A Parent's Guide To: Keeping Your Child Cold Free

Parents, this has been one long summer!
With back to school around the corner, a sick child is not on the agenda!
​Lets' all send OUR children back to daycare/school in great health.

I created this guide to assist you if your child comes home with a cold more than usual.
A Parent's Guide to Keeping Your Kids Cold-Free

Do your children attract colds the way a bird feeder makes hungry squirrels come
running?
With some simple precautions, you may be able to keep your children free
from infections this cold and flu season, or at least relieve their symptoms faster and
reduce their number of sick days.

While adults average only about 2 to 4 colds a year, many children have 10 or
more, especially if they're in close contact with other little ones at school or day care
centers. If you want to beat those odds, take a look at this guide to preventing colds.

Fighting Colds by Encouraging Cleanliness:

1.Wash your hands. The most effective way to stop colds is to keep your hands
clean, and keep them away from your face, especially your eyes. Teach your
children to wash their hands frequently with soap for about 20 seconds at a
time.

2.Check your nails. Remember to scrub under fingernails too, because that's
where germs get trapped. Keep your child's nails trimmed short and use a nail
brush to be thorough.

3. Switch your towels. A dirty towel will undo all your good intentions. Consider
using disposable towels, or wash cloth towels daily, when a family member is ill.

4. Disinfect toys. Stuffed toys and other playthings can transfer germs too. Clean
hard surfaces with diluted bleach. Hand wash teddy bears or put them in a
plastic bag with baking soda, and give them a shake.

5. Limit sharing. Show your child how to share safely. Train them to use their own
drinking glass and water bottle.

Fighting Colds by Changing How You Feed Your Kids:

1. Eat up. Starving a cold is a myth. Serve your child a balanced and nutritious diet
that will keep their energy up.

2. Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of liquids is good advice. Water or tea will loosen
up congestion, and warm beverages feel good on scratchy throats.

3. Sip soup. Chicken soup is another home remedy that makes sense. In addition
to keeping your child hydrated, it provides essential nutrients.

4. Try vitamins. A number of studies suggest that products with ingredients like
vitamin C or zinc may not provide any special benefits. However, if you don’t
mind the cost, you might want to see if they work for you.

Other Strategies for Fighting Colds:

1. Use a humidifier. Humidifiers can reduce coughing and make it easier to
breathe by adding moisture to dry winter air. Clean them regularly to avoid
mold.

2. Gargle with saltwater. Your probably know that salt can soothe a sore throat,
but it may also prevent colds in the first place. Some studies show that even
gargling with plain water leads to fewer colds, and it costs nothing.

3.Cover your mouth. Encourage your child to cover their mouth when they cough
or sneeze. Germs are more easily transmitted by touch than by air, but it's still
the polite thing to do.

4.Warm your feet. Many studies have cast doubt on the belief that you'll catch a
cold if you go outside without a coat or hat. On the other hand, there is some
evidence that keeping your feet warm helps, so let your kids wear footed
pajamas or socks to bed.

5.Play outdoors. Whatever they wear, your children will benefit from spending
time outdoors. Some research suggests that vitamin D supplements reduce the
risk of infection by 10%, and sunshine can have similar effects.

Practicing good hygiene and eating lots of chicken soup will help your child to avoid
colds or recover faster. Either way, your whole family could have fewer sore throats
and runny noses this winter.