Winter Health Tips

So what can you do to stay healthy this winter?

Keep the germs away.

Wash your hands. This is the best way to avoid getting sick and spreading common winter illnesses, such as colds. Germs accumulate on nearly everything you do or touch, so wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing all surfaces and rinsing well.

Influenza or Flu, COVID19, & RSV

Every school year, the hard fact is that influenza, RSV, and COVID19, will hit schools hard and that children are falling sick in larger numbers every year.  Several things can be done to help prevent the spread of these highly contagious, communicable diseases:

1. Instruct your children to wash their hands with soap and water frequently.  This cannot be emphasized enough.  

2. You may want to send a water bottle to school with your child so that they are not using the water fountains.   

[The teachers would prefer the flip-top type of bottle rather than a screw top, in order to prevent spills.] Our maintenance crew is diligent about keeping the water fountains clean, and even though the flu virus is fragile, they can live 2 to 8 hours on a surface - before the crew has a chance to clean.  Teach your children to avoid using the water fountains during flu season.

3. If your child has a fever or has vomited within 24 hours before school starts, please keep them home.

4. Children should not return to school until symptoms have been gone for at least 24 hours WITHOUT TAKING FEVER-REDUCING MEDICATIONS.

The Best Vaccine ~~ Go wash your hands right now!

Influenza is one of the most easily transmitted diseases, caused by a range of related viruses. It relies on human habits -- most notably the tendency to rub a runny nose.  The virus can live on a plastic or metal surface for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on a surface, according to the CDC. When a child touches a drippy nose and then a doorknob, desk, or water fountain button, the virus sits there, ready to be picked up by the next unwary person.  Simply touch the nose, mouth or even the eye, and you, too, can have the flu.  The virus also can be passed when a patient coughs or sneezes a fine spray of saliva and mucus into the air and an unfortunate passer-by breathes it in.  Remember, a sneeze travels 100 mph!

Influenza causes respiratory symptoms -- a cough, sneezing, headache, muscle aches and fever. Unlike a cold, which creeps up on a patient, influenza begins suddenly.  Although people often refer to "stomach flu," influenza does not cause gastrointestinal symptoms.  It can, however, cause pneumonia, and patients weakened by flu can then become infected by a range of bacterial diseases. This is why flu kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world each year -- 36,000 in the United States alone. 

Parents should take their children to a doctor if the child is listless, has a high fever for more than 24 hours, cannot be calmed down, is not drinking fluids, or has difficulty breathing.

Sleep enough.

Don't neglect the value of sleep. Do all that you can to stick to your typical sleep schedule, even around all the celebrations and traveling. Avoid or limit caffeine in chocolate and sugary foods as well as large meals before bed. These factors can interfere with a good night's rest.

Once back to school in January remember that many children are sleep deprived. They're up late online or watching TV in their rooms. The next morning they're on their way to school at 7:30 AM. A child who is exhausted can't concentrate in school.  

Take Precautions Outdoors

Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but you can take these steps to prepare for them:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: wear a tightly woven, preferably wind-resistant coat or jacket; inner layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots. Remember headwear that fully covers your ears, wear mittens rather than gloves and pull on well-insulated socks when dressing for the weather. Instead of wearing one big coat, dress in several layers of loose, warm clothing. This will better protect you against wind, snow and rain. If your clothes become wet, change them as soon as possible.
• Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches.
•  Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.
• Work slowly when doing outside chores.
• Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation.
• Carry a cell phone.

 

Limit time in the cold.

Pay attention to weather forecasts and windchill readings. Dress accordingly, but also watch for signs of frostbite, such as red or pale skin, prickling and numbness. Seek emergency help right away if you experience any signs of hypothermia, including intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination or fatigue. You can avoid these cold-weather hazards if you take measures to protect yourself against the cold, such as packing an emergency supply kit and warm clothing while traveling.

 

Frostbite

     As you and your children are spending time outside during cold weather, be alert for signs of frostbite and take immediate action if you notice any.  The parts of the body most affected by frostbite are the exposed areas of the face - cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, the ears, and the wrists, hands, and feet.  Frostbitten skin is whitish and stiff and feels numb rather than painful.

     To treat frostbite, warm the affected part of the body gradually.  Wrap the area in blankets, coats, sweaters, etc.  If no warm wrappings are available, place the frostbitten hands under the armpits or use your body to cover the affected area.  Seek medical attention immediately.

     Do not rub frostbitten areas; the friction can damage the tissue.  Do not apply snow to frostbitten areas.  Because its temperature is below freezing, snow will aggravate the condition.

     Children tend to go out with their coats open and with no gloves or hats.  I have had parents tell me "they are just running from the house to the car and then right into the school."  Many of you travel a distance to get here.  What if the car breaks down and you need to wait for help or to walk somewhere?  If they do not have the proper gear before school, they are not prepared for afterschool.  Many children are outside for quite awhile waiting for parents to pick them up.  Children often do not realize they are getting frostbite until it is too late.  Please send them with the proper gear to protect them from the cold while they wait.

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ATTENTION PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH ASTHMA:

  PLEASE make sure your student carries his or her inhaler in their backpack or that the nurse has a rescue inhaler in the school office. The frequent respiratory tract infections of the winter, in addition to the weather itself, often trigger asthma attacks.  There have been several recent incidents in which students did not have an inhaler available for emergency use.