Cold and Flu Prevention for Kids

It is a fact of life that kids are going to get sick. Most kids love to experience the world through their sense of touch, which can put them at risk for getting ill, especially during the cold and flu season. Parents can help minimize their kids' risk for getting sick by teaching them about the way germs spread, helping them practice good hygiene, teaching healthy cold and flu prevention methods, taking them to get flu shots and encouraging healthy habits.

Teach Children How Germs Spread

• Most children do not understand the link between germs and illness. Visual lessons can be very effective in helping children understand how germs spread and what they need to do to prevent illness. Parents can coat their kids' hands in sugar colored with food coloring and allow their children to watch what happens as they touch surfaces around the house. Once children understand that they can catch germs by touching contaminated surfaces and getting close to someone who is sick, they will be more aware of what they need to do to avoid catching a cold or the flu.

Practice Good Basic Hygiene

• Good hygiene habits can drastically reduce kids' chance of getting sick. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends washing hands before eating and after going to the bathroom, blowing your nose, touching garbage, or when your hands are visibly dirty. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used in place of soap and water when it is not available, but should be used with care in children who may put their hands in their mouth.

Teach Healthy Cold and Flu Prevention

• Parents should sanitize toys and household surfaces, especially during cold and flu season. All family members should wash their hands well after returning home from a public place and use hand sanitizer after visiting a public place that is likely to increase their risk for catching a virus. In the event that kids do get sick, preventative methods can be used to prevent the spread of illness to other members of the family. Children can be taught to cough or sneeze into their upper arm and to wash their hands after blowing their nose to avoid spreading the cold or flu to others.

Receive the Flu Vaccine

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children over the age of six-months-old and anyone who lives in a home with an infant under six months of age receive a flu shot each year. Flu vaccines can be administered as a shot or as a nasal spray. While the flu shot may cause mild symptoms for a few days in some children, it generally prevents a more serious illness later in the season.

Encourage Healthy Habits

• Children with good immune systems are less likely to become ill during cold and flu season. Extra care should be taken to make sure that children receive adequate sleep each night during cold and flu season and eat foods rich in Vitamin C. Parents should make an effort to feed children a balanced diet high in protein and made up of a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to encourage good health.