9 Essential Tips to Stay Healthy When Your Kids (& Everyone Else) Is Sick
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It is officially well into cold and flu season, which means everyone around you is at risk of getting sick. Ugh. While you might be able to get by at work by avoiding those who are infected, what happens when you’re the only healthy one in a house filled with sick kiddos, partners, or extended family members in for the holidays?
No, you don’t have to move out. There are some tips and remedies that you and your family can do that will help save you from catching the phlegm-infested fate that’s overcome them.
Why is winter the time for colds?
We know winter is synonymous with cold and flu season, but why is that — and why is it so much worse when you’ve got kids (of any age) running around the house? For one thing, fall and winter is the time when both kids and adults “spend more time indoors in close proximity, facilitating the spread of viruses,” pediatrician and mom of two Dr. Whitney Casares of Modern Mommy Doc tells SheKnows. “These viruses are easily transmissible, meaning they spread easily once there are a few cases in a community.”
The cold temps and lower humidity levels also make it easier for viruses to survive outside the body, increasing the chances you’ll catch one, while lowering some of our own natural defense mechanisms. Your nasal passages, for example, are coated with cilia, tiny hair-like structures that snare dirt and other particles before they get further into your body. “Cilia helps filter out germs,” pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin tells SheKnows. When the air is dry, your nasal passages are more likely to get dehydrated, making it harder for the cilia to do their job. Irritation, congestion, and nosebleeds can follow — along with susceptibility to viruses.
Add children into the mix, and it feels like getting sick is just inevitable this time of year. Depending on their age, kids may not be as meticulous about washing their hands well or covering their coughs and sneezes, Dr. Casares says. (And let’s be honest — a lot of adults need a reminder too.) They often spend time with lots of other kids (who may or may not be sick themselves) in school and childcare settings, “making it even easier for them to spread germs to their families at home,” she adds. Young kids are also working with still-developing immune systems, making them more likely to contract some viral illnesses like cold and flu.
Reading all those reasons why viruses run rampant this time of year probably doesn’t make you feel great about avoiding them — but we’re here to help. Here’s what four experts recommend doing to stay healthy this season, even when your family gets sick.
Get a flu & COVID-19 vaccination
No one likes needles, but sometimes it’s your best defense when it comes to avoiding getting ill (or bringing sickness into your house in the first place).
“If your household members are sick because of the flu, then chances are higher of you getting affected with the virus as well,” Dr. Ashish Sharma, an internal medicine physician at Yuma Regional Medical Center tells SheKnows. “The most important aspect of prevention is to get a flu vaccine every year.” And yes, kids should get the flu shot as well.
Note that when it comes to vaccines, better late than never is the rule of the day. “Even if someone in the house has already been diagnosed with the flu, it’s not too late to get vaccinated,” Dr. Elizabeth Wang, an infectious diseases physician at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, tells SheKnows. “However, [if] someone with a weakened immune system and at high risk for influenza complications has already been exposed to a household member with the flu — in addition to practicing the precautions listed above — it’s wise to talk with your health care provider about taking Tamiflu as a precaution.” Wang says people with the flu should take Tamiflu to decrease the chances of spreading the virus and to shorten the duration of symptoms.
The same can be said for your COVID-19 vaccine and boosters — if you aren’t sure if it’s a right fit for you, just talk with your doctor. I promise they’ll have thoughts.
Wash your hands, and then wash them again
Germs are everywhere and how do they spread super fast? Through touch. “Relentless hand washing is crucial for staying healthy,” says Dr. Wang. “Think about when you wash your hands, too — after using the bathroom, of course, but also after blowing or wiping your nose, after touching common surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, phones/cellphones, countertops, keys, computer mouses, etc. — as we inadvertently expose ourselves to illness-causing germs and bacteria when we touch these things.”
Dr. Wang says it’s also important to be thorough about how you wash your hands. She advises using soap and warm water and lathering for at least two full choruses of “Happy Birthday” or the Jeopardy! theme song as a fun way to hold yourself accountable. If soap and water aren’t available, she recommends using an alcohol-based hand gel and letting it dry thoroughly before touching anything else. “Be mindful of cleaning your entire hand — including under the nails and underneath rings — to ensure that you’re killing as many harmful germs as possible,” she says. “It’s certainly an added risk when you’re directly caring for someone who’s sick, as you’re doing things like picking up their used cups or mugs or tissues, giving them medicine, taking their temperature, so the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to practice good hand hygiene.”
It’s also important to pass good hand-washing habits on to your kids. Dr. Amin recommends getting your kids into the habit of washing their hands any time they come in the house, and around mealtime. “Make hand-washing part of a non-negotiable family routine,” she says, noting that it’s a big part of her own household routine as the mom of a 5-year-old and an 18-month-old. “Even for our youngest, even though she can’t walk herself to the bathroom, we take her and put her hands under the sink after she comes from the park… It’s such a basic tool to help prevent illness, and we kind of forget it, but it’s really important, and it can be taught to children.”
Wipe everything clean
“The influenza virus can stay for eight hours on different articles and objects, such as on a remote control, door knob, cups, plates, clothes etc. that’s been touched by sick family members,” says Dr. Sharma. “It also makes it easy to disinfect these objects with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine or bleach based disinfectant after one recovers from illness.”
