10 Tips to Keep your Child Healthy while at School and Daycare | Kaydee News Blog

10 Tips to Keep your Child Healthy while at School and Daycare

Kay-Dee Educare and Daycare Cape Town take the health of the children placed in our care very seriously.

We encourage parents to work together with us in preventing your child from becoming sick this winter.

As we know, winter is commonly associated with colds and flu, especially amongst toddlers due to the shared space of a daycare centre or school.

Daycare Cape Town - Tips to avoid flu this winter

However, there are a number of basic yet effective ways to vastly minimise the risk of your child coming home with the dreaded flu symptoms.

It is a good idea to have a few natural cold and flu remedies at home for in case, despite your best efforts, your child comes home presenting with flu or cold symptoms.

However, prevention is always better than cure and here are some very helpful tips to keep your child healthy:

10 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HEALTHY WHILE AT SCHOOL AND DAYCARE

1) Teach your child to use a tissue

Using a tissue will keep the nasal passages clean and clear. Congested nostrils are the perfect habitat for bacteria.

Clean nostrils also minimise your child’s need to pick his nose which is a common way to spread germs.

2) Rest is important

Adequate rest plays a vital role in your child’s immune system. Routine sleep practices such as adhering to the same bed time every night and afternoon naps when appropriate will help ensure your child is well rested.

3) Regular hand washing

Regular hand washing is key in preventing the spread of germs. Whether at home or at daycare, your child should wash his or her hands:

  • Before and after eating
  • After using the bathroom
  • After blowing the nose
  • After coming into contact with someone who is sick
  • After sneezing or coughing (if done into the hand)

4) Sharing is not always caring

Although it is good practice to teach your child to share, there are certain things that should not be shared between children as a matter of hygiene.

These things can include tissues, sippy cups, eating utensils, toothbrushes and dummies or bottles.

5) Good sneezing and coughing practices

Children are commonly taught to cover their mouths with their hands when sneezing or coughing.

However, this can aid the spread of germs. It is better to teach your child to sneeze or cough into the inside of the elbow as this area does not easily come into direct contact with others.

6) Anti-biotics are not always the answer

Anti-biotics are only useful when there is a bacterial infection. Putting your child onto a course of antibiotics when they have a viral infection will only reduce the immune system’s natural ability to fight off infection.

It is vital as a parent to know how to tell the difference between cold and flu.

7) Keep your child hydrated

Adequate hydration helps the body eliminate waste and toxins which directly assists in keeping the immune system functioning optimally.

8) Change of clothes

Changing your child’s clothes when they arrive home from daycare and putting them into the washing machine can help minimise the risk of bringing bacteria into your home.

9) Healthy diet

A healthy diet is easily the most important part of a child’s health. Ensuring that your child eats vitamin enriched foods will keep the immune system strong.

10) Sick child policy

If your child’s daycare centre doesn’t already have one, encourage a sick child policy to be implemented.

This policy encourages parents to keep their sick children at home for a few days to prevent the spreading of bacteria and viruses at daycare.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COLD AND FLU

Cold

  • Slow onset of symptoms
  • Runny or congested nose
  • Productive cough with green/yellow phlegm
  • Sneezing
  • Sore throat

Flu

  • Quick onset of symptoms
  • Sometimes a runny or congested nose
  • Dry cough (non-productive)
  • Severe body aches and headache
  • High fever
  • Nausea
  • Cold sweats
  • Fatigue

KAY-DEE EDUCARE & DAYCARE CAPE TOWN

Kay-Dee Daycare Cape Town is an Educare centre that understands how important your child’s health and wellbeing is.

We take every precaution possible to help you prevent your child from becoming ill through the spread of infections this winter.

Let us know if you have any concerns regarding sick-child policies and our daily practices to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your child.

Contact us, for more information about our centre and curriculum.

Comments are closed for this post, but if you have spotted an error or have additional info that you think should be in this post, feel free to contact us.

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