How to Keep Kids Healthy During Cold Season

 

With the cold season approaching, the little ones can be even more susceptible to sniffles, coughs and loss of energy, and it is not only adults who find the cold season challenging. Being a mom, it may seem that being a healthy parent is a job that requires your full time, but with appropriate plans you can make sure that your children stay strong, joyful, and prosperous throughout the winter.

In this post, we’ll dive into practical, easy-to-implement tips on how to keep kids healthy during cold season, from nutrition to sleep and everything in between.

Prioritize Nutritious Meals

Food is one of the strongest means of increasing the immunity of your child. Having a good balance diet will keep their body prepared to combat the germs and infections.

Key tips:

• Fruits & Vegetables: Pack in citrus fruits, berries, carrots and green leafy vegetables that contain vitamin C and antioxidants.

• Proteins: Eggs, lean meat, fish, and bean aid in growth and immunity.

• Whole Grains: Oats, brown rice and whole-wheat bread maintain their energy at a constant level.

• Unsaturated Fats: Avocado, nuts and olive oils are all great in terms of the brain and immunity.

• Hack: mom: Smoothies help add fruit and vegetables without the morning distress. Probiotics Add yogurt or kefir to promote gut health.

Keep Them Hydrated

One may forget to hydrate in cold weather but it is equally important like it is in summer.

Tips for hydration:

• The best thing to do is always to choose water.

• Hot drinks such as herbal teas or broth are soothing and refreshing.

• Reduce sodas and sweet juices, which make the body weak.

 Hack: Have a water bottle in the backpack of a child or next to the bed to make them drink it frequently.

Practice Good Hand Hygiene

Germs that occur during cold season are easily spread particularly in schools and daycare. It is important to teach children good handwashing.

Tips for effective handwashing:

• Wash hands not less than 20 seconds using soap and warm water.

• Promote pre-meal and after-playtime and coughing or sneezing hand washing.

• Use hand sanitizer in absence of soap and water.

Fun idea: Make it a game! To make it fun sing a 20 seconds song when washing hands.

Encourage Outdoor Play

Ventilation and sunlight can boost the immune system of your child and boost his mood. A small outdoor exercise is always welcome even in winter.

Outdoor play tips:

• Wrap them in wrappings-- bottom, middle, and top wrappings are the best.

• Minimal walks, activities in the backyard or snow activities when there is one.

• Outdoor time is useful in burning energy, enhancing sleep, and alleviating stress.

Tip: Sunscreen is also not wasted in winter, but on sunny snowy days!

Make Sleep a Priority

Sleep is very vital to the body of your child so that they can recover and be healthy.

Sleep tips:

• Toddlers: 11–14 hours per night (with naps)

• Children of school-going age: 9-12 hours a day

• Teens: 8–10 hours per night

• You can maintain a regular sleeping pattern to indicate that it is time to sleep.

• To enhance the quality of sleep, do not use screens 1 hour before sleep.

• Use relaxing things such as reading or some soft stretching.

• Also, it might be a good idea to take warm bath before going to sleep and make kids feel relaxed, and therefore fall asleep more quickly.

Dress for the Cold

Adequate dressing keeps one safe in the winter. Layering is key:

Layering tips:

• Base layer: Moisture-wicking fabric to ensure that the skin is dry.

• Middle layer Warm, such as fleece or wool.

• Outer garment: Windproof jacket and waterproof jacket.

• Hack: Hats, gloves and scarfs can significantly stop the loss of body heat.

Support Gut Health

A healthy gut helps to have a healthy immune system. The introduction of foods with a lot of probiotics aids your child in combating infections better.

Gut health tips:

• Yogurt, kefir or fermented products, such as sauerkraut (in case you have such a taste in your child).

• Whole grains, vegetables and fruits that are rich in fiber to feed good bacteria.

Tip: When the gut is happy, the body is likely to be more energetic and in good mood as well.

Reduce Stress and Keep Routine

Even children are subject to the effects of stress on immunity. Maintaining habits and providing solace assists them to remain strong.

Tips to minimize stress:

• Encourage imaginative behavior such as drawing, music or craft.

• A pre-bed quiet time or story time helps them to relax.

• Minimize the sudden change of habits during cold season to avoid stress.

Stay Up-to-Date with Vaccinations

Vaccinations are a crucial component of making children healthy in cold season.

Vaccination tips:

• Ensure the flu shots and other prescribed vaccines are recent.

• Make sure to have routine pediatric visits to identify minor problems at the initial stage.

Tip: Have an app or binder on family health to maintain records of vaccines, appointments, and drugs.

Conclusion

It can be too hard to keep kids healthy in cold season but small and regular habits can go a long way. Activities should focus on nutrition, sleep, hygiene and outdoor play so that your little kids will be more prepared to tackle the winter.

It is important to remember that a mom with a devoted concern of child development leaves a strong base of wellness in her child through the love and care she gives her children about their daily routine. This is the season to take care of their bodies, enhance their immunity, and ensure that their healthy habits are enjoyable. You’ve got this!