Common School Sickness
When your kids go back to school in the fall, you’ll hear lots of advice for keeping them safe against colds, the flu and other bugs that cause infections. Unfortunately, kids aren’t immune to these same issues once the flowers start blooming. Spring brings its own set of problems. Excessive pollen, rapid weather changes and other seasonal shifts can send you to an urgent care center in a heartbeat, but they don’t have to take over your life. While you’re helping your kids study for end-of-term tests and preparing for sunnier days ahead, keep the following tips in mind to help ward off warm-weather illness.
Tip #1: Kids share everything, including their germs.
Teaching your kids to share makes for a good life lesson, but sharing doesn’t necessarily mean caring. At school, kids get exposed to millions of bacteria lurking in the most harmless of places, including cafeteria trays and water fountains. In fact, one study from 2005 reported that water fountain spigots house about 2.7 million bacteria per square inch. Exposure to bacteria isn’t always a bad thing because increased exposure often strengthens immunity, but you don’t need to subject your kids to the horrors of a mysterious water fountain just to build healthy immune systems.
Instead, encourage your kids to play it safe where mass consumption comes into play. Send them to school with a reusable water bottle, and teach them how to clean it thoroughly at the end of each day. Make sure they know to wash their hands before eating. Many adults forget this rule, and it’s easy to skip hand washing when you’re hungry. You don’t need to supply your kids with hand sanitizer, but if you do, look for a brand that contains at least 60 percent alcohol as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tip #2: There’s a right way to wash your hands.
You might take it for granted that kids know when and how to wash their hands. Unfortunately,
only about half of adolescents wash their hands after using the bathroom. Even worse, just 8 percent of boys and 33 percent of girls use soap when washing their hands. If middle school and high school students fail to keep up with regular hygiene, then you can be sure that your younger kids aren’t always taking the clean approach. Believe it or not, there is a right way to wash your hands. According to the Mayo Clinic, singing the “Happy Birthday” song twice should do the trick. Since most kids know this song, teach them to run through the lyrics twice while they’re washing to ensure appropriate exposure to soap and hot water.
Tip #3: Don’t confuse a cold with the flu.
The common cold and influenza share certain features. Both affect the respiratory system and can lead to serious complications. However, the cold and flu are very different when it comes to treatment, and you need to know how to spot the differences so that you can get your kids the right medication as soon as possible. Your kids are more likely to catch a cold at school than any other illness because too many parents don’t take their symptoms seriously. Colds range from mild to severe and may result in coughing, sneezing, sore throat and chest congestion. According to WebMD.com, there are
more than 100 types of cold viruses. None of them have a cure, but they can all be managed with over-the-counter medicine.
Unlike a cold, which can take days to manifest, flu comes on suddenly and often without any warning signs. You might hear flu patients describe a sensation akin to getting “hit by a truck.” In addition to common cold symptoms such as coughing and headache, the flu brings with it body aches, chills and a fever. If your kid exhibits these symptoms, take her to the doctor or your local urgent care place. There are antiviral medications available to treat flu symptoms, but they usually only work within the first 48 hours, so timing is key.
If your child has a cold with no fever, then you can probably send him to school. Keep him home, however, if he has a lingering cough or excessive symptoms that might distract him and others from learning. Also, teach your kids how to cough into the crooks of their elbows to avoid spreading germs through the air. Keep your flu-ridden student at home until the fever clears and she’s well enough to pay attention in class. Together, the common cold and the flu virus account for about 60 million school absences each year, so take precautions to keep your kids and their classmates safe.
Tip #4: Vaccinations may prevent serious side effects.
You may have heard debates about the safety of vaccinating young children, but the fact is that vaccines prevent a lot of diseases and work for most children. Many schools require vaccinations, but this doesn’t prevent parents from sending their kids to school without the right protections in place. Along with the standard vaccines for things like measles, mumps and polio, you should consider getting your kids vaccinated against the flu virus each year. In 2005, only about 35 percent of kids who suffered severe complications from the flu had been vaccinated. Flu vaccinations don’t always work since several strains can exist in the same season, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Tip #5: Most schools have the right equipment and staff.
It’s easy to misinterpret the data regarding germs and the spread of viruses as a sign that today’s schools just don’t have what it takes to keep your kids healthy. Rest assured that about 77 percent of schools are staffed correctly and properly equipped with the resources to handle minor complications. It’s likely that your child will have access to a school nurse who can administer first aid or determine that the symptoms require more immediate, off-campus care. Make sure that your kids know where to go for help if they start feeling sick.
