Back to School- Reducing Sick Days For Your Child

Back to school and back to germs! How does a parent help reduce the risk of their child picking up every illness that goes through a classroom? Children are going to get sick but you can reduce the amount of illnesses that they get by following some tips for keeping your child healthy...

> Diet: Feed your child a healthy diet in order to keep their immune system as strong as possible. Breakfast is key. Make sure they eat something in the morning. A whole grain bagel with peanut butter or even a smoothie made with yogurt and fruit will help keep them fueled until lunch time.

> Hygiene: Teaching your child to wash their hands properly and wash often can help to reduce germs. Using a hand sanitizer can help but overuse can be bad. There are now hand sanitizers that are alcohol free which are less drying. Properly using tissues when sneezing and avoiding touching their eyes or nose can help reduce picking up germs.

> Sharing: Teach your child not to share drinks with other children. This may seem obvious to adults but children do not think this way.

> Rest: Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest in order to keep them strong and be less of a risk to pick up every illness around. Rest is as important as diet in keeping your child healthy.