Newsletter

As the winter chill lingers and flu season remains in full swing, families are spending more time indoors, navigating the peak of cold and virus season. For parents, this time of year brings a unique set of challenges and questions regarding how to keep kids healthy and manage the household when germs start to spread.

To help your family stay well this winter, we talked to Brittany Baez, MD from our Valhalla office, and put together some simple, practical tips focused on both physical and mental health. From distinguishing between a simple cold and the flu to managing screen time and dry skin, we hope this guide provides the clarity you need to keep your children safe and supported until spring arrives.

Winter Viruses
Viruses present in many different ways, making it difficult to tell if a runny nose is just a simple cold or something else, like the Flu. The most important symptoms to monitor are respiratory status, hydration, and fever. You should bring your child to our office if you are concerned about the way they are breathing or coughing, if they are not taking in adequate fluids, or if their fever is prolonged.

Stomach Bugs
Common signs of Norovirus include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and potentially a fever. For most cases, the treatment is pushing fluids and waiting for the virus to pass. For babies, give small, frequent feedings of breast milk, formula, or pedialyte and look for a wet diaper every few hours. For young children, make sure they stay hydrated and are urinating at least once every eight hours. For older kids, liquids first, then slowly advance their diet to crackers, toast, or a little fruit once they can hold liquids down. Come into the office if your child is throwing up persistently, can’t keep anything down, or is not urinating.

Germ Spread
To stop the spread of illness to the rest of the house, prioritize hand washing. Hand sanitizer works well for when you are on the go, but soap and water are always preferred. Ensure everyone uses their own toothbrushes, cups and utensils. Teach children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or their elbows to avoid spreading germs through the air. Stay home until kids are fever-free and symptoms are improving.

Dry Skin
To help dry skin, use unscented lotions and moisturizers. Skin conditions like eczema can worsen in the winter, so it is important to stay moisturized. If a child is scratching a lot, or even so much that they are bleeding, you may need to escalate treatment for a short period of time.

Immune Boosters
When it comes to keeping your child’s immune system strong, I am a proponent of focusing on a balanced diet that includes a little of every food group in every meal. While it is tempting to reach for a quick fix, getting necessary nutrients through whole foods is far more effective than relying on multivitamins. It is also worth noting that many over-the-counter “immune-boosting” supplements are not actually effective at preventing or treating illness. Ultimately, kids are going to get sick from time to time, and that is a perfectly normal part of building a healthy immune system.

Winter Moods
Kids can certainly get the “winter blues” just like adults do, especially if they are stuck inside due to the weather, combined with shorter winter days. To help them combat this, try to get them out of the house for a variety of activities when their schedules permit, such as going to the mall, joining play groups, visiting the library, or bundling up for some outdoor winter fun. Limit screen time, and encourage fun, indoor activities to counter boredom and inactivity.

Stress Relief
A great way to lower stress, that I personally do with my family, is to go for a walk after dinner when the weather permits. Walking, outdoor seasonal activities, or even playing a board game together indoors are relatively low-effort, but offer a high pay-off for kids in terms of mood regulation, and sleep.

Back-to-School Sleep Routines
The approach to sleep routines during back-to-school seasons depends on your specific home life and how late your child has been staying up. Try moving bedtime up by fifteen minutes to a half hour every day until you are back to a normal schedule. Kids respond well to gradual, structured changes. Keep routines consistent by utilizing low lighting and ensure you are using an age-appropriate bedtime routine.

Screen Time
A lot of kids’ screen time increases around the holidays. To reduce phone or tablet use after the holidays, return to your previous routine by slowly cutting back usage until you reach pre-holiday levels. The strategy for adjusting sleep schedules also applies to reducing screen time; kids generally respond much better to these gradual changes than they do to “cold turkey” transitions.

Kindness Habits
Coming out of the holiday season, kindness is often at the forefront of our minds. Thoughtfulness is a quality that can be taught to kids through small, simple actions and, most importantly, by parents leading by example. You might start with a simple goal like practicing holding the door open for friends or helping someone pick up something they have dropped. Laying this groundwork early goes a long way in helping kids navigate social situations down the road. Ultimately, learning to be kind toward others helps children learn how to be kind to themselves, too.