Keeping Kids Healthy during Flu Season

This flu season is going to be a particularly worrisome one for parents. We’re always concerned about the many nasty things our children can become exposed to, whether its bullies on the playground or germs in the classroom. Now we’re confronted with a dangerous enemy: one which seems to target the young and normally healthy, one that’s impossible to see and difficult to fight. This elusive enemy goes by the name H1N1, or swine flu.

Some strain of influenza virus seems to rear its ugly head every fall. Flu shots are widely available, and generally recommended, as we head into flu season. Yet currently, the shots available do not inoculate for H1N1. Drug companies are rushing to get something out that will forestall it, but the vaccine is not available yet. The current flu shot addresses a different, more standard flu virus. It is still considered a good idea, because avoiding the any flu will help keep the immune system strong.

Parents can engage a number of strategies to try to keep the flu at bay. In the case of H1N1, the best offense is a strong defense. Even young children can be taught ways to prevent germs from spreading. They might even have a little fun with it. They should be taught the "Dracula sneeze": to cover their nose and mouth with their elbow whenever a sneeze threatens (like Dracula with his cape). This prevents germs from spreading to the hands, the way they do if we try to cover a cough or sneeze with just a hand over a mouth. Germs on hands don’t really hurt anyone; what makes us sick is how often we tough our hands to our faces.

Washing hands is of vital importance to contain this disease. Yet even children who do wash their hands regularly might need some retraining. Have you ever watched a child wash his hands? It’s almost an exercise in water molecule avoidance; hands are swiped so quickly under the tap that they barely need the quick blot on the towel. Instead, children should be encouraged to truly make sure their hands are cleansed. One way to do this is to continue soaping hands during an entire chorus of "Happy Birthday." This keeps the activity fun, while reinforcing the idea of actually cleaning hands when washing them.

It’s also a good idea to keep hand sanitizer nearby. Parents may want to tuck one into a backpack pocket. Of course, it will do no good there unless actually used. So in addition to providing the sanitizer, parents should provide an example, keeping some in the car and making a point of using it regularly, particularly before eating.

Persistence in these practices is sure to pay off. If children aren’t touching their faces with germ-laden hands, then they’ll be less likely to contract the H1N1 virus. Wouldn’t that be worth an awful lot of Dracula sneezes and off-pitch rounds of "Happy Birthday"?