If you’re about to send your children off to daycare, you
know there are many things you should prepare for. One of those things is
preparing to have sick children more often than not.
Large groups of children equal a lot of different germs
exchanged constantly. Even if you choose the cleanest daycare center, germs and
“daycare diseases” are inevitable.
However, this is normal and there’s no reason not to send
your child to daycare. On the contrary, exposure to different germs and
sicknesses will strengthen your children’s immune response and protect them
from developing different allergies.
While children getting sick at daycare is normal, you still
should do something to prevent it. Thankfully, these following tips can help
you keep your child healthy at daycare. Let’s check them out.
Choose a licensed daycare center
Many parents these days go online and search for daycare near me options.
This is the best way to find a daycare center that is close to your home.
However, when looking for a suitable childcare center online, make sure you
also find out if the center is licensed and if it undergoes regular site
inspections.
Don’t be afraid to call the daycare center and ask about the
center’s plan for dealing with illnesses and sick children, about immunization,
and whether they have a health consultant. Your child's health and safety are a
priority, so having an answer to all these questions will help you decide which
daycare center is the best.
Stay up to date with vaccines
A good childcare center should have an immunization policy.
This means that you’ll have to provide an immunization record before your child
is allowed to attend the center. The daycare center should also remind you to
stay on top of vaccines even after enrollment.
Your child should receive the first couple of shots at 6
weeks old. Then as they get older, they should receive different types of
vaccines. It’s really important that you stay up-to-date and on schedule with
recommended vaccines. This is crucial in protecting your child from many common
diseases. For example, your child should get a flu shot every year.
Additionally, you shouldn’t forget to ask the daycare center
if their workers and caregivers have also received proper immunizations. This
is also an important thing to keep in mind when enrolling your child in a
daycare center.
Enhance your child’s immune system at home
You can help your child enhance their immune system at home.
In turn, this will help them stay healthy for as long as possible. A strong
immune system means less chance of being exposed to germs and viruses.
Staying up-to-date with shots is a great way to boost your
child’s immunity but it’s not the only way. Many doctors suggest that a healthy
diet is crucial for a strong immune system. So, make sure you incorporate a lot
of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and antioxidant-rich foods into your
child’s diet.
Also, ensure your child is active. Active children are less
likely to get sick. So, you should incorporate some sort of physical activity
into your child’s daily schedule. Now, this doesn't strictly mean a sport,
simply being active in a park or playground is enough.
Ensure your child gets enough sleep
Just like for adults, sleep is necessary for children as
well. Sleep helps us all recharge and refresh our bodies. If children don’t get
enough sleep they are more prone to catching a cold or the flu.
Infants should get around 14 hours of sleep while toddlers
12 hours is enough. Teens and tweens should sleep from 8 to 10 hours. However,
this will generally vary from child to child.
You should encourage enough sleep by keeping a regular
schedule and limiting screen time. Consistency is the key when it comes to
children’s sleeping habits.
Proper hygiene is key
Start teaching your child proper hygiene practices as soon
as you can. Hygiene is crucial for your children’s health. Teach them the
importance of maintaining good hygiene and how these habits can help them stay
healthy at daycare and school.
Start by teaching your children how important it is to wash
hands often. Tell them that they should wash their hands before and after every
meal, and especially after using the toilet.
But that’s not all. It’s also important that you teach your
children that sharing food, cups, bottles, and other things that go into their
mouths is not hygienic. Teaching young children about hygiene might be
difficult because they won’t be able to understand the importance of it.
However, with time they will get the hang of these skills.
What you can do is make your child’s bottle or cup distinct
so that they know which one is theirs and they don’t mix it up with other
children’s things.
Give them probiotics for prevention
Stomach viruses are some of the most common “daycare
diseases”. To protect your child from them and ensure your child has a healthy
and strong gut and digestion give them probiotics.
Probiotics are living organisms that help balance the good
bacteria in our stomachs. These probiotics are usually found in foods such as
kefir, yogurt, raw milk, raw cheese, and so on. They can also be taken as food
supplements.
All in all, supplementing your child’s diet with probiotics
can be a good way to keep them healthy. Giving them probiotics is especially
important when they take antibiotics. Dissolve a bit of powder probiotic in
your child’s drink a few times during the week and they will be protected.
Conclusion
It’s not uncommon for daycare children to be sick often. In
their first year of daycare, children can get sick from 8 to 12 times! When you
think about it, that’s quite a lot.
Thankfully, being exposed to germs and viruses early on can
help children strengthen their immune systems.
Plus, as you can see, there are things that you can do to
help them stay healthy and decrease the chances of them getting sick in
daycare.
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