Flu Season Update
Saturday February 9, 2008
So far, we've avoided the flu, but I keep hearing about more cases all around us. My son is in the high-risk category due to his asthma, so I look at the CDC's Influenza Summary Update map each week. My state has progressed quickly from sporadic to widespread. Pediatrics Guide Dr. Iannelli thinks the peak is near, saying:
"Although flu season activity continues to increase each week, it doesn't seem like we are near a peak yet. Remember that last year, flu season had a small peak at the end of December and then another larger peak in mid-February. And since this year's flu season seems to be closely following last years, we can likely look for a flu season peak later this month."
I'd say that I'm counting ourselves lucky, but really I've been pretty proactive in trying to avoid catching it. We follow Dr. Iannelli's advice for avoiding the flu, including something you may not be aware of:
"Teach your children 'cough etiquette' which the American Academy of Pediatrics describes as teaching 'your children to turn their heads and cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or the inside of their elbow if a tissue is unavailable.' "
I still hear parents out in public telling their children to "put your hand over your mouth when you cough!" I know this is what my parents taught me all those years ago. Really though, it's better to use the inside of their elbows because if they cough into their hands then they're more likely to spread bacteria and viruses as they touch things.
Comments
Thats all good teaching them to cough into their elbow but my kids put their arm up close but there is no way it is blocking any germs from them coughing or sneezing into it. How is that preventing the spread of germs when in they are actually just sending them out into the air but in a different direction.
Your children should have their mouths right up against the crease of their elbow. There should be no open space. If they aren’t doing this, then you can work with them to make sure they aren’t just coughing into the air. Still, what little cough might go into the air is better than landing the germs splat onto the hand and then touching something like a doorknob or toy that someone else is destined to touch soon after.
For toddlers, did you know that their heads are so big that they cannot reach over the top and then touch their ears? So, they may not be able to cough directly in the elbow crease spot. Still, encourage them to cough or sneeze into the inside of their arm if they can’t reach the elbow area yet.
I recently had a preemie (27 weeker) and I taught my kids (3 and 5) how to cough into their shoulder or elbow real fast! The do it all the time. It drives me crazy with all the covering with the hands. Ewww…the bonus for the kids is that they don’t have to wash their hands every time they cough (unless of course they used their hands!).
We practice good handwashing at all times. Some things you take for granted.