Very young children may have had little to no exposure with the viruses that cause colds and flu, which means they may have low resistance to infection. Children become sick much more quickly than adults.
Follow these five easy steps to keep your kids healthy and less likely to spread or catch virusses in school or day-care.
• Tip 1: Wash hands frequently at home and at school.
• Tip 2: Get active! Kids should get regular, moderate exercise to boost their immune systems.
• Tip 3: Get plenty of sleep – children should have between nine to 14 hours of sleep a day depending on their age. Sleep deprivation can weaken the immune system and increase chances of becoming sick.
• Tip 4: Try and eat a well-balanced diet with lots of colourful fruit and vegetables.
• Tip 5: Avoid germ sharing – no sharing of cups and straws, scarves and caps or anything else that comes in contact with their mouths and faces.
Most importantly, when kids do get sick, keep them home and take steps to prevent germs from spreading to other young children. Day-care centres and schools have guidelines on when and for how long sick children should be away to minimise the risk of colds and flu spreading to the other children.
If your child does become sick this flu season, don’t panic, they’re just building up their immune system. Rest, warmth, nourishing foods and plenty of fluids will help them fight against any cold or flu.
If you want more information and treatment options, contact our friendly pharmacists today.