9-20-05

Raising Healthy Children

With cold and flu season just around the corner, children in school and daycare are susceptible to numerous infectious diseases. But a few preventative measures can help keep kids well this fall and winter.

Parents can help keep kids healthy by making sure children get the required immunizations for chicken pox, mumps, measles and whooping cough, says Brenda Yale, nurse educator at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. But she explains another preventative measure is a simple one.

SOUND BITE: "Probably the best advice I can give anyone, especially as we approach the cold and flu season coming up here soon, is wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. Hand washing is promoted by the CDC in this country, as one of the best ways to prevent the spread of disease and infection. So wash your hands often."

Yale says if you don't always have access to soap and water, the waterless hand cleaners and gels are just as good. She also advises keeping kids away from second-hand smoke to help reduce the incidence of ear and respiratory infections. And, she encourages healthy eating in childhood as a way to help prevent other problems in their adult years.

SOUND BITE: "Eating the right foods and getting good nutrition is really crucial for good growth and development in children. It helps to prevent obesity, and there is truly an epidemic of childhood obesity in this county. One in five children in the United States are overweight now."

Yale recommends that children get regular exercise to build strong bodies, but suggests avoiding high-risk activities like trampolines and all terrain vehicles. Also, make sure children get regular check ups from your family physician or pediatrician.