Another year, another cold and flu season. It seems that if you wanted to avoid catching the cold or flu, you’d basically need to hibernate until spring arrives. And we all know that is near impossible. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prepare for cold and flu to speed up your recovery and minimizes you and your child’s chances of catching these pesky ailments in the first place.
Take Lots of Vitamin C
Whether you need to take a multivitamin or incorporate more foods rich in this nutrient into your child’s diet, this is one of the simplest things you can do to boost their immune system this cold and flu season. Vitamin C boosts your child’s immune system by fighting bacteria until a sickness leaves his or her body. And with all the school events and parties your child will be going to, it’s nice to know that their little immune systems can handle an overflow of germs.
Stay Hydrated
Whether they realize it themselves or not, just because it isn’t hot outside doesn’t mean that your child doesn’t need fluids to regulate their temperature and bodily functions. Try diluting their juice with water to stretch one serving into two or utilizing sports drinks if they start to burn a fever.
Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers are a great wellness tool to utilize if your children are experiencing congestion from head colds. Menthol tablets can be dropped in your humidifier to help open up congested nasal passages, and be sure to utilize a cool-mist humidifier for safety purposes.
Keep Surfaces Clean
Most of the germs in your house congregate in the kitchen and bathroom, so keeping these two areas clean is extremely important. Using a cleaner with peroxide or bleach on your hard surfaces in these areas can greatly reduce the amount of bacteria that get transferred to the rest of your house.
Wash Toys, Hats, Jackets, and Gloves
This is important to remember if your kids attend school, and especially if they ride the bus to school. Children who’ve been sick need to have these things washed, especially, since many children have the habit of playing with their hands near their faces. Wash fabric toys that absorbs mucous and saliva in hot water to clean them and keep children from sharing more than their toys.
If you think your child may have a severe cold or flu, set up an appointment today!
Learn More:
Understanding Urgent Symptoms: When You Should Bring Your Child to the Doctor