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guest post - Carrie

Saturday, October 09, 2010
I'd like to introduce you to Carrie!
She blogs over at Our Tips and Tales.
She's a pediatric nurse, mother of two and lives in CA.
She's got some great tips for you today on keeping
everyone healthy during the cold and flu season.
Make sure to check out Carrie's blog too for lots of great posts and info!

As a pediatric nurse I love teaching healthy living to our patient’s families. Health promotion is one of the best parts of my job. One of the questions I am always asked is, how to keep kids healthier during the cold and flu season. This is so important for us moms, especially those of us with infants.

Our kid’s health is one of all moms’ top priorities. But without knowing the best ways to protect them we find them getting sick more often. During this fast approaching flu season, there are some simple things we can do to keep the germs away.

- Wash hands- wash your little ones hands often, before and after eating, after the bathroom visits, before and after playing, after sneezing, or wiping noses.

- Clean toys with antibacterial cleaner often. I clean mine after other kids come over, whenever my kids are sick or when my husband or I are sick. Toys go into their mouths constantly and are often overlooked as a source of illness. So anytime there is a possibility they are dirty, wipe them clean.

- Clean bedding and lovies often. Pillows, sheets, blankets and lovies are often held close by our little ones. Keeping them clean will keep the flu away and also some common allergens.

- Give daily vitamins. These vitamins not only supplement things that may be missing from their daily diet but will also keep them healthier regularly.

- Keep yourselves and your kids away from others who are sick. We, like most families, have a group of friends who also have kids the same age. During the flu season, there is almost always a kid who is sick. We always tell each other right away when there are symptoms so we can choose not to be around each other when there are sick kids. When I go to work though, I have no choice but to be around others who are sick. When I get home from work I take my shoes off outside, and go straight to the shower, avoiding contact with my kids until I am clean. This can also be applied to anyone. If there is an infant in the house as well as a school aged child, have the older kid shower or change clothes and wash their face and hands when they get home from school before touching any of the other kids.

- Keep your own hands clean. Use plenty of hand sanitizer or wash hands often before touching your kid’s hands, faces, food, toys, bottles or pacifiers. Items that go into your kid’s mouth should be kept as clean as possible. Washing your hands will help.

- Get the flu shot. This year get yourself, your husband and your kids the flu shot. This will help keep the virus at bay throughout the season.

As the cold and flu season approaches think about all these tips and help keep your kids healthy this year.

Theresa said...

Constant hand sanitizing throughout the season. Also making them sing happy birthday while washing their hands so they do a thorough job!

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