If your little ones are heading back to school soon, you’re probably already dreading all of the nasty bugs they may pick up. It’s a pretty commonly known fact that back to school means back to germs. As soon as one member of the family gets sick, you can pretty well expect the rest will soon follow. So how do you deal with all the germs they’ll bring home?
Prevention
The first line of attack is always prevention. Be sure to keep your kids up-to-date on all of their vaccines to ward off the nastiest health concerns, and check in with your pediatrician to see when this year’s flu shot will be available.
Next, help your kids practice good hygiene before they head back to school, so they’ll be in the habit when that school bell rings. The most important habit to cultivate is washing hands, as this is how most germs are transmitted in the school setting. Teach young ones to wash before eating and after playing outside. Also, remind them not to share forks or spoons, and always cover their mouth when they sneeze, but not with their hands. (Sneezing into the crook of an elbow is far less likely to spread the germs to whatever they touch next!)
Preparation
In the days and weeks before back to school, there are so many things to do that health concerns may be the farthest thing from your mind. But with a little bit of preparation, you can help your kids get the most out of their school days, and stay healthy at the same time.
The time to get back to school routines is actually not on the first day. A few weeks before school starts, get your kids back into the routine of school time bedtimes. Adequate sleep is a crucial part of a body’s defense mechanisms, and getting into the routine ahead of time will ensure better sleep when school actually starts.
And of course, don’t forget to stock up on tissues and hand sanitizer.
In-Home Medical Treatment
201804_DispatchHealth
Even the best prevention and preparation is not perfect. If your child comes home with a cough, fever, or stomach bug, you want to get it treated quickly, without exposure to more germs. The last thing you want to do is disrupt your family’s routine to spend time in a germy waiting room just to get five minutes in front of a doctor. There’s a better medical option for busy families.
DispatchHealth allows you to get healthcare delivered. If your little one is sick, let them stay home where they’re comfortable and have a medical team come to you. These highly qualified providers come prepped and ready to deal with whatever bug your child may have brought home. They can do rapid infectious disease tests and labs to pinpoint the problem, then administer medications, IV fluids, breathing treatments, and other helpful therapies. In fact, they can handle anything your local urgent care can treat, and a few things they can’t. And all of this comes without a disruption to your normal schedule. Dinner can still get cooked, homework can still get done, and your child can be on the road to recovery quickly and efficiently.
So before the bus rolls down your street, before you go shopping for supplies and new school clothes, download the DispatchHealth app and be prepared for colds and flu, sports injuries and stomach bugs.
