Yesterday, I took my baby to the pediatrician. She’s plagued with a cold. I suspect a sibling brought home the pesky virus-so I’m guessing based on the number of tissues that have been consumed in my house lately.

Cold and flu season has arrived. Frequent and vigorous hand washing (for at least 20 seconds) is considered the best way to prevent the spread of infections, like colds and the flu. You can help keep your children healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands frequently, especially upon returning home from an outing and before meals. Consider teaching your kids to sing the ABCs while hand washing-hopefully, that should be long enough to do some decent scrubbing.

Besides hand washing, parents can also help keep their children healthy by:

–considering flu shots
–taking antibiotics as directed (keep in mind, antibiotics don’t cure viral infections, like the cold)
–cleaning frequently used surfaces, like counters and toys
–avoiding people with colds or the flu
–using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially useful when you can’t get to a sink
–using shopping cart or high chair covers