Tips for keeping our kids healthy throughout the new school year
Tips for Battling Germs
It’s that time of year again! As you send your children off to a new school year, they are also entering a new germy environment. Luckily, there are ways to prevent your little ones from becoming sick from those germs and ways to keep the germs out of your home.
Keeping your sick kids out of school when they are sick and teaching them to cover their cough and sneeze will prevent others from getting sick around them.
Coughing and sneezing into the air is a good way to spread illnesses like colds and the flu. Healthy habits such as covering your cough are key to keeping germs contained to one person or area rather than spread out for all to enjoy.
Washing your hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing into them will eliminate germs on the skin and furthermore germs on surfaces.
Use warm water and soap when available. If these supplies aren’t available, an alcohol-based hand cleaner will work!
Teaching your kids to avoid touching their eyes and nose as well as keeping their hands out of their mouths will prevent germs from invading their bodies.
It is terrifying to think about what all kinds of germs are in places that our children touch. Keep your kids from putting these germs into the entry ways of their bodies by keeping their hands out of their mouths, nose, and eyes.
Frequently clean and disinfect surfaces that the children touch in and outside of the classroom.
Surfaces like floors and countertops are easy to remember to clean, but
there are plenty of areas that host plenty of germs that parents don’t think about. Surfaces like backpacks, scissors, pens and pencils are rarely cleaned and have the potential to be covered in dangerous germs.
Remember to clean these frequently forgotten areas to prevent the spread of germs.
Finally, immunize your child.
The Centers of Disease Control recommend yearly flu vaccines for every one six months and older. Here is a link to helpful recourses for parents with
information about the ever-important flu vaccine!
If you have any questions about germs or anything else, give us a call at Physicians Park Pharmacy and we will be glad to help. (573)778-9238
Information for Schools & Childcare Providers. (2017, August 24). Retrieved August 28, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/index.htm
Author: Lauren Croy, Pharm. D.