One of the most worrisome times of the year for any parent will undoubtedly be cold/flu season at their child’s preschool. This can be especially difficult if this is your first child since you simply don’t know what to expect. Hopefully this will help serve as your survival guide to ease your way as much as possible through this contagious time of year.
*When is Cold/Flu Season?
The first thing you will need to know is when cold/flu season begins. Technically there is no concrete beginning or ending point, however you can get a good range if you do your research. Flip on your local news cast. They usually give a good read of when to get yourself prepared. This will usually be between the fall and winter seasons. The reason being is that with the fluctuating temperatures, it can cause an individual’s immune system to need to regulate on a higher level. And as we all know, young children have a more delicate immune system and do not regulate temperature and other items as easily.
Unfortunately, temperature drops are only one characteristic of this period and are not the dominant reason of why the virus can be spread so easily. So let’s jump into that.
*What Happens During Cold Season?
Again, cold season occurs usually during the end of fall and beginning of winter, and will begin to peeder out at early spring. Now, the reason it lasts so long is because of how highly contagious these little colds are.
**Side Note: Please do not take this as an advertisement for keeping your children inside though and away from anything for all three months of winter. Fresh air can be a great thing when feeling a bit under the weather. Also children need to be able to run around outside so cabin fever doesn’t take over your household.
1. How It Gets Spread
What really causes the spread of the common cold, or the more intense flu, is that it gets passed around so easily through touch, air travel, and less than favorable hygiene practices. So a lot of the times we can’t help but catch it.
This occurs ten times as much in preschools!
Think about when you have a sick child at home and you have to chase them around with a tissue 10hours a day, or beg them to cover their mouth as they cough, and frankly you give up on forcing them to wash their hands every time they use it as a napkin. Now take that and multiple it by 15 kids and you can see why colds can be so contagious.
This is not to say that preschools are not sanitary. Each school has specific policies in place (which we’ll get into in a minute) and a cleaning schedule that works to alleviate such issues. However, to be truthful, just as your one child gets away from you from time to time, the same may happen at school.
So just be ready for that. Most likely, everyone will get some kind or remnant of it, but it will be okay.
2. How Fast It Spreads
The pace of the common cold is extremely fast as well, which is why they say it is very contagious. Just be prepared and do what you can when your child gets it. Again, the reason it spreads so quickly is because of the high amount of interaction all the children have with one another so it can seem somewhat unavoidable.
Also, please keep in mind that just because a child is sick, does not necessarily mean it originated from their classroom. Anything from a playground, kids party, family dinner, or simply weakened immune system can provide the perfect situation for picking something up.
3. How Long It lasts
Another thing every parent should know is how long you can expect your child to be fighting this. This will vary depending on the severity and how cautious parents are with their kiddos in your child’s class.
If every parent allows their child to rest and recuperate at home while feeling under the weather then it shouldn’t be more than a couple of days. However, please take into consideration that it is called cold or flu season for a reason. The entire season can last months, and if parents are a bit less cautious and are consistently sending their kids to school with coughs, and running noses, etc. there is a good chance your child may have to face it more than once.
Obviously we always hope for the latter, but it doesn’t always happen. Parents have conferences, meetings, projects, etc. We try and be considerate of everyone’s schedule but will recommend a day of rest if necessary. Keep this in mind and allow your child to get better at home while also protecting the other children.
*What’s Your School’s Sick Policy?
The other thing to consider when preparing for cold season is your child’s sick policy. Every school has one and it would be very beneficial for you to review your child’s sick policy as well. Most schools, ours included, will have specific viruses that require the student stay home until they are completely symptom free for 24hours. This is pretty customary.
However, the cold usually does not fall under that precedence. The flu will if it is accompanied by a fever because that is usually one of the ailments listed for immediate pick up and homestay, but the cold is not.
What a good rule of thumb for parents to follow is that if you wouldn’t want your child interacting with another student who is sick with the symptoms your child has, then permit them to stay home and rest. Let them sleep, relax, and get better before returning.
