Protecting your Family from Colds and the Flu

 

When it comes to cold season as parents there is always something that you can do in order to decrease your child's chances of developing a cold or the Flu. Kids need the opportunity to build up an immune system and that can be done during the year with the right amount of vitamins and minerals that are found in their diet. You don't need to wait until the cold temperatures arrive in order to start building up their immune systems. It is a good idea to build it up all year long so that they can be ready when the season hits. Here are a few hints to help you increase your child's chances of staying healthy during the cold and Flu season.

H ELPFU LL   H I N TS 

A child's diet can provide everything that is needed by eating the right foods and drinking the right drinks. Vitamins and minerals can be found in foods that can protect your child and make them stronger. A balanced diet can help in so many ways; help your child stay healthy, increase immunity, increase growth, it can also help in behavior. All of these are important for your child and can be incorporated in something that you already fix them everyday, their meals. When preparing the meals you will want to offer a meat or a meat substitute that will offer the protein that your child needs. Vegetables are important for providing vitamins and nutrients and breads and dairy can help balance out the system.  When your child is offered a balanced meal all the time you will see a positive affect. You may also want to offer your child a glass of orange juice everyday to get an extra boost of vitamin C to help protect them.

                                                  T I P S

School is the place that you can see so many different germs, infections and colds. Most kids do not worry about germs and such when they are around their friends and therefore they soon pick up germs that can lead to colds and the Flu. Teach your child to carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer so they can apply it to their hands every chance they get. The hand sanitizers can be purchased in pocket size containers and can help decrease the germs. Some have argued about the hand sanitizers being affective but if kids have no other option to cleanse their hands it will help.  At home, keep antibacterial soap at each sink and have your child wash their hands as soon as they come in from school. Also have your child wash their hands before each meal, after handling their pet, or after playing with toys. Toys can have germs on them once your child touches them. Encourage showers or baths daily to decrease the germs on sicknesses. 

If someone in your house gets sick, you may need to separate them for a few days to increase their chances of getting better faster. With other siblings attending school they may expose the sick child to new germs. Have the sick child use one bathroom that is separate from the others. Clean it daily with bleach. Using precautions is not only a good idea but it is effective in reducing your family's chances of becoming sick. At the end of the day, add bleach to water and wipe off door knobs, phones, controls, toys and bathrooms to reduce the risk of germs spreading.

These simple tasks will help keep your family safe from germs and protect you through the cold and flu season.