By Harley Rotbart, MD
We value our children's participation in team sports for many reasons, including the camaraderie it breeds. Unfortunately, this time of year camaraderie can breed colds and flu, too. And it's tough to be a valuable teammate when you're sick.
The 2012-13 flu season is well underway, and it's been severe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu activity has been quite high across most of the United States as of mid-January - and it doesn't appear to be ebbing anytime soon.
Your young athlete is vulnerable to the flu, especially if he or she is practicing and playing on a team. Germs can easily spread among teammates via high-fives, shared water bottles and un-covered coughing.
According to non-profit advocacy group Families Fighting Flu, a particularly onerous flu season like this one can result in as many as 30 percent of school-aged children getting sick. They collectively miss millions of school days - not to mention their sporting events and other extracurricular activities.
So what can you do to help keep your superstar in the game and off the sidelines? Here are five fast tips to help keep the flu at bay.
Off the field, a number of factors can lessen the likelihood that your all-star will be knocked out by the flu. Most important are a healthy diet of nutritious food (rich in vitamin C), good hydration, plenty of sleep, and bundling up to fit the weather (yes, Grandma was right!). If their bodies are weary or chilled, they are much more vulnerable to illness - but the right food, proper clothing, hydration and rest can help strengthen the immune system.
Take charge, Mom. Coach your kids to follow these tips so their sports seasons are less likely to be disrupted by the flu.
Harley Rotbart, M.D., is a nationally-renowned parenting expert, pediatrician, speaker and educator. He serves on the advisory boards of Parents Magazine and Parents.com, and previously was a member of the advisory board of Children's Health Magazine. Dr. Rotbart has been named to Best Doctors in America every year since 1996, and has received numerous other national awards for research, teaching and clinical work. He is the author of: No Regrets Parenting; Germ Proof Your Kids; and, The On Deck Circle of Life, as well as more than 175 medical and scientific publications. Dr. Rotbart is currently working with Clorox to share tips for preventing the flu.
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3070
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/correct-hand-washing-technique-preventing-spread-skin-infections-in-athletics