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Avoid Back- to-School Germs
Back-to school can be a parent’s favorite time of the year. It can also be the worst time due to germs. Back-to-school could mean dealing with a sick household, but it doesn’t have to!
Fight Off Infection
On average, elementary school children get eight to 10 colds each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). For older children, it is about half that number. To help avoid infections, try these tips:
- Diet: A child’s diet can play an important role in warding off illnesses. Foods rich in vitamin C don’t keep colds away altogether, but they can shorten the length of a cold.
- Don’t share: Though kids like to sample each other’s lunches, remind yours not to share water bottles, food or other personal items.
- Exercise: To help keep kids healthy, a daily dose of 40 minutes of exercise can help.
- Get immunized: Make sure your child is up-to-date on scheduled immunizations.
- Keep backpacks clean: School backpacks can get pretty gross from forgotten lunches and all of the other things children stuff into them. Have your child clean out the backpack regularly.
- Know how and when to wash hands: One of the most common ways children get colds is by rubbing their nose or eyes after cold virus germs have gotten on their hands. Make sure your child knows to use soap and warm water. Scrub all over—including the backs of hands, between fingers and around the nails, for about 20 seconds. Then rinse well in warm water, dry with a paper towel and use the towel to turn off the water.
- Provide hand sanitizer: Arm your child with alcohol based hand sanitizer to keep in their desk or backpack. It’s smart to use before eating lunch or after using a shared communal object.
- Sleep: School age children should get 10 to 11 hours of sleep every night, according to the CDC.
Children’s colds cause more doctor visits and missed school days than any other illness.
Back-to-school Contagions
Even the best of efforts sometimes cannot stop those viruses from entering your home. Common illnesses that children come home with are:
- Colds: Colds can strike at any time during the year, and are caused by more than 20 different viruses. Symptoms include runny nose, congestion, headache, cough, sore throat, and tiredness. The best medicine is lots of fluids and plenty of rest.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease: The viral infection causes mouth ulcers and tiny blisters on the hands and feet. Although it is moderately contagious, it’s usually not serious. There’s no specific treatment, but practicing good hygiene, such as frequent and thorough hand washing, can keep your child safe.
- Head lice: These tiny parasitic insects live among human hairs, feeding on blood drawn from the scalp.
- Influenza: Flu season typically starts in October, peaks in January, February and March, and winds down by May. The federal government recommends everyone six months and older get the flu shot.
- Respiratory viruses: These are very contagious.
- Strep throat: Strep brings fever, stomach pain and red swollen tonsils. Since strep causing bacteria migrate to the nose and throat, sneezing, coughing and shaking hands can spread it from person to person.
Kids should stay home if they have a fever of 100 degrees or higher.
What IAA has to Say
Insurance Administrator of America wants you to watch out for back-to-school germs! A good step in having a great school year is to stay healthy. Have a great school year from IAA.
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