6 Tips for Keeping Kids Healthy This Fall
By Morgan Fowler, RN, MSN, CPNP, guest blogger
Fall is here! There is so much to enjoy during this season every year: the cooler temperatures, the beautiful changing leaves, pumpkin everything and endless football! I am here for it. However, along with all the wonderful things fall brings, it also brings about the start of cold and flu season, and if you have young children, this time of year can be particularly challenging.
So why is it that the fall and winter seem to breed more viral infections? Cooler temperatures usually means people are indoors more often, which means people are sharing their germs with each other in closer quarters than during the warmer months. Viruses love the cooler temperatures and people who are close to one another.
Did you know that healthy children average six “cold” viruses per year in their pre-school years? Healthy children also average 12 viral infections per year in the first few years of life. That means parents often feel their kids are constantly sick from the ages of 0 to 3 years of life. Among these viruses are the flu, colds, hand foot and mouth disease, roseola, and RSV. RSV can be particularly dangerous to even healthy children in the first two years of life. In fact, all three of my children have had a minimum of an emergency room visit for RSV in their lives.
With all that said, how can you keep your family healthy this fall and winter? Here are a few tips I recommend:
Hand Washing
I know, I know, this has been said a million times, however, after working with children for the last 14 years, I can tell you, very few kids are washing their hands adequately. Kids need to spend a minimum of 20 seconds washing with soap and water to kill viruses on their skin. It is so easy for parents to allow kids to cut this short or to send them off independently to wash, which means they are likely cutting corners. I recommend getting a small kitchen timer for the bathroom and having kids set it before starting to wash their hands. Wash for the appropriate amount of time, and wash OFTEN!
2. Avoid Touching Your Face
If you have an oral-seeking kid, this is a hard one! One of my children keeps their fingers in their mouth all the time. However, positive reinforcement and reminders to avoid touching their face is crucial for avoiding viral bugs.
3. Change Clothes
Change clothes when coming in from school or daycare. Viruses can live on surfaces, including your children’s clothes. When they come home from being in a crowd, have them wash hands and change their clothes.
4. Well-Rounded Nutrition
Fruits and vegetables are full of essential vitamins and minerals that aid the immune system. The goal is to have a child eat five servings of fruits or vegetables daily. I don’t know about you, but that is hard for most adults to actually practice. As a parent, you get to control what is placed on your child’s plate; actually eating it is on the kid. If your kid is particularly avoidant of fruits or vegetables, getting a well-rounded multivitamin can help boost immunity. Make sure it has vitamin C listed on the label!
5. Teach Cough and Sneeze Hygiene
“Back in my day” (ha), we were taught to cover our mouths with our hands when we coughed or sneezed. But, then we would go and touch everything immediately after. Now, it is best to teach our kids to cough or sneeze into their elbow to prevent the spread of illness. It is still best practice to wash hands after coughing or sneezing.
6. Stay Home
Stay home when your kiddo is feeling unwell, and keep them home for a minimum of 24 hours once they are fever-free WITHOUT fever-reducing medications (Tylenol, Motrin, etc). This is key in preventing the spread of viruses. If everyone would adopt this mindset, viral illnesses would decrease significantly.
Inevitably, kids get sick, and ultimately, being exposed to those viruses helps build their immune system. I used to always tell parents of kids who were in daycare that kids are either constantly sick from the ages of 0-3 if they are in daycare, or they are constantly sick during their first year in kindergarten because it is the first time they have been exposed to these viruses. That being said, there are ways to help ease the frequency of catching those infections, and I hope these tips are helpful as you navigate keeping your family healthy this year.
Stay healthy!
Coffee Chat with Morgan Fowler
October 10 at 8:30 am
Join the October Coffee Chat was we meet with nurse practitioner, Morgan Fowler to talk about elevating family wellness in the fall. She will share a few tips and tricks for staying healthy during cold and flu season. If you’re the parent of a kiddo who has a tough time staying well…this one’s for you!
Morgan is a mother of three and a pediatric nurse with extensive experience in physician office and emergency room settings. She believes many pediatric visits can be avoided with proper education and she’s on a mission to share her experience to benefit families.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Restored is not a medical provider and does not offer medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
