I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for MedImmune Specialty Care. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

This time of year can be wonderful, gathering with family and friends and celebrating the holidays. Unfortunately it’s also cold and flu season. We need to take every extra precaution to keep our family healthy.

With so many little ones and a large group of group entering my home for child care on a daily basis, not only do I need to be concerned about their health, but the health of my family. So far we have kept healthy but it’s not even December yet! I fluctuate between yes, getting a flu shot and no, not getting a flu shot. Working with young children, I can see the importance of the vaccine.

It seems as though I spend a big part of my day washing my hands or helping little ones wash theirs but it’s probably the biggest help in reducing the spread of germs.

Children wash when they arrive, before & after eating, before & after crafts, sensory our outside play. Also after toileting or diaper changes. We wash all.the.time. I insist my son washes his hands when he gets home from school. I often remind both he and my husband to wash their hands when we get home from somewhere. Of course we do lots of disinfecting as well.

Fact is, once children are together, the germs fly through the air and the spread of the flu is already happening before we are even aware.

Facts about flu:

Human beings cannot develop immunity to the flu because the virus that causes it is always changing.

Children may exhibit flu symptoms 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body, but may infect others for more than 7 days
after symptoms develop.

Flu germs can live on surfaces for up to eight hours.

Virus particles in coughs or sneezes can reach up to six feet away.

For more information, please see Elizabeth Pantley’s ebooklet, “A Parent’s Guide to Flu Season”  – it’s an excellent resource.

Keep healthy!