Health
officials are reporting widespread influenza outbreaks in 47 of 50 states, up
from just a week ago. One age group hit particularly hard is children and the
American Red Cross has some steps parents can teach their kids to help them
avoid getting sick. Some children have gotten so sick they have had to be
hospitalized. According to the Centers for Disease Control, while some of the
children hospitalized had underlying medical conditions such as asthma, more
than 40 percent of hospitalized children had no other medical conditions.
WASHING
HANDS
Kids
have a way of picking up colds and other illnesses. Parents should
teach children proper hand washing techniques and how to correctly cover coughs
or sneezes. Washing hands properly is an important step to avoid getting
the flu. Wash hands with soap and warm water. When using soap and water:
~ Wash
for at least 20 seconds, covering the entire hand including fingernails and
under jewelry. Younger children can be taught to sing a short song like "Row,
Row, Row Your Boat," or the "Happy Birthday" song a few times,
which will ensure they wash for at least 20 seconds.
~ Rinse
and dry thoroughly with a disposable towel
~ Use the
towel to turn off the faucet
~ If
using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer rub thoroughly over the entire hand,
including nail areas and between the fingers
~ Continue
to rub until the product dries.
THE
SCRUB CLUB® The American Red Cross and NSF International have
collaborated to help parents and teachers reinforce kids' hand-washing habits.
The Scrub Club® is an interactive Web site that offers free materials to raise
awareness about the benefits of hand washing to fight germs and prevent
illness. The website features cartoon Webisodes featuring seven soaper-heroes
and comes complete with educational materials, music and games. Visit ScrubClub.org for
more information.
