The holidays bring family gatherings, shared meals, travel and lots of hugs. They also arrive right in the middle of cold and flu season. Young children are especially vulnerable. Kids under 5, and particularly those under 2, are more likely to have serious complications from the flu. A few simple habits at home can help your family stay healthy and enjoy the season together.
Make handwashing a family routine. Washing hands with soap and water is one of the best ways to keep germs from spreading. Show your child the steps: wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse, and dry. Twenty seconds feels long to a preschooler, so sing “Happy Birthday” twice while you scrub. Wash before meals, after using the bathroom, after blowing noses, and as soon as you come home from shopping or visiting. When soap and water aren’t handy, an adult can help with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Keep sanitizer out of children’s reach between uses.
Teach the “elbow sneeze.” Young children can learn to cough and sneeze into a tissue or the crook of their elbow. Practice it as a game. Then toss used tissues and wash hands.
Keep sick children home. Holiday plans make it tempting to push through a runny nose or a low fever. But a sick child in a crowded room can pass illness to grandparents, new babies and other children. If your child has a fever, is vomiting, or simply isn’t acting like themselves, keep them home and call your pediatrician. Child care illness policies work the same way, and they protect every family in the program.
Protect the babies. Infants younger than 6 months are too young for a flu vaccine. They also have the highest risk of being hospitalized from flu. The best way to protect them is for the people around them to stay well. That means washing hands, staying away from the baby when you’re sick, and keeping vaccinations current.
Talk with your pediatrician about vaccines. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. Some children between 6 months and 8 years old need two doses the first time. Your child’s doctor can tell you what your child needs and when.
Rest, eat well, and keep moving. Busy weeks can wear down little bodies. Try to protect bedtimes, offer plenty of fruits and vegetables, and get outside to play when the weather allows.
A little prevention now means more time for the fun parts of the season, and fewer days at home with a sick little one.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Handwashing; Preventing Seasonal Flu; Flu and Children; Caregivers of Infants and Young Children.