{"id":93,"date":"2018-02-05T08:48:40","date_gmt":"2018-02-05T13:48:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/?p=93"},"modified":"2018-02-05T08:48:40","modified_gmt":"2018-02-05T13:48:40","slug":"keep-kids-healthy-and-in-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/2018\/02\/05\/keep-kids-healthy-and-in-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Kids Healthy and in School"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Keep Kids Healthy and in School<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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Too many sick days? Teach your kids these 6 ways to fight germs, and be sure to follow 6 additional keep-healthy tips yourself.<\/p>\n

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by Patti Ghezzi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Everyone agrees kids need to be in school so they can learn. But illnesses such as cold and flu can derail good intentions. Although there is no way to completely avoid catching a cold, there are steps parents can take to minimize the chances of contracting an illness.<\/p>\n

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Laura Burnworth, a certified health education specialist, and Kimberly Parker, a certified clinical nurse leader, work in the Child Health Promotion department at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta. They educate families on how to keep kids healthy and safe as possible in their homes and schools.<\/p>\n

Almost 22 million school days are lost each year because of the common cold, Burnworth says. That doesn\u2019t take into account the flu or other illnesses. Adds Parker, \u201cThere are numerous viruses and germs floating around. We\u2019re going to be exposed. Chances are all of us are going to get sick. We want to prevent and lessen the impact as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some of the pair\u2019s tips for keeping kids healthy year-round.<\/p>\n

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Teach your child to follow these 6 tips:<\/h5>\n


\nWash hands with soap and water.<\/strong>\u00a0Warm water is best, but cold water is fine. In most places, liquid soap or foam soap is best. Bar soap is OK for the bath and shower. Antibacterial soap isn\u2019t necessary. Unless your child has sensitive skin, you can let her select a fun, scented soap. If your child does have sensitive skin, find a cheerful soap dispenser to make hand-washing more fun.<\/p>\n

Use proper hand-washing technique.<\/strong>\u00a0Your child should wash his hands often: before eating, after using the restroom, after sneezing, and after playing outside. Teach your child to scrub well between his fingers and wash for at least 20 seconds, which is enough time to sing the \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d song twice.<\/p>\n

Use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren\u2019t available.<\/strong>\u00a0Read labels to find hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol. It\u2019s the alcohol that kills germs. Products labeled \u201cantimicrobial\u201d or \u201cantibacterial\u201d are not recommended because of concerns about germs becoming resistant.<\/p>\n

Cough and sneeze into a sleeve.<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s tempting to cover your mouth with your hands, but an elbow or upper arm is a much better way to prevent the spreading of germs. If you teach your kids this habit at a young age, it will become second nature.<\/p>\n

Use tissues only once before tossing.<\/strong>\u00a0Carrying around the same wadded-up tissue all day is not the way to keep germs from spreading. Use a tissue once, throw it away, then wash your hands.<\/p>\n

Resist the temptation to share a water bottle with a friend.<\/strong>\u00a0Kids think nothing of drinking out of the same water bottle or cup or eating with the same fork. Explain to your children why it\u2019s important not to do so.<\/p>\n

In addition to modeling healthy habits, parents should follow these 6 tips:<\/h5>\n


\nGet everyone in the family vaccinated.<\/strong>\u00a0The flu vaccine is developed each year in anticipation of the viruses that will be prevalent that season. \u201cThere is no one cold or flu virus,\u201d Burnworth says. \u201cThere are a lot of different types with similar symptoms.\u201d Even if you build up an immunity to one virus because your whole family gets sick, you are not immune to other viruses or strains. Therefore, it\u2019s important to get everyone in your family who is older than 6 months of age vaccinated every year. Make it a family outing and go out for a treat afterward.<\/p>\n

Make sure everyone eats a healthy diet.<\/strong>\u00a0A healthy, well-balanced diet builds a healthy immune system. No matter how busy your family is, make time to eat a varied diet that includes foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and iron. Keep everyone hydrated by making sure water is always accessible.<\/p>\n

Make sure everyone gets a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/strong>\u00a0A good night\u2019s rest gives your body and immune system a chance to recuperate after a long day. This can be an especially challenging task with middle and high schoolers. Despite their insistence otherwise, everyone needs sleep.<\/p>\n

Disinfect high-traffic areas.<\/strong>\u00a0Use a diluted bleach solution or products with antiviral agents to kill germs on tables, toys, handrails, and other frequently touched surfaces.<\/p>\n

Discuss supplements, vitamins, and herbal remedies with the pediatrician.<\/strong>\u00a0A lot of products promise to help prevent colds and make the colds you get less severe. Check with your pediatrician for advice on any product, especially those not regulated or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n

Help your child\u2019s teacher keep the classroom healthy.<\/strong>\u00a0Teachers appreciate tissues, hand sanitizer, wipes, and other tools to keep the classroom environment as healthy as possible. Parents can also volunteer in the classroom, wiping down surfaces while students are at lunch or on the playground and supervising kids in the restroom to make sure they wash their hands properly.<\/p>\n

It can be frustrating when you take steps to minimize the spread of germs, and still your child gets sick. And soon the whole family is, too. But don\u2019t think the prevention techniques don\u2019t work\u2014they do. Although there\u2019s no way to keep 100 percent of germs from infecting your child, healthy habits give students the best chance to stay well and in school.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keep Kids Healthy and in School Too many sick days? Teach your kids these 6 ways to fight germs, and be sure to follow 6 additional keep-healthy tips yourself. by Patti Ghezzi Everyone agrees kids need to be in school so they can learn. But illnesses such as cold and flu can derail good intentions. Continue reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":872,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/872"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iblog.dearbornschools.org\/charafeddine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}