No teacher likes seeing a sick student. Honestly, nothing tugs at the heart strings more than having a child fall asleep in their plate during lunch. If your child needs rest, let them rest. We do not like making the call to come pick them up because we know that it is highly disruptive to your schedule. In addition, we do not like isolating this child on the side so they don’t cough on everyone or so they can lay down while everyone else plays. So definitely take initiative when possible.
But before we get there, let’s see some tips for really getting through cold season with your preschooler.
*How To Prepare Ahead of Cold and Flu Season
1. Stock Up on Hygiene Products
Make sure you have enough tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, aquaphor and hand cream. The tissues, wipes, and hand sanitizer are for wiping and disinfecting, and the aquaphor and hand cream are for moisturizing after. A lot of companies also now make child friendly hand sanitizers so definitely stock up on those.
2. Increase the Vitamin Intake
Up the natural juice in take! This is a crucial one, something I stress to my teachers as well. As previously discussed, your immune system will kind of be all over the place during these few months so its a great idea to stock up on some great vitamins, and for kids perhaps a baby vitamin or natural juice. But not the sugary ones that make them bounce off the walls please!That is of no help to anyone, and has no beneficial vitamins either.
3. Teach the Elbow Sneeze!
This literally means teach them to cough/sneeze into their elbow. This is something we do every year and is a really big help once the preschoolers master it. Even though they only do it about 50% of the time, that is still 50% less of them sneezing on another student, work material, or teacher : /.
4. The Hand Wash Cycle
Wash their hands repeatedly. No seriously, as often as possible. I know this can sound really redundant and obvious, but honestly the more you make it a habit, the more your preschooler will too. Lead by example, help them, make it a cool big kid responsibility. And if you think you’re doing it enough, just do it a little bit more. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
*What To Do When You Catch It
Now, there is obviously less you can do once you caught it, and reminder, most likely everyone will catch it at least once if not twice. It’s okay, its part of school, it happens every year no matter what grade they go into.
This will be where your mom instincts kick in. Just take care of your baby like you normally would. And if this hasn’t happened before, then think about what you do for yourself when you’re sick.
1. Let them rest. Sleep is imperative
2. Drink lots of fluids; water, juice, soup
3. Give them calm and easy going activities so as not to exhaust them but keep them busy when they are up.
4. Give them medicine if they’re old enough. For our young ones, some are still too little to have anything like that but for the older kids why not :).
*How To Know When They Can Return to School
After your child has fought the good fight (and you too), it’s time to make the decision of whether or not you think they are ready for school. Again, please be mindful of your child’s needs but also the well-being of the other students.
If they are symptom free, appetite is back, and 100% of energy has returned then off to school they go! Also, if there is a cold going around your child’s preschool, you’re only going to want to send them back once their immune system is ready to handle it. If they are still kind of weak, and go back to school where it’s still going around, they will definitely catch it again and very fast.
So let them get back to their old selves and then send them back to school while practicing the precautions we listed above.
*Summary
The most important thing to remember during your child’s preschool cold season is that catching it is pretty much inevitable. Causing yourself panic and hysteria over it is too much wasted energy. They’re kids, they’ll bounce back!
But let’s just review what we can do one more time..
1. Wipes and sanitizer are your best friend
2. Up the vitamins and fluids
3. Wash your hands even if they’re clean
4. Teach the elbow sneeze
5. If they’re sick, let them rest
6. Send them to school with a full rebooted immune system
7. Do not panic, getting the common cold is part of being a preschooler
If you guys have any other questions about tackling your first, fifth, or tenth cold/flu season please be sure to leave it in the comments below, or if you have any questions, comments, or ideas please share them with your fellow parents in the comments section too. And remember to keep these tips in mind as you meander through the cold season with your kiddos.
Lastly, definitely subscribe to the newsletter for updates and ongoing happenings at TylekTeaches.com. The subscription link is just on the right hand side of this post. See you there!
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