Winter Wonderland: How to survive the cold and flu season
Winter is upon us. The sun – and hopefully your toddler – is rising later and setting earlier. Winter weekend sports are in full swing, and Brookie Oval is a sea of maroon. Sunday roasts and slow cooker curries are on high rotation. Hot chocolates with extra marshmallows have replaced chilly milkshakes. And singlets and thongs have been switched out for Oodies and Uggs.
But along with those fun seasonal changes, comes the dreaded cold and flu season. According to the Raising Children Network, our preschoolers can get as many as 12 viruses a year. That’s one a month. As parents it can be a challenge to juggle limited sick days, runny noses and lingering coughs. At Owl and The Pussycat Preschool, we understand and walk that tightrope with you while your children’s immune systems are in this vital stage of development.
A few helpful practices embedded into your everyday, can help alleviate the severity and duration of illnesses and get everyone in your family back to their best.
Hand Hygiene. Good hand washing is still one of the simplest and best ways to prevent the spread of germs. Teaching our children from a young age how to wash their hands well and embedding that habit into our family routines, is a vital and easy step. The recommended time is 20 seconds. Make it fun, by singing a favourite song – Baby Shark or a pop song like Shake it Off or Bye Bye Bye are fun choruses to use as you wash away those germs!
General Cleaning. At Owl and The Pussycat Preschool cleaning practices are a part of our daily routines, and once a week we have a professional clean of the entire centre out of hours. Whenever we have an illness pass through a room, we up the cleaning, and ensure all toys, stationary and high rotation items are given extra antibacterial deep cleans. The same goes for home. Focus on light switches, door handles and high use items. Remind children to cough or sneeze into their elbow to minimise the transfer of germs.
Clothing. Winter brings a great variety in temperature from morning, to noon, to evening. Ensure children have plenty of layers when they are dropped off at the Owl and The Pussycat Preschool. A singlet, with a t-shirt, then a jumper plus a puffer jacket will give them plenty of options for both indoor and outdoor play.
Healthy Habits. Nutrition, rest, hydration and exercise are all important ingredients for winter wellness.
Keep up the family fruit and vegetable intake. Incorporate immune boosting bone broths, or ingredients like turmeric, ginger, garlic, along with vitamin rich citrus and leafy greens into your family meals.
Establish and maintain regular bedtime routines to ensure good rest.
While it is colder, hydration is just as important – especially to combat dehydration from gastroenteritis symptoms – so keep a full water bottle on hand at home and ready to go whenever you are out and about.
When you can, get outdoors as a family to stay healthy and active plus get an extra boost of Vitamin D. Fly a kite, ride bikes, go to the skate park, walk the dog, whale watch from headlands and rockpools, or visit the zoo. On rainy days check out your local indoor trampoline or kindy gym, to ensure your under 5s are getting their recommended 180 minutes of physical activity per day (according to the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Guidelines).
Vaccination. Ensure your child is up to date with their National Childhood Vaccination Schedule. The flu vaccine is free in NSW for all children aged 6 months to under 5 years and is highly recommended to prevent serious illness.
Communication is Key. Stay up to date with illnesses that are currently in your child’s room. Similarly, let us know what illnesses are currently circulating in your family network so we can monitor effectively. Educate yourself on common viruses, their symptoms and duration, so you can catch them early. NSW Health has a great set of fact sheets. Have a local, trusted GP and stay home when unwell. Have alternative carers ready and on hand for sick days.
Winter can be bleak when on the treadmill of cold and flu. As parents, prioritise your own health and wellbeing. You’re not alone. We’re in it together. Remember your child’s immune system is working overtime as it adapts and matures during this key stage of development. Hopefully a few preventative steps and helpful practises now, will mean when cold and flu does come knocking, it doesn’t stay for long.
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