It seems like once children are in grade school that they are sick 24/7. They get colds, flu, viruses and whatever else is going around. As a parent it’s hard to keep them healthy, especially during cold and flu season. Here are some guidelines you can follow to reduce the occurrence of illnesses and keep your children healthy.
Step One
Make sure your child gets enough sleep. Children need about 10 hours of sleep per night. Very young children also benefit from naps during the day. Make bedtime special with a routine that includes bathing, teeth brushing, getting ready for bed, and reading a story in bed. Choose relaxing or happy stories... stay away from scary stories just before bed.
Step Two
Make sure your child eats plenty of healthy food and drinks water every day. You can help your child develop good eating habits by modeling good eating yourself. Also, have your help with meal preparation as much as possible. It is quality time together and your child is learning.
Step Three
Kids should play outside every day, if possible.Make sure kids get plenty of exercise. Enrolling in team sports, karate, gymnastics, or swim team ensure regular exercise.
Step Four
Set a time limit on the amount of time your child spent on the Internet, TV, online gaming or messaging. If it’s difficult to enforce time limits, consider buying a software-based timer such as www.EzInternetTimer.net.
Step Five
Properly clean and bandage cuts and scrapes when they occur to prevent infection.Take them to see a physician for annual checkups and get recommended immunizations.
Step Six
If they are sick, do not send them to school. You may wish to limit their exposure to friends who are sick with communicable illness.Keep unnecessary stress to a minimum. Take time to talk with your child every day so that they feel comfortable letting you know what's on their mind.