy or irritable, not feeding as well as they normally do, has any respiratory symptoms, or you have any concerns, contact your baby’s pediatrician. Minor illnesses sometimes require nothing more than just symptomatic care and support, but it is always best to have your baby examined for further concerns.

Cold and flu season can be daunting and overwhelming, but by taking precautions and practicing good health and hand hygiene, we can all do our part to keep our youngest and most vulnerable safe and healthy!