Smartphones are also a big source of germs, which is why Wang recommends keeping bleach wipes handy and wipe down your cellphone as needed. “Avoid placing it on common household or public surfaces, and try not to let anyone in your home who’s sick touch your phone or your charging cords,” she says. “Our phones are in our hands and near our eyes, noses and mouths — all areas in which harmful germs and bacteria can easily enter the body and make us sick.”
Avoid sharing cups and utensils
“I, personally, don’t [share cups and utensils] at all during virus season,” Dr. Amin says. She knows that might sound impossible, especially with young ones — or you might wonder, why bother, when we’re all sharing the same house anyway? That’s true, but it’s still an easy way to ensure at little less exposure to germs. “I know how fast these viruses spread, and my son has a cough every other day,” Dr. Amin explains. She takes a gentle approach with her young kids. “When he tries to put his spoon in my daughter’s mouth, or tries to feed me with a spoon — I don’t say, ‘Get out of here!’ I just say, ‘Oh, sweetie, I’ll take it with my spoon, or I’ll get my own piece.'”
Wear masks
There’s a whole lot of (unnecessary) political discourse around them now, but “don’t underestimate the power of the surgical mask,” Dr. Wang says.
She suggests going with the majority rule to determine who should wear it. “If one family member has the flu, and all others are healthy, it’s helpful for the sick person to wear the mask. If several people in the household are down with the flu, the healthy minority should wear masks to protect themselves.”
Dr. Amin also recommends mask-wearing when one or more family members are sick. “Masking can really help reduce the spread of respiratory germs,” she says. “Every time our son is sick, he’ll put on his mask. He knows that while he’s sick he wears it, and it’s really helped reduce the spread of germs in our house.”
If no mask is available, Dr. Sharma says that anyone who’s sick should cough into their elbow or use tissues and must wash hands after discarding tissues in trash.
Create a “sick room”
No one likes to quarantine (especially if your illness hits during the holidays), but if you’re trying to keep the rest of the house healthy, this is an effective way to do it. Dr. Sharma suggests creating a sick room with a separate bathroom where the sick family member can stay until he or she recovers, if you have enough space availability.
Wang agrees, adding that if it’s possible, “quarantine any people with illness in one bathroom so that you have a ‘sick’ and a ‘well’ bathroom. Use rubber gloves to clean, and keep plenty of bleach wipes on hand to wipe down counters, doorknobs, light switches, faucet, toilet and shower handles as needed.” She says it’s also a good idea to keep your “healthy” toothbrush well away from that of anyone who’s sick, and to use separate tubes of toothpaste.
It’s an especially good idea if the sick person is one of your kids. “If your child has nasal congestion, a cough, or a fever, keep them separated from others,” says Dr. Casares — and you might consider keeping them home from school and other activities, if possible. “This will help to prevent sickness from spreading in their childcare, school, or community setting,” she explains.
Prioritize sleep
Easier said than done during the busiest time of year, we know. But your immune system relies on good sleep to stay strong, per Mayo Clinic, which means now is not the time to skimp on shut-eye. And it’s just as important for healthy members of the household to prioritize sleep as it is for the sick ones, Dr. Amin says. “When anyone in my family is sick, even if it’s not me, I go to bed early,” she explains. “I do that because our sleep is so important for our immune system… I want to protect and give my immune system a fighting chance.”
To stay on top of sleep, Dr. Casares recommends “maintaining regular bedtimes and wake times, even on weekends, and ensuring your family’s rooms are dark, cool, and quiet for an optimal sleep environment.” When sleep is hard to come by, she says a gentle supplement like Zarbee’s children’s bedtime gummies, which are melatonin-free, can help kids calm down and drift off.
Stay hydrated
Remember the cilia we mentioned earlier? They thrive — and protect you the best — in moist environments. You can’t help the dry winter air, but you can do your part by staying hydrated and encouraging the rest of the house to do the same. That means drinking lots of water (or other hydrating beverages) to keep your throat from getting irritated, and trying a saline spray if your nose is getting dry. “That can really help alleviate any sort of discomfort from the dryness, but also [help prevent] viruses from attaching [to you mucus membranes],” Dr. Amin explains.
You can also address throat and nose discomfort with “warm, steamy baths or a cool mist humidifier,” Dr. Casares says, which can “help loosen mucus and hydrate nasal passages.” (You know how when you have a cold, nothing feels better than a warm shower or bath? Same idea.)
Mindset is everything
Still feeling doom-and-gloom about your chances of staying healthy this season? It’s understandable, but Dr. Amin encourages a more positive outlook. “If you’re already living in a mindset of, ‘Everyone’s gonna get sick. This is dreadful’ — you’re gonna attract what you say,” she explains. “Really [try to] be positive. Like, ‘you know what? It’s OK. We’re going to do what we can. And hopefully, we won’t get sick.’ But think hopeful.”
It may sound like wishful thinking — and sure, it kind of is — but Dr. Amin points out that stressing out about getting sick “isn’t going to make anyone’s immune system better.” In fact, we know it weakens your immune system. Do what you can to prepare yourself and your family for cold and flu season — including all of the above tips and strategies — but remember that if someone does get sick, “healing happens,” Dr. Amin says. “And it’s going to be OK.”
Before you go, check out our favorite all-natural cold and flu remedies for kids: