The upcoming flu season promises to be… interesting. And when it comes to colds, influenza, and COVID, boring is always better. Last year, flu season was mild thanks to masks and social distancing. This year, with COVID precautions relaxing, the flu could return with a vengeance. For infants and toddlers with little previous exposure to the flu, protection from the it is even more important than protection from COVID. Since the start of the pandemic, 50 kids aged 0-4 have died from the coronavirus. In the 2017-2018 flu season alone, 115 kids that age died from influenza.
Although illnesses are a natural part of childhood – the immune system must learn to fight off infection – the flu can be a serious problem. Fortunately, there are steps parents can take to try to protect toddlers and keep them as healthy as possible during flu season. None of these are foolproof and, yes, sick parents often bring the virus home. But a few simple habits can greatly improve a kid’s chances of avoiding the flu.
How to Protect Toddlers From the Flu
“Arm your toddler’s immune system with everything it needs to protect itself from the flu and illness,” says Tanya Altmann, MD, a pediatrician in California and author of Baby and Toddler Basics. That means a flu vaccine for everyone in the family whose age and health allow it. That also means making sure kids get enough sleep and eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables for good nutrition. “If they’re run down and eating a lot of processed, junky foods, that’s already putting them behind the eight ball when they do get sick,” Altmann says.
How to Keep Toddlers Safe During Flu Season
- Prime the Immune System: Vaccination, good sleep, and good nutrition all help kids fight off flu infections.
- Wash Hands: Influenza passes very effectively from skin-to-surface contact. Washing hands help disrupt it.
- Stay Home: Can kids transmit germs before presenting symptoms? Yes. Does that mean it’s okay for them to go to daycare or preschool when they are sick? Nope.
- Know When It’s Time For The Doctor: Parents need to observe their children and stay in contact with the doctor when things look concerning. That doesn’t necessarily mean rushing in – a phone call to the clinic can often solicit the information they need.
It can be hard to teach toddlers how to wash their hands regularly, although if parents make it entertaining enough, kids will take to it. No matter how they learn though, handwashing is a habit they need to stick to during flu season, particularly when it comes to daycares or playdates. “You have to assume that every child your kid plays with is going to get sick the next day,” Altmann says.
The flu is passed very effectively by picking up germs from toys and surfaces, so parents should make sure they are cleaned and disinfected frequently. A solid rule of thumb for handwashing is to wash after bathroom use, after playtime, and before snacks and meals.
What to Do If Your Toddler Has Flu Symptoms
If flu symptoms do appear, there are a few things parents can do to help make their kids as comfortable as possible. First, keep them home. Sure, some playmates or classmates have already been exposed, but that doesn’t mean families should be cavalier with spreading germs. There’s more than one kind of flu, and more than one kind of bug to catch during winter, anyway, so that’s another reason to keep sick kids home. It also allows them to get the care and attention they need – extra fluids, good nutrition, foods rich in vitamins C and D, and probiotics if necessary. The efficacy of some of these practices may be in question, but they don’t hurt.
Another advantage to keeping sick kids home with a parent or primary caregiver is observation. The flu may seem like it isn’t a big deal, but it can be. Parents may be willing to let it ride out, but when certain symptoms present themselves, they need to contact a pediatrician. If a child has difficulty breathing, high fever, vomiting, won’t drink, and isn’t urinating, it’s worth making that call. That doesn’t mean scrambling to a walk-in clinic. Often a simple phone call or email to the clinic can result in some useful information. And if a visit is necessary, the clinician has some idea of the child’s condition.
“Kids will get sick and that’s okay – it’s teaching their immune system how to fight infections,” Altmann says. “But it’s important to know when it’s just a little runny nose and cough that will run its course, and when it’s something more serious and you need to see your pediatrician.”
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