Parenting: Avoiding Colds that Spread through School

September 15, 2011 (WPVI) -- One of my Facebook friends told me her little guy just went back to school last week, and already caught his first cold! It does seem like colds and viruses spread like wildfire in schools. One single sneeze can spread bacteria as far as three feet away! So what can you do to protect your children, and help stop spreading germs?

I went to WebMD for some practical back to school advice. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/parents-top-9-questions-for-back-to-school Here are some tips I learned that we should try reinforcing with the kids:

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze with a tissue or your arm  not your hands!

Wash your hands before eating and after playing.

Use anti bacteria hand gel or foam.

For parents, WebMD suggests:

This one's controversial for some, but the CDC recommends the flu vaccine for children over 6 months.

Keep your child home if s/he has a fever or is vomiting and don't send them to school until the symptoms are gone for 24 hours.

If one child gets sick at home, make sure everyone is vigilant about washing their hands. Also wash the door knobs, light switches and remote control!

Be sure the kids are getting enough sleep and plenty of fluids!

My son is in his second year of preschool. Last year he was sick constantly. I'm hoping he built up his immunity and we'll have a better year! We're going to be scrubbing our hands around the clock!

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karen rogers parenting reports, parenting, karen rogers

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