Envious of your neighbours’ kids, who hardly get sick? Well, the upside is they do not follow tough norms of hygiene that you probably cannot adhere to, but quick and easy ones. Here are a few of them.
Always Keep Hands Clean
Washing hands regularly helps reduce the risk of developing gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, dramatically. Make sure that your child has a hand sanitiser in his/her bag that he/she can use after leaving preschool or day care, play date and before eating at school. While your child is at home, make sure he/she washed hands a couple of times in the day.
Be Active
According to several studies on the efficacy of exercising in improving health, it was found that regular exercising or doing moderate exercises helps keep episodes of cold and flu away. Exercising helps boost the circulation of the infection-fighting cells. Ensure that your child plays for at least an hour every day.
Keep Hands off the Face
Cold and flu viruses can seep into the skin through the eyes, nose and mouth. Therefore, make sure that your child keeps his/hands off these areas. It can be very difficult to accomplish at times, but you must at least ensure that your child washes hands or rubs them with a sanitiser every time they come in contact with the face. This will gradually make them avoid touching the face as often as earlier. Also, teach your child to avoid sharing a cup, straw or toothbrush.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Meals that have cupfuls of colourful vegetables and fruits will help enhance the immune system of your child. Look for food sources that are rich in vitamin C and D. Eating yoghurt along with active cultures or probiotics may help build the defences.
Immunise
Make sure that your child is immunised against the popular diseases that are famous in your locality. If you are a globe-trotter and so is your child, make sure that you research well about the diseases that are highly prevalent in other places and immunise your child against them.
Get Enough Sleep
Enough sleep is important for your child to be healthy. Make sure he/she sleeps for at least 8 hours. Ensure that your child does not play before bed and end up sleeping because he/she was tired. Always make time to read a book to your child when he/she is on bed about to sleep.
