By Keri Peterson, MD
As you go about your day as a parent, you will encounter many scenarios that can expose your children to cold and flu germs. There are several things that you can do to decrease your child’s risk of getting sick with a cold or the flu virus. First and foremost, make sure your family gets the flu shot so that you are not a source of illness. You can also practice the germ prevention tips below.
Bringing your kids along while you run errands means buckling them in and out of car seats and bringing them in and out of stores. When returning home from a busy day picking up carpool and running to the grocery store, be sure to avoid bringing the germs from outside into your home.
- Make it a house rule to have your kids wash their hands with soap and warm water as soon as they walk in the door. Incentivize this task by giving them a treat.
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces around the house – like countertops, fridge handles and doorknobs – using Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to prevent the spread of germs.
No matter how much your child begs to see their friends, using good judgment is a must to protect your kids from getting sick and their friends too.
- Never send your child to someone else’s home if you suspect they are coming down with something. If your child is exhibiting the “tells” that show up before he or she is sick – they look tired, feel hot or are just “off”– keep them home. Also, communicate with other moms to do the same if their child shows signs of being sick.
- After a play date, wipe down the toys using a disinfecting wipe.
Having family or friends over may require preparation beyond cooking dinner.
- Have your guests take off their shoes when they come over. Children tend to play on the floor then put their fingers in their mouth. Taking shoes off prevents the germs on the bottoms of shoes from ending up in kids’ mouths.
- Keep tissues accessible for coughing or sneezing guests.
- Leave care baskets in the guest bathrooms for those staying overnight. Include the essentials like cough drops, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes so guests can take responsibility for their own health.
For more tips to help prevent the spread of germs, visit http://www.clorox.com/.
Dr. Keri Peterson has been in private practice with a prominent medical group on the Upper East Side of Manhattan since 1999, and she is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. With a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of medicine, she has several publications in leading medical and scientific journals. Dr. Peterson is a medical contributor and columnist for Women’s Health Magazine and is a regular guest on The Today Show.
This post is part of a sponsorship with Clorox.