Cold infection in schools and the most important precautions to protect your child, with the start of school and the return to school, here is the most important information to learn about everything related to colds and how to protect your child from cold infections spread in schools, as colds are the most common infections among children due to their weak immunity, direct interaction between children, and also as a result of changing seasons at that time of study.
The most important information about colds
The cold is a simple viral infection, common with the change of seasons, or in winter in particular, and this infection affects the nose, throat, and sinuses. Symptoms vary from person to person, and symptoms usually disappear within a week to two weeks. It is considered an infectious disease and is transmitted through:
- Shaking hands.
- Mouth spray, or sneezing.
How cold infection is transmitted
The viral infection is transmitted For colds, by inhaling droplets carrying the virus or touching surfaces that have the virus on them and then touching the mouth, eyes, or nose; Therefore, we advise children to:
- Wash your hands before eating.
- If you have symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing, you should use a tissue to prevent the spread of droplets.
- Do not touch surfaces such as desks, blackboards, etc. at school and then touch your nose, eyes, or mouth. You should wash your hands first.
Symptoms of colds in children
Colds are one of the most common infections among children, and the most important symptoms are:
- Runny nose.
- Sneezing, runny nose.
- Body ache.
- Sore throat, cough.
Reasons for the spread of cold infections in schools
Many children get respiratory infections due to some of the following reasons:
- Weather fluctuations such as autumn.
- Reducing clothing despite the drop in temperature at night.
- Gatherings in schools, which makes it easy for infections to spread.
- The child's immunity is weak, which is affected by weather changes such as low and high temperatures.
The best natural ways to treat cold symptoms
There are some traditional methods that can be followed in addition to treatments to reduce the role of a cold in your child:
Hot drinks:
- Work to reduce sore throat, nasal congestion and help moisturize the nose and mucous membranes in the throat.
Getting rid of mucus:
- Blow your nose to expel mucus in the nose or phlegm in the throat to prevent it from passing to the throat and ear, which causes ear infections.
Using a solution Saline:
- Rinsing the nose with saline solution rids your child's nose of viruses and thus helps reduce nasal congestion. You can buy it from the pharmacy or prepare it at home.
How to prepare saline solution at home
- Add a quarter teaspoon of salt.
- A quarter teaspoon of baking soda.
- Add both to a cup of warm water after boiling the water and stir well.
- Use a dropper you have at home and put a mixture of drops in the nose daily.
Methods of treating colds in children
You should rely on the following steps:
- Rest at home.
- Drink warm fluids.
- Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of soup.
- Use a fever reducer If symptoms are accompanied by a high temperature.
- Use nasal sprays under the supervision of a doctor, or a syrup or tablets according to the child's age for colds such as Panadol Cold and Flu.
When can you consult a doctor for colds?
- If symptoms persist for more than two weeks.
- If symptoms worsen and do not improve.
- If the child suffers from shortness of breath.
- A severe rise in temperature that is not affected by antipyretics.
Tips for mothers to strengthen their children's immunity
Weak immunity is one of the strong causes of a child's cold infection, so you should follow some tips to strengthen your child's immunity, including:
- Make sure to eat breakfast, as it is important for the child's health.
- Exercise Sports to stimulate blood circulation and strengthen immunity.
- Proper nutrition that provides all the nutrients for the child.
- Drink plenty of water, as well as fluids to constantly moisturize the respiratory system.
- Avoid mixing and crowding between children and ensure distances between children.
- Eat vegetables and fruits that contain vitamin C such as oranges, lemons, guava, or colored peppers.
The most important instructions to prevent the transmission of cold infection to other children
- The infected child's hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 30 seconds regularly.
- Paper tissues should be thrown in the trash after using them to sneeze and hands should be washed well.
- Avoid touching others after sneezing or coughing, and wash hands immediately with soap and water and sterilize them with gel.
- Do not share the child's belongings The infected person is infected by his siblings or friends, such as drinking bottles, towels, cups and plates.
- Be sure to use tissues when sneezing or coughing, while avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth by the infected child or others.
- It is recommended to keep the infected child at home until recovery to prevent the transmission of infection to other children, especially school due to crowding and mixing of children together.
Prevention of seasonal influenza for children when returning to school
- Strengthening immunity.
- Take vitamin C and zinc.
- Use sterilizers and disinfectants.
Does a cold infection require your child to miss school?
Yes, it is best for your child and his friends at school to rest at home and miss school until the symptoms go away, as cold infections are transmitted through droplets and touching surfaces, and he may transmit the infection to his friends, and a cold also requires rest to recover from the symptoms quickly.