Winter has arrived and this often means the beginning of colds, flus and other bugs. Parents and early childhood educators would have to agree that children and colds are not a good mix! Let’s look at how to avoid illness this winter, how to prevent it spreading and how best to treat viruses if they do sneak in.
Preventing colds and other viruses
Prevention is the ultimate goal for health at any age, and these tips will help you stay healthy, even through winter:
-Exercise
-Get enough sleep and make sure it’s quality sleep
-Head outside and get fresh air even when it’s cold
-Eat a balanced diet including protein, fibre, vitamins and antioxidants
-Stay hydrated to keep your body functioning optimally
Stopping the spread of germs
Adults and children alike can reduce the spread of colds by being paying extra attention to:
-Handwashing
-Avoid sharing drinks, food and cutlery
-Stay home from work/childcare/kinder/school
-Throw used tissues away straight away
-Avoid touching mouth/nose/eyes
-Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
Treating colds and other viruses
While antibiotics are sometimes necessary, most colds and flus are viral infections, so antibiotics won’t help. Help the body get better faster with these tips:
-Plenty of fluids to keep hydrated
-Vaporiser or humidifier to break up mucus
-Lots of rest and quality sleep
-Honey to relieve coughs for children over 1 year old
-Keep warm, but don’t overheat
-Try eating a nourishing soup, like this one
In fact, what a fun opportunity to teach children about nutrition by cooking up a delicious, vitamin-packed soup! And as far as getting children to stay active in winter, rugging up with a coat and gumboots and having a splash in some puddles is always a hit!
