The winter is here. The mercury is already dropping. It’s a perfect time for cold and flu viruses to roam all around the homes and schools. Plus, many common viruses go airborne during this time of the year. So, your little ones are always at risk of catching the bug and getting sick. The biggest challenge is not only to keep your child away from any sickness, and also from those who’re already sick. With contagious kids mingling freely in schools and neighborhoods all the time, your child is bound to get stricken by winter viruses as all it takes is a few breaths within. Well, you should not worry as there are steps to keep away the risks of germs and bacteria during the winter and keep the child healthy.
Here are few ways to keep kids healthy during winter –
Regular hand washing
Cold and flu bugs won’t stick onto hands if kids have the habit of regular hand washing. Let the little one develop the habit of washing his/her hands with soap and warm water quite frequently through the day. The washing should be a must before meals and snacks, after the toilet, post the visit to the playground and every time after an outdoor visit. Make sure this hand washing practice is used by everyone at home and school.
No touching of nose and eyes
Hundreds of germs sit on the unwashed of your little ones. So, don’t let them rub their nose or eyes, else those germs can reach the bloodstream through skin. Rather, ask them to use a tissue, and if not, then their clean sleeve itself, while tending to the troubled nose or eyes. Similarly, keep a tissue ready and handy when your child coughs or sneezes so that the germs are not distributed further.
Intake of immune-boosting foods and drink
Germs and bacteria attach the immune system. So, you need to give your child those foods and drink that boost their immune system. These foods and drinks are rich in vital vitamins and minerals to nourishing the system and strengthening them during the cold season. So, let the diet of your child include garlic, ginger, green juices, orange slices etc. this winter.
Keep sugar to a minimum
Kids love sugar, don’t they? But this very fondness can be an invitation for germs and bacteria during the winter. Yes, sugar can reduce immune response and increase systemic inflammation, and obviously, both will lead to depressed immune system. Plus, there is also sugar-induced inflammation to handle and all this can make the child prone to cold and flu during the cold season.
Detox regularly
Toxin-laden immune systems fail to protect our kids from seasonable viruses and flu. So, you have to detox regularly and make the immune system strong enough to get rid of harms of the cold season. Toxins can come from anywhere, be it the food, some products or the environment, but you can detoxify the body and get itself ready for the winter.
Quarantine sick kids
Doctors advise quarantining the kids who are sick in order to stop the diseases to spread and also to make them heal faster. Keeping them away from others means you don’t allow a cold or flu to become contagious and impacting others. You can keep them home and stop them becoming part of any social or extracurricular activities.
Use medicine after consultation
Getting cold medication from online medical store is easy but that does not mean you start using them. You should know that antibiotics are effective only for bacterial infections whereas most cold problems are viral in nature. So, rather than using any medicine, let your kid rest a lot, drink a lot of water and give them time to heal.
