It’s Time For Coughing And Sneezing And Wheezing OH MY!!
Kinsights Offers Tips to Protect Your Family from the Cold and Flu This Winter
Kids get sick – it’s just a reality. Most kids experience a dozen colds in the first couple years of life, especially if they are in childcare. Yes, they are building up their immune system, so those long days of runny noses and coughs will help them stay cold-free later in life. But overall, colds are no fun, and it would be nice to keep them at bay. Kinsights Medical Director and pediatrician, Dr. Carol Wilkinson, provides tips to help keep your family healthy this winter:
- Flu vaccines for the whole family! Most colds, while annoying, are not dangerous. Influenza, the virus that causes the flu, can be life threatening, causing high fevers, cough, and body aches. In some cases they can even cause significant breathing difficulties and require hospitalization, especially with young children and babies. Unlike the viruses that cause the common cold, influenza is preventable with the flu vaccine.
- Avoid people with colds. During the winter season, viruses are everywhere and frequently passed from person to person. If a grandparent has the sniffles, they shouldn’t be giving kisses to their new grandchild. If your kiddo has a cough, they shouldn’t have play dates with friends. Also avoid sharing cups, food, and utensils.
- Teach your kids to wash their hands. Regular hand washing is a great way to keep germs at bay. Kids put their hands in their mouth all the time, so get your kids in the habit of washing their hands after bathroom breaks and before meals. They should be washing for a good 20 seconds – try singing “Happy Birthday” twice.
- Hand sanitizers are a quick fix. If you can’t get the family to a spot to wash their hands immediately, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and wash with soap and water as soon as possible. Hand sanitizer should not replace proper hand washing.
- Stop the spread. Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze! Kids need to learn proper nose and mouth coverage so they don’t spread germs to siblings, friends, and parents. Remember, sneezing and coughing into your hands is NOT the way to go. Teach your child to use a tissue or handkerchief; and if they don’t have one, they should cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve or elbow.
- Separate the Sick One. Try to keep your sick family member as contained as possible. If possible, have them use a separate bathroom and keep them out of the kitchen so they aren’t spreading germs where other family members are most likely to pick up them up.
- Get good sleep. Fatigue and stress can make colds worse. For school and teenage children that are busy with school, activities, and friends, be extra vigilant that they are getting their zzzzz’s.
- Good nutrition and fluids. You should be eating healthy all year – and during cold and flu season, it’s especially crucial to eat a balanced diet packed with nutritious foods to help your body ward off viruses. Also, make sure your family is drinking plenty of fluids this winter.
About Kinsights:
Meet Kinsights: part parenting community, part online health record. Kinsights provides parents with a safe place to seek answers to their questions while also helping them track their child’s health information. Organize your child’s growth and developmental milestones, immunizations, medications, allergies, and more.
I’m Refreshing My Blog (and Bust Ghosts)
Updating old blog content is a bit like digital archaeology: you head in to dust the archives and end up unearthing questionable life choices from years ago. Between the over-filtered photos and advice that’s aged like room-temperature milk, the past can be… loud.
The Ghost in the Machine: Lately, I’ve been dealing with a resident spirit: The Ghost of Peanut Butter and Whine. This digital poltergeist has been causing chaos behind the scenes:
- The Vanishing Act: Deleting images and leaving empty boxes where helpful tutorials used to be.
- The Link Graveyard: Sneakily swapping my trusted brand partners for sketchy “AI Crypto” links.
- Font Sabotage: Reverting my modern, clean text back to “Geocities-era” antique fonts.
The 2026 Refresh Plan: I’m giving my archives a facelift to keep my blog traffic climbing and my readers happy. Here’s my step-by-step exorcism:
- Exorcise 404s: Running a broken link checker to find and fix every dead end.
- Modernize the Recommendations: Swapping outdated 2019 products for my 2026 essentials.
- SEO Deep Clean: Updating metadata to ensure my focus keywords are in the headers and the introduction for maximum impact.
Stick Around Please
Don’t let this be a “one and done” visit. While I’m cleaning house, check out these (very much alive) links:
Earn Cash: Some things never go out of style. Rakuten still pays you to shop, and in this economy, why wouldn’t you take the free money?
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Check out the sidebar for my
5 Comments
Veronica Vasquez
Great tips, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Kathy Lane
It seems like there is more sickness going around this year so far.I always get my flu shot every year,and use hand sanitizers every where I go.
Christina Marie
Thanks for these reminders. I need to get a flu shot yet.
Sarah L
Got my flu shot. I drink lots of water; wash my hands frequently. Need to go to bed & get good sleep now.
Diane K. Brimmer
Some really great tips! We have been battling the flu and cold bugs since before Christmas. With the 8 granddaughters usually one of them are sick and so is grandma. LOL Thanks for sharing.