When school begins, many parents notice more coughs, runny noses, sore throats, and upset stomachs at home. This can be frustrating, but it is common. Your child is spending each day near many students and touching items used by others. This gives viruses and bacteria more chances to spread. A new sleep schedule, busy mornings, and less rest may also affect your child’s immune system.
Schools Bring Children Close Together
Children learn, eat, play, and ride the bus near one another. If one student coughs or sneezes, small drops can carry germs through the air. Germs may also land on desks, pencils, toys, door handles, and other items. A child can touch one of these objects and then touch the eyes, nose, or mouth. This type of close contact makes schools a common place for colds, the flu, stomach bugs, and other illnesses to spread. Younger children may get sick more often because they share supplies and may forget to cover a cough or wash their hands after using the bathroom.
Your Child Is Meeting New Germs
A child may meet many new people when a new school year begins. Each person can carry different germs, even when that person does not feel sick yet. Your child’s body must learn how to fight each new virus. This does not always mean the child has a weak immune system. It often means the body is building natural defenses after meeting germs it has not seen before. This may happen more often in young children who are starting daycare, preschool, or kindergarten. Most common illnesses get better with rest and care at home, but repeated or severe sickness should be discussed with a pediatric provider.
A New Routine Can Affect Health
Going back to school can change your child’s daily habits. Children may go to bed later than planned, wake up early, skip breakfast, or drink too little water. After-school sports and homework can also leave less time for rest. When children are tired, their bodies may have a harder time fighting an infection. Help your child follow a steady bedtime and offer foods such as fruit, vegetables, eggs, whole grains, and lean meat. Good sleep habits and healthy meals support the body as it fights germs. A water bottle can also help your child drink enough during a busy school day.
Teach Simple Ways to Stop Germs
Small daily habits can lower the spread of sickness. Teach your child to wash with soap and water after using the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing or blowing the nose. The CDC says that washing hands at school can help reduce the spread of breathing and stomach illnesses. Children should cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, not their hands. They should also avoid sharing cups, water bottles, food, lip balm, and eating tools. Regular handwashing and good cough manners can protect your child and the people around them.
Know When Your Child Should Stay Home
A child who feels very sick needs time to rest and may spread an illness to classmates. Keep your child home when school rules call for it or when symptoms make it hard to learn or join normal activities. For a breathing illness, current CDC advice says a person may return to regular activities after symptoms have improved and the person has had no fever for at least 24 hours without fever medicine. Your child’s school may have its own rules. Staying home during a fever or vomiting gives the body time to recover. It also lowers the risk of spreading an infection at school.
Watch for Signs That Need Medical Care
Many mild colds improve within several days. Call a medical provider if your child has a fever that lasts, severe ear pain, repeated vomiting, signs of dehydration, a bad sore throat, or symptoms that keep getting worse. Get emergency help right away for trouble breathing, blue lips, severe weakness, chest pain, confusion, or another serious symptom. A child who gets sick very often, loses weight, or takes a long time to recover may need an exam. A provider can check for asthma, allergies, an infection, or another health issue.
Help Your Child Have a Healthier School Year
Getting sick after school starts is common, but healthy routines can reduce the risk and help your child recover. If you are worried about repeated illness, Mendoza Medical Clinic offers pediatric care for children in the Kenner area. Our family-owned medical clinic in Kenner welcomes patients with or without insurance and offers care in English and Spanish. Schedule an appointment with Mendoza Medical Clinic or call 504-443-1744 to get help for your child.