How You Can Prevent the Flu

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.

The holiday season can be a fun time of year, especially when you are healthy and feeling good! Unfortunately, the holiday season can also mean Flu Season. As part of November’s National Flu Awareness Month, I want to share 4 easy ways I help my family stay healthy for the holidays and beyond.

1. Wash your hands. This has to be my #1 way to prevent the flu and other sicknesses. I always remind my family members to wash their hands, especially before eating, with warm water and soap. We rarely get sick – so it must be working!
2. Get your Zzzz’s! It’s important to make sure you are getting a decent amount of sleep (7 to 8 hours for adults, more for kids depending on age). If you don’t, you are at a higher risk of getting flu symptoms.
3. Keep your germs to yourself. If you happen to cough or sneeze, please cover your mouth with your arm so you don’t spread germs to anyone else.
4. Exercise regularly. Exercise builds your immune system so your body can be strong enough to fight off germs.

Click to Download the following Flu Prevention Tips for Parents Infographic.

For even more helpful advice on how to prevent the flu, check out A Parent’s Guide to Flu Season ebooklet (free) by Elizabeth Pantley. I really liked the handy chart that compares Cold Symptoms to Flu Symptoms. I know when my child displays symptoms of illness, it can be difficult to determine if it’s just a cold or if it’s something more serious, like the flu. This chart shows all the symptoms of both the Cold and Flu to help parents identify the flu early on so they can consult a healthcare professional.

A few other facts that caught my attention in the ebooklet:

• A flu vaccine is the single best protection from the flu.
• It is recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older get the flu vaccine, every year as soon as it is available.
• You cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine.

I know many parents have a difference of opinion when it comes to getting the flu vaccine. This year, I decided that my kids and I should be immunized against the flu. All of us spend a lot of time in the elementary school, where germs tend to spread quickly. My children are all young, and that puts them at higher risk of getting the flu – especially my kids under 5 years old.

We all had the Flu-Mist (that’s the nasal spray, not the flu shot with a needle). It was really easy and the kids didn’t mind the Flu-Mist at all – they were happy they didn’t have to get a real shot. Truthfully, I was happy that I could get the Flu-Mist, too…I hate shots! I hope this will help prevent us from getting the flu this year.

What are some of your tips and tricks to stay healthy during flu season? Has anyone in your family had a cold or flu yet? Have you gotten the flu shot this year?