It’s that time of year again: flu season . Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to help you and your kids avoid spending the winter feeling terrible and curled up with a box of tissues. Just ask your child to follow these five tips from our medical experts:
Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands is the single most effective method of preventing respiratory illnesses, including the flu. Keep in mind, when washing your hands, make sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds. (Just tell your kids that’s about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.) Always make sure to wash your hands before and after eating food, after contact with frequently touched surfaces, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have access to soap and water, make sure to use hand sanitizer.
Cover Your Coughs (and Sneezes)
When you cough or sneeze, always remember to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and to throw the tissue away when you’re done. If you don’t have access to single-use tissues, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow. This prevents the spread of respiratory germs by tiny droplets that can spray when you sneeze or cough.
Wear a Mask if You’re Having Symptoms
When worn by people with respiratory viruses or experiencing respiratory symptoms, masks can significantly reduce the spread of illnesses. When using a surgical mask, put one loop around each ear and pinch the metal portion over the bridge of your nose to make sure you have a snug fit. Make sure the mask covers both your mouth and nose, as respiratory germs can be spread from both.
Stay Home From School if You Have a Fever (They probably won’t fight you on this one)
A fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher. The rule of thumb is that kids should only go back to school after they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol ® or Motrin®. They may still be contagious at this time, but can be expected to become less contagious as symptoms continue to improve. However, if they are still not feeling well enough to be able to participate in school, they should stay home until they are able to, even if they are without a fever.
Get vaccinated
Everyone 6 months of age or older should get the flu shot every season, especially patients at high risk of complications from the flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of needing medical care for the flu by 40–60%. Contrary to what some people believe, the flu vaccine does not give you the flu — you may have a fever and some mild flu-like symptoms 24–48 hours after getting the vaccine, but that is a sign of your immune system learning from the vaccine how to fight off the flu. Ask your doctor for more information about the flu vaccine or if you have any questions.
