9 Tips for Getting Kids through the Cold & Flu Season

Winter’s cold and flu season is hard on everyone, but especially parents and children. Check out our tips to help keep your kiddos healthy and comfortable this season.

  • First things first, always make sure your children get their flu shot every year. Even if they catch another strain of the bug, the vaccine will help reduce the overall severity of illness.

  • Prioritize frequent hand washing. Teach little ones to lather up with soap and water, then wash for 20 seconds. Make sure they dry their hands really well because wet hands transfer more germs than dry ones. And resist the urge to rely upon hand sanitizers—those are best left for emergencies.

  • This might be a toughie, but also make it a habit to teach your kids to keep their hands off of their face, especially their eyes and nose. The simple act of touching one’s eyes or nose results in a significant increase in illness.

  • Help your kids boost their immunity by serving up Greek yogurt every day. The probiotics can help significantly reduce the risk of catching a winter illness.

  • When the weather starts to take a nosedive, bundle up your kids with hats and scarves. Protecting the nose from cold temps can help them avoid illness by allowing the little nose hairs to do their job and sweep away bacteria and pathogens.

  • If your home tends to be on the dry side, add a humidifier to your child’s bedroom to add moisture and help prevent them from getting ill due to dry nasal and sinus passages.

  • Fresh ginger has been shown to inhibit the growth and formation of the virus cells that result in pneumonia and bronchitis. You can add a bit of ginger to a variety of foods, including stir-fry and soup or lemonade.

  • Manuka honey contains properties that can inhibit strep throat, staph, pneumonia and salmonella—all nasties we want our kids to avoid. Try drizzling a bit of honey over their yogurt, or stir some into ginger tea or hot lemonade.

  • Try giving chicken noodle soup an antiviral boost with rosemary. This herb has been shown to limit the efficacy of the virus cells that cause pneumonia and bronchitis.