Does your special needs child often get sick?
Teachers are finding it more of a challenge than ever to keep their classrooms healthy and clean for students, according to a recent survey of teachers.
The survey found that 90 percent of teachers think it is “common for students to come to school sick.” Only about 30 percent said their schools’ custodial staff disinfects the classrooms regularly.
“Germs are frequently spread through surface contact yet many teachers do not have the time or the tools to combat these germs,” said Dr. Paul S. Horowitz, medical director of the Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital pediatric and adolescent clinics in Portland, Ore. “This discrepancy can directly impact the health and wellness of both students and teachers.”
More than 70 percent of teachers said they have missed school because of an illness they believe they caught from one of their students. The survey was conducted by the children’s publisher Scholastic and released during an American Medical Association and National PTA media briefing on children’s health.
Encouraging children to live a healthy lifestyle outside the classroom is important in illness prevention, said Janis Hootman, a registered nurse and immediate past president of the National Association of School Nurses.
“Children’s health habits away from school have a direct impact on what happens to them and their classmates during school,” Hootman said.
How to stay sick free and prevent germs:
Make sure that your kids wash their hands.
This is the single most effective method for disease prevention. Hands should be scrubbed for 10 to 15 seconds. Children must continue to wash their hands after eating or touching any surface around them. Carrying wet wipes is a great way to keep your child’s hands free of germs and other pollutants when at home, school, or on the go!
2. Don’t allow your children to share utensils.
Although learning to share is important, this shouldn’t apply to cups, glasses or eating utensils. When sharing utensils children can pick up other germs from people around them at home or school.
When feeding your child or sending your child off to school with a lunchbox always give them a fresh new utensil so that they won’t get sick from their current utensil.
3. Make sure your children get enough sleep.
Sleep deprivation stresses the immune system. Most children need at least eight hours of sleep per night. Ensuring your child gets enough sleep can be a hard and daunting experience, especially for a new parent of a child with a disability.
Making sure that your child gets enough sleep at night before school will ensure your child will be ready to learn and that they will be used to sticking to a sleep schedule when going to sleep.
Try some relaxation soothing music or an audiobook while your child falls asleep.
4. Allow for a full recovery.
Do not send your kids to school when they are sick. When you send your child to school not only are they collecting more germs from others and dirty surfaces at school, but also they’re a walking virus and infection for other children at school who aren’t sick. When your child runs a high fever it is best to keep them at home so that they can get lots of rest to rebuild their immune system.
5. Keep your children up-to-date on vaccines.
New vaccines guard against an array of dangerous illnesses, including meningitis.
“We’ve come so far in protecting public health as a result of widespread immunizations,” said Dr. Walter A. Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, GA. “We protect each other by vaccinating our children.”
