Mom and doctors have similar tips
ESCANABA -- Winter is here, and it's prime time for flu and cold season. Children are at risk just as much as adults when it comes to catching colds and other illnesses. Both doctors and parents offer similar tips on keeping kids healthy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized from flu-related complications each year, including 20,000 children younger than age five.
Working on staying healthy can be easy. Remember to cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze.
“So, big things you're going to want to do to try to keep your kids healthy are to make sure they wash their hands as much as possible whenever they do stuff before they eat,” suggests OSF doctor, Jordan Povich. “Kids love to put their hands and fingers into their mouths, and they tend to touch things, and it tends to get them infected pretty easily."
Doctors say winter weather can lower kids' immune systems. They can more easily catch colds, throat infections, and viral infections.
Evan is a student at the Escanaba’s Upper Elementary. He takes precautions and is hoping he stays healthy during this cold weather.
“I want to stay healthy because it's kind of like, through the years, I always get sick in the winter,” explains Evan Schoff. “And I want to prevent it, but it's hard to do."
So why is it so important for him to not get sick?
“Well, because when I’m healthy, I feel more energized, not like, droopy. I just feel happy," Schoff says.
Doctors also recommend that kids take multi-vitamins, stay hydrated, and get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
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