Six Ways to Keep Germs at Bay
When my son started school 15 years ago, he seemed to bring home every bug he met. Like millions of moms, I have done what I can to instill good habits in him – coughing into his arm, using tissues, and of course, hand washing. Indeed, in the century and a half since hand washing was established as a way to prevent infection, no one has come up with anything provably better for preventing the spread of colds, says Carrie L. Byington, MD, FAAP, a professor in pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine and vice chair on the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases.
Not all hand washing is equal.
Kids should be taught to use soap and warm water and scrub their hands – especially around the nails – for about 30 seconds. That’s about as long as it takes to sing the ABCs. While many families love the convenience of alcohol based gels, only use them if there isn’t soap and warm water available, says Dr. Byington. And avoid antibacterial soaps unless you’re a doctor at work. Emerging science indicates they may lead to resistant strains of bacteria; at the very least, they are no more effective.
Alternatives? Maybe.
While there is little good science on using alternative treatments to prevent colds, Dr. Byington is intrigued by new research on probiotics. How intrigued? “I’ve been trying this with my family and office staff,” she says.
Present arms!
Preventing flu is easier – everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine unless they are allergic to eggs, have had a bad reaction to the vaccine in the past, have had Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of the shot or have a fever. The notion of getting younger children immunized is new, but studies showed that last year’s H1N1 swine flu virus spread from schools out into the community. If your children are afraid of shots, there’s a nasal spray version approved for those 2-49 who aren’t pregnant. However, it is a live vaccine and isn’t for everyone.
Soup to drugs.
If your child gets a cold, there isn’t a lot you can do but make him or her comfortable. There’s some science that shows chicken soup can help shorten the duration of a cold. If your child has the flu and it’s diagnosed quickly, there are prescription anti-viral drugs that can shorten the length of the illness and decrease the severity. How do you tell the difference? Mostly, colds won’t be accompanied by a fever, severe muscle aches or settle deeply in the chest, and flu cases don’t usually include sneezing or stuffy noses.
Play keep away.
If your kids have the flu – or you even suspect it’s flu– they should stay home from school. Also keep children home if they have a temperature higher than 100.4° F, the symptoms last more than 10 days, or they are not relieved by over-the-counter medications. Note that there are new guidelines for giving young children some of these medications, especially cough suppressants.
CONNECT THE DOTS
Find out where to get a flu shot. WebMD has tips on treating colds and flu. The government also set up this site for basic information on flu. For more news about colds and flu, also check out these Healthy Outlook blog posts: “Nanotechnology Takes Aim at the Flu,” “Good News About Fighting Flu,” and “HealthMap Visualizes Global Disease Outbreaks.”
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