Children are particularly vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses, especially the Flu. Due to a not-yet-developed immune system, their bodies aren't able to fight off viruses as easily as adults. This is especially true during the winter months when we tend to spend more time indoors in confined spaces where the flu, colds, and other viruses such as Covid-19 and RSV have a better chance of infecting more people.
Practicing Good Health
Good health is important. The key to avoiding these illnesses altogether or reducing the impact of an illness is to stay healthy all year round. That means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, exercising, reducing stress, and getting plenty of sleep.
There are other ways your kid can stay healthy during vulnerable periods when viruses are circulating. Washing hands, not sharing scarves and gloves with other kids, wearing a mask in high-risk places, and staying away from people who are known to be sick are all ways to practice virus safety this winter and beyond.
Treatment
Sometimes you can do all of these things and your child will still catch a bug that's going around. If your kid does get sick with a virus, practicing the above safety tips will ensure that they are well-prepared to weather the illness without severe symptoms. However, if any of your children do develop severe symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, or high fever, a trip to your local emergency room or doctor's office may be in order depending on the severity of the symptoms.
The most important thing to do when sick is to stay home to prevent the illness from spreading to others and give your child a chance to get better more quickly. Plenty of bed rest, plenty of fluids, and plenty of hot soup are tried and true remedies for what ails you.
Some over-the-counter medications to suppress cough and fever are also important to ensure your child is comfortable while they weather whatever illness they happen to catch.