5 tips to help your child avoid the cold or flu this winter

Teaching your kids how to stay healthy during the cold winter months is important. Here are five tips to help them avoid this season's flu and cold bugs.

While the flu vaccine has not been proven to prevent the flu from happening, it has been proven to lessen symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness if they do contract it.

Flu and cold germs can spread quickly, so you have to be willing to keep your child out of social settings if they become sick.

• Make sure that your child does not go to school when ill, and keep other children from coming over for play dates if either child is showing symptoms of the cold or flu.
• Remember, germs can spread almost two metres from just a cough or a sneeze, so social distancing is your best bet during cold and flu season.

Cleaning and washing your hands is very important, no matter the time of year. However, it is even more important during this time of the year.

• You should keep all surfaces clean and disinfected, and make sure that your children wash their hands on a regular basis.

One of the best ways for you and your child to avoid contracting the flu is to get plenty of rest.

• The average school-age child needs 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night. Children five to eight years of age need even more rest.
• If your child gets enough sleep, they're apt to have a higher immune system and less likely to be susceptible to cold and flu germs.

It's important to eat right all year round, but even more so during cold and flu season. Make sure that your child eats plenty of fruits and vegetables, and gets enough vitamin C in their diet.

From making sure that your children eat right, to helping them get enough rest, these tips may keep you and them from getting sick during this season.