Preventing the spread of kid's sickness? - Keeping the rest of the family healthy

ritapita25 wrote: When one of the kids or parents is sick, what are your tricks for containing the germs so that the whole family doesn't get stricken? I'm writing a story on this topic and would love to hear from moms and dads with their tips: is constant handwashing the key or separate play/sleep area for the sick child? Please email me asap at rheaseymour@sympatico.ca
Thanks!

coasterqueen replied: I really don't know what the "key" is but this is something we were discussing in our family today. Kylie started having cold-like symptoms last Sunday, which I thought were just allergies since we were outside all Saturday, but it's still not gone away. Well Megan woke up in the mid of night last night with the same symptoms but acting worse.

So this morning I had a talk with Kylie, as I feel she's old enough now, about washing our hands a bit more, not sharing drinks, cups, or food with other people, don't kiss anyone on mouth or nose area, etc. So those are just some things we do as a family to help not spread sickness, but I can't control how things go at daycare. I, myself, also will take zinc tablets when I feel sickness coming on as well as Echinnacea (which I was informed is not good to give to kids so I'm not going to do that). I also give the kids zinc/vitamin C suckers to help fight off colds (they think it's just candy ). We don't give the kids any other OTC meds as they are not good to give.

Not sure if this helps you or not.
ETA that this is the first year Kylie is really understanding of passing along sickness and Megan is obviously too young so we'll see how well we do this year not passing so much along.

TheOaf66 replied: we wash our hands etc but my DW keeps the house so clean that germs don't stand a chance and if one does sneak in some where, we have Lysol wipes and we're not afraid to use em

We should really buy stock in that or something, we use enough of em

mom2my2cuties replied: Handwashing is DEFINATELY the first line of defense in preventing illness.

When it comes to REALLY contagious things - I think seperate sleeping areas and stuff are helpful but really in the same house, it's not going to be easy to provide seperate play areas and things like that.

Just have to try to keep everything as clean as possible and sanitized when they are sick.

gr33n3y3z replied: washing hands is the biggest part of keeping germs down

redchief replied:
I would also recommend Zicam nasal spray. It's done very well at prevention in studies, and is available OTC.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
I agree!

I am an avid cleaner. I disinfect things in our house daily. I even have a daycare in my home and my daycare kids are also rarely sick. If they are, they get sent home and can not return until they are better. Within the last 2 1/2 years I have only had one major illness go around my home daycare. It was a stomach flu 2 years ago.

ediep replied: we wash our hands lots!! Also, when one member of our household is feeling sick, i wash all bedding with hot water and bleach, wipe all surfaces including door knobs, light switches, phone, remote, counters, flushers....with clorox wipes. We drink OJ , although jason doesn't like it.

mom2my2cuties replied: Taking a Vit - C or a multivitamin also helps.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I splurge and buy lots of strawberries. They contain WAY MORE vitamin C than orange juice.

We also wash hands a lot more, and we all each have our own small anti-bacterial handwash stuff...kleenexes are everywhere...

kimberley replied:
yup, i agree!

coasterqueen replied:
We don't get strawberries around here in the winter time or else we'd definitely do that since Kylie LOVES them.

Rocky - antibacterials soaps actually aren't good. They kill all the good flora your body needs to fight off the bad. Regular hand soap and water will do the same trick.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: interesing abouit the anti-bacterial karen...i didn't know that...

as for the strawberries, we freeze them when we buy them fresh, but we buy them frozen as well. We don't really get straweberries in winter either, unless we have them imported

coasterqueen replied:
You'll have to share with me your trick for freezing strawberries. I don't like strawberries, personally, but Ryan and Kylie do and they HATE frozen strawberries for some reason, but do love fresh.

Doesn't all the vitamins/good things in food die when it's frozen? I know some of the good stuff "die" in breastmilk when it's frozen.