Prevent Swine Flu this School Year
Is your little one heading back to school this Fall? What you need to know to keep your child healthy and happy.
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Boy blowing his nose
School is officially back in session! Which means the season of backpacks, homework help and healthy snacks are right around the corner. But this year many parents fear that swine flu will strike classrooms again ... leading their little ones to trade in their lunch boxes for tissue boxes. Fortunately according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are ways you can reduce the risk of your child catching the virus. Here are some tips on how you can keep your child healthy, happy, and germ-free all school year (these tips will work for parents as well!).
- Teach Your Child the Right Tissue Tactics. Make sure your child covers their nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze. Then make sure they throw the tissue in the trash after use.
- Keep On Washing. Have your child wash their hands frequently with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. The CDC recommends that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.
- Have a Hands-Off Policy. Tell your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
- Stay Away From Others Who Are Sick. Don't put your child in close contact with anyone who is sick. If you or your little one becomes ill see your doctor or health care professional. If you or your child contract the virus, stay home for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
According to the CDC, you need to keep in mind that there is no vaccine available right now to protect against novel swine flu. But these small everyday actions can help you and your child prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. For more health advice click into iMag's Wellness Section.
These tips have been provided by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For additional information on summer camp closings and swine flu check out www.campparents.org or The American Camp Association.
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