Flu & You: Protecting Your Family During the Flu Season

Originally posted on my US News & World Report parenting blog (Feb 16)

THIS YEAR’S flu season is officially reaching its peak, and this year’s strain of influenza virus is cause for considerable concern, striking with a vengeance not seen in decades. It’s causing more severe illness, more hospitalizations and even more children’s deaths, as parents do what they can to try to protect their kids.

In reality, the strategies being recommended to combat this year’s flu are essentially the same as those employed in years past. While you’re likely to have heard about many of these strategies before, it’s nevertheless useful to remind ourselves of the importance of washing our hands and covering our coughs; getting everyone in the family who is 6 months or older vaccinated; and being on alert for and recognizing early the signs of the flu – such as fatigue, body aches, cough, sore throat and fever – and it’s potential complications, from sinus infections and pneumonia to heart problems, particularly in more vulnerable individuals, like the very young and very old or those with compromised immune systems.

Now that’s easy to say, and it sounds like easy enough advice to follow. Yet each year I’m left wondering why it is that, as parents, we don’t always feel confident in our approach to fighting the flu. In large part, it’s the fault of the virus responsible for causing the flu. The influenza virus is cunning in its ability to change from year to year, which makes it all the more difficult to protect against.

But I would also suggest that there are some parenting practices and commonly held parenting beliefs that, despite our best intentions, stand to get in the way when it comes to protecting our children, and ourselves, from flu’s wrath.

It’s useful to start with a clear understanding of what “the flu” actually is, and what it isn’t….

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The truth about American Idol’s “Idol Bug”

I recently got around to watching a recorded episode of American Idol. Aside from all the melodrama associated with stress, sleep deprivation, and watching people who dream of living life in the spotlight compete against each other, I was struck by the fact that the episode was impressively reminiscent of the opening scenes from the movie Contagion. For anyone who hasn’t seen the movie, suffice it to say that the storyline is focused on the ensuing devastation invoked by the uncontrolled spread of a dangerous new virus.

Okay, so no one died on American Idol’s Hollywood Week episode. But I did experience the same sense of foreboding. Idol contestants shaking hands, exchanging frequent high-fives, offering each other lots of hugs, and just generally partaking in a whole lot of close contact also known as germ-sharing behavior. Worse yet, there was a clearly identified “Patient Zero” in the mix – runny nose, fever, fatigue and all. If germs were visible, I’m pretty sure any viewers who somehow missed the not-so-subtle foreshadowing by the shows producers would have been cringing along with me long before contestant after contestant proceeded to fall ill.

Hmmmm…If only germs were visible…Now there’s a thought. I majored in cellular, molecular biology, so I’ve admittedly had more opportunities to visualize germs than most. But the concept of helping people – even young children – be visually reminded of the presence of germs isn’t out of reach. In fact, there are even cool (and relatively inexpensive) soaps and science  kits that help children (and adults) visualize just how effective (or ineffective) they are at washing germs off their hands.

It is my sincere hope, however, that it won’t take actually visualizing germs for all of us to take stock in what simple measures we already know are effective in preventing the spread of germs. For a quick refresher, let me spell them out for you so you will have them at your (hopefully clean) fingertips! After all, the truth about the “Idol Bug” is that it was likely just another (admittedly nasty and poorly timed) virus making the most of making people sick.  More than just another virus, however, it was also a really good, attention grabbing reminder for the reported 19 million  that we’re still in the middle of cold and flu season, and that the sharing of germs that happened in Hollywood while the cameras were running could happen anywhere – especially to those who neglect to take the following actions!

Wash your hands with soap and water. Handwashing is particularly important not only before eating and after using the bathroom, but any time you or your children are sick or come in contact with people who are sick (or germy surfaces like grocery cart handles). And don’t just settle for a quick rinse. Lather up the soap and be sure to get all areas of the hands – both front, back and in-between fingers.

Cover your cough. I can tell you from lots of child-care-owning experience that it’s entirely possible to teach even very young children to not only cover coughs, but to do so with their arms rather than their hands. They may not get it right early on or every time, but over time they’ll pick up on this very important form of prevention. The fewer illness-causing germs that are coughed into one’s hands, the fewer that stand to contaminate surfaces or get shared directly with others.

Vaccinate. I often get asked longingly in interviews about whether or not we’ll ever discover how to prevent the common cold. I agree that this would be nice, as the symptoms associated with the common cold can certainly be quite pesky. But the severity of the common cold is nothing compared to all of the vaccine-preventable diseases (think measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio) we are now able to effectively prevent. Simply put, vaccination is deserving of its recognition as one of the biggest public health success stories of the past century.

Avoid contact with those who are ill. Within reason, that is. That means that when you’re sick, it’s best to limit contact with others whenever possible – especially in the first days of an illness, when you have a fever, the flu, or other significant symptoms likely to spread germs and infect others (such as a lot of coughing).

Disinfect contaminated surfaces. Think snotty tissues on the nightstand, door knobs, telephone receivers, or any other high-traffic surfaces that are likely to have come in contact with unwashed, germy hands.  Germs can live for hours (and in some instances, days), so don’t forget to disinfect contaminated surfaces.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska