As the weather starts to change it can be difficult to avoid the cold and flu bugs that spread at this time of year, and those with children know they love to share everything with you, including their germs!
For many families this can mean days off work, school and weekends spent in bed recovering.
According to Healthdirect, children may get between five and ten colds a year while adults may get two to four colds a year. Although everyone is susceptible to catching a cold, it has been proven that young children, especially those in pre-school, are substantially more likely to catch colds than adolescents, teenagers, or adults.
We're sure you’ve heard the saying prevention is better than cure, and this is very true when it comes to colds and flus. Teaching your children and yourself good hand hygiene can prevent many colds and flus from being passed from one person to another.
Follow these tips to help avoid colds and flus and protect your health!
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or simply cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand!
- Throw used tissues in the bin immediately after you use them
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use antibacterial hand sanitisers, especially after you cough.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Wash your hands before preparing food.
- Try to avoid close contact with people who have colds and flus
- If you have a cold, stay home from work or school and limit contact with other people to keep from infecting them.
- Wash your child’s toys frequently to remove traces of the any viruses.
- Keep your child home in the first few days that they develop a cold to stop them infecting others.