How to Keep Your Children Germ Free in School
Back to school for the cooler months of the year means that children are all moving indoors, making it much easier for infections to get to their noises, their throats and their tummies.
But what can you do to help them stay germ-free and healthy so they don't have to miss those vital school days and also don't spread any infections to others?
Be germ aware
Practising good hygiene is one way to reduce the likelihood of spreading any infections or viruses.Â
- Always sneeze into tissues and dispose of them, teaching your children to do the same.Â
- Learn to cough into the crook of your arm instead of your hand.
- Regular handwashing will help to reduce transmission of germs.
- Norovirus (also known as the winter vomiting bug) is spread by little droplets in the air and very infectious, even surviving soap. Bleaching is important if anyone has vomited into the toilet bowl.Â
Vary your children's diet
While it is not necessarily true that there are certain magic foods that can boost their immunity, a poor diet will negatively impact it. Letting our children eat a typical Western diet, is not a good idea being too high in sugary, trans fats and ultra-processed foods. Encourage your children to change to a more Mediterranean style diet filled with the vitamins and minerals their immune systems need to function well. In addition, keeping their gut microbiome happy will support their immune response. Such a diet means lots of fiber and prebiotic foods such as avocado and bananas. Variety is great too with as many different types of fruits and vegetables as possible.
Use supplements as needed
Their immune systems need vitamins and iron to work properly and supplements can be helpful when your children's diet does not provide these. Vitamin D is not available from the sun in the colder months and certainly insufficient can be provided in their diet. So make sure to give a Vitamin D supplement daily along with vitamin C. Should your child come down with an infection, then dose with vitamin C immediately and keep dosing several times a day (to bowel intolerance) until they are feeling better.
Make time for rest
Children need a good night's sleep for rest and rejuvenation so they are ready for the next day ahead - and to build up their resistance to winter bugs and germs.  If your children are not getting enough quality sleep, they will be less able to shrug off illnesses.  Lack of sleep will also affect their behavior and emotions. Try to instil a consistent bedtime and sleep routine. And when it comes to wake up time in the morning, it can be kinder and more calming to use natural light or music before that morning rush for another school day.Â
Children need plenty of exercise and movement too
There are lots of reasons why this is so important. Exercise benefits your child's circulation, supports their immune system and reduces the chances of developing those unwanted illnesses. Activities should be intense enough to warm them up while their breathing should end up faster than usual.!
And don't forget about hydration!
Children will often need to be reminded to keep drinking that all important glass of water, helping them to flush out toxins, lubricate the membranes that capture germs and ensuring cells operate efficiently. Being dehydrated can also affect your child's mood and concentration both at school and at home. Encourage them to carry around their own special water bottle as an added incentive.
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SOURCES:
How Much Sleep Do Teenagers Need Each Night? | Sleep.com
Benetti, C., et al. (2015). Therapeutic effects of vitamin D in asthma and allergy [Abstract].
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25985947. (Accessed, 2 October 2021).
Conti, P., & Kempuraj, D. (2016). Impact of vitamin D on mast cell activity, immunity and inflammation.
http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/4/1/6/. (Accessed, 2 October 2021).
Translating the Human Right to Water and Sanitation into Public Policy Reform (nih.gov)
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Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.