Here at Magical Star Preschool, we focus on keeping the little ones in our care safe and healthy while they learn. Parents ask us all the time about keeping children healthy during cold and flu season, and we have the answers for them. Today, we want to share some tips and ideas about how to keep your children healthy during flu season.
How To Prepare for Cold and Flu Season
You can take several steps one-by-one to help you get your children through flu season in as good of shape as possible. Here are some ideas to get started.
Get Them a Flu Shot
The first thing to focus on is getting your children their flu shots. Pharmacies across the country offer flu shots, and they are generally free or very low cost (depending on insurance coverage). Even if you don’t have insurance, you can often still get a flu shot for your children without any out-of-pocket cost. Health experts say that any child age 6 months or older should get their annual flu shot. For children aged 2 or older, a flu mist is also available.
Practice Good Hygiene
You should teach your children good hygiene habits and practice those habits at home. This can be as simple as starting by teaching them about washing their hands and staying safe from catching a bug that way. Naturally, there are other things that you can do beyond just washing your hands, but that is an easy one to start with your child.
Make sure they wash their hands with warm water, rub soap together with them for at least 20 seconds, and then completely dry their hands after they have finished washing them.
Children should wash their hands frequently throughout the day, particularly when they are about to eat a meal, when they have come indoors from outside, and after they use the bathroom. Make this a habit with your child, and they will learn the skills they need to practice good hygiene.
Work on Boosting Their Immune System
A strong immune system can fend off disease and illness more effectively than one that has been weakened. This is why it is a good idea to work with your child to make sure they are doing what they can to keep their immune system strong. A few ways that this can happen include:
- Taking their vitamins regularly
- Ensuring they get regular sleep
- Eating healthy foods
- Exercising and playing
These are all steps that can help keep the immune system boosted where it needs to be. Your child will feel better for practicing these steps no matter what, and it will start to form habits in their life that they can keep for the future. It is up to you to ensure you get to work practicing great hygiene habits with your child.