Flu Prevention Tips for Children

It's during the school year and in the wintertime that children are inside most often, leading to a higher susceptibility to spreading Germs, to each other. Here are 5 things you can do this year to make sure that your children stay healthy and avoid the flu and other similar illnesses all together.

The first and easiest step to flu prevention is making sure that your child has received an up-to-date flu shot and any other inoculations that your pediatrician recommends. Maybe not so easy getting your child to cooperate, but flu shots conveniently available at most drug stores, grocery stores, and health care clinics. The price of a flu shot is relatively inexpensive as well, making this one step you don't want to skip in the long run.

Remind your children to wash their hands often. Kids are notorious for exploring their world through the sense of touch, meaning that their hands are going to pick up a lot of microorganisms along the way. Make sure that your kids know the proper temperature at which to wash their hands and that they know how long to wash. How do you feel about the Happy Birthday song? It happens to be relatively the correct the amount of to ensure hands are thoroughly cleaned.

Be extra vigilant about keeping your children's play areas clean. In their bedrooms and wherever else they may play, make sure that toys are wiped down with sanitizing cloths that are safe for use around children. Air purifiers are another great solution for ensuring that any lurking microorganisms are relinquished.

If your children show any signs of having the flu such as a fever, sore throats or body aches, keep your child home from school. This can be difficult to do at times, but it will keep the influenza from spreading to more people.

Constantly encourage your children to use healthy habits such as properly covering their mouths when they sneeze and attempting to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouths if it is not necessary.

By following the above steps, along with other flu prevention tactics, you will be able to make this year a lot easier on yourselves.