Effort Can Cut Family's Illness In Half
Washing Hands Properly Aids In Staying Healthy
Last updated Monday, December 1, 2008 6:00 PM CST in Your Family
By Tom McMahon
SPECIAL TO THE MORNING NEWS
Tis the season for colds and flu. Almost 22 million school days are lost each year to the common cold alone. With a little effort, you can cut in half or more the number of illnesses your family had last year. That means fewer school and work absences, and happier kids.
First, know the difference between a cold and the flu, since they have similar symptoms. The flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough are more common and intense. Kids with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.
Teach your children how to cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. They can use their hand if they don't have a tissue. They could also cough into their upper arm.
Demonstrate how to wash their hands with soap and warm water, alcohol-based wipes or sanitizers. They should wash their hands for 15 to 20 seconds, about the time it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice (Centers for Disease Control). Encourage your children to wash their hands two or three times during school. Wherever there has been coughing or sneezing, wipe the surfaces completely.
Thanks to the readers of this column for sharing these clever kid tips.
Wash Your Hands
To teach toddlers and preschoolers the importance of washing their hands after using the bathroom, sing this fun song with your youngster to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." "Wash, wash, wash your hands; play your handy game; rub and scrub, scrub and rub; germs go down the drain." -- A. Stocking, Fremont, Calif.
Reinforce Good Habits
To reward our sons for washing their hands after using the bathroom, they get to pick out a sticker, which they can place on a paper plate we have taped to the bathroom mirror. It gets the job done! -- C. Nelson, Memphis, Tenn.
Yogurt Creations
My children are always asking for those single-serve yogurts that are marketed for kids, such as yogurt with colorful sprinkles. It's cheaper and more fun for the kids to make their own special yogurt creations at home. Simply buy single-serve vanilla yogurt, add a drop of food coloring and top it off with store-bought sprinkles, bite-size pieces of fresh fruit or crunchy granola. It's healthy, and kids love it. My kids enjoy making their own yogurt creations for various holidays, such as orange-colored yogurt with chocolate sprinkles at Halloween. -- Linda W., Pleasanton, Calif.
Face Plates
Whenever we go to a restaurant with our kids, I bring along crayons and two or three paper plates for each of them to draw funny faces on. They keep busy with their art project while my husband and I enjoy each other's company. -- H.L., Seattle
Trust Your Hunches
Experience as a parent has taught me to trust my hunches when I feel strongly about something. After I base a decision on one of these feelings, I tell my teenagers something like: "I am doing my best to make decisions that will protect you or that are in your best interest. I don't always have all the information I need, but often my feelings and hunches are right." Even though they may not like my decision, they realize that I made it out of love and concern for them. -- C. Jones, Santa Ynez, Calif.
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