Keep Kids Healthy This Winter With Tips from Austin Diagnostic Clinic
Cold, influenza, chest congestion and more: wintertime can be a tricky season to keep yourself – and your kids – healthy. Dr. Deepa Shah with Austin Diagnostic Clinic spoke with Studio 512 about ways to keep children feeling their best at this time of the year.
Going into these cold winter months, what can parents or guardians do to preserve their children’s health?
“Getting the flu vaccine is a great way to help boost your child’s immunity. We also like to stress the importance of handwashing often, as well as coughing/sneezing etiquette (if you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve). Send kids to school with reusable water bottles so that they can avoid the communal water fountain, which is a top place that kids pick up germs. If your little one is sick, keep them home from school. Even 1-2 days of being at home can do a world of good for their recovery. If you have a newborn, try to avoid crowded gatherings at this time of the year.”
What are some trends you see each year during patient visits?
“We see an increase in the stomach flu and strep throat. Stomach flu is often a ‘bug’ that does not need a medical intervention, just an increase in fluids. We do not recommend giving children over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicines unless you have consulted with a doctor. Strep throat is an infection that needs medicine. If your child is complaining of a sore throat and/or headache and you see swollen tonsils and/or swollen lymph nodes, speak with your doctor.
“Spending more time indoors also means that our sinus cavities can dry out, so we see more nosebleeds at this time of the year. Gentle saline spray or humidifiers can help keep those nasal passages moist. Moisturizing your little one’s skin will also help them avoid discomfort in the drier air.”
What are some surprising reasons that children go to the emergency room at this time of the year?
“Every year, there are about 3,500 children that go to the emergency room or whose parents call poison control because they have ingested button batteries. The batteries are small, and kids are quick. We want you to keep anything with a button battery out of their reach.
“The same goes for medicines that might come along when grandparents come to visit. Make sure medicines are stored properly in their containers, and away from the reach of children.
“Lastly, open flames can pose a danger for burns at this time of the year. Fires in the fireplace, candles and gas stoves are potential culprits. Never leave your child unattended around an open flame.“
Austin Diagnostic Clinic has nineteen locations around the Austin area. To find the one nearest to you, go to ADClinic.com.
This segment is paid for by Austin Diagnostic Clinic and is intended as an advertisement. Opinions expressed by the guest(s) on this program are solely those of the guest(s) and are not endorsed by this television station.
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