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5 Helpful Tips To Deal With Those Icky Back To School Germs

Learn how to combat those back to school germs with these awesome sponsored tips from Know Your OTC’s. All opinions are those of Honey + Lime.

5 helpful tips to deal with back to school germs

Has your child brought home a back to school illness? If so, you’re not alone. You know that the back to school season means back to germs, and it seems like they are all over the place! We will explore the reasons why kids are always sick, a few tip to deal with the back to school germs, and more information about what to do when your child gets sick in a fun video below!

Why are kids always sick?

Face it – due to the amount of kids with less than wonderful hygiene standards, school can be a germ infested place. A simple cough, sneeze, or nose wiping can be spread onto any pencil, door knob, chair, desk, basketball, and other surfaces at school. We all know that preventing germs in the classroom is the goal, sometimes we simply can’t win them all. Here are 5 helpful tips to dealing with those back to school germs when your child has already been exposed.

Girl on the first day of school

5 Helpful Tips To Deal With Those Back To School Germs

1. Learn how to treat a fever

As back to school germs creep in, so do the symptoms of being sick. When your child feels warmer than usual and is exhibiting signs of being in pain, they just might have a fever! There are over the counter medicines (OTC’s) available to help with the symptoms, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. Visit the Know Your OTC’s fever and pain page for more information on how to safely determine if your child has a fever and how to give the correct dosage.

2. How to know if it’s allergies or a cold

Both allergic reactions and colds can offer the same not-so-fun symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, coughing, itchy throat, congestion, etc. It is very important to know the difference before you take action. Here’s how to tell:

  • It’s allergies if the symptoms occur immediately at exposure of the allergen, and lasts however long the allergen is present. An allergic reaction should not cause fever and body aches.
  • It’s a cold if it took about 3 days from infection to the date that symptoms occur, and it lasts no longer than 5 to 7 days. Colds are also more prevalent during the winter months and are often accompanied by fever and body aches.

back to school sign scrabble pieces

3. When using over the counter medicines, read the label carefully

Back to school germs sometimes need back to school over the counter medicine (OTC’s) to help relieve symptoms. Reading the label on your OTC medicine is a critical step to take before giving medicine to your child. You want to make smart choices and know in advance exactly what dosage of what medicine to give to your child, based upon age, height, weight, and symptoms. Learn how to read a medicine label here.

4. Do NOT give your child a double dose of the same active ingredient

This kinda leads back to reading the drug facts on your OTC medicine’s label. Some OTC’s are made to help with multiple symptoms. If you are thinking of giving another dosage of medicine to your child, be 100% sure that it does not contain the same active ingredient as the previous medicine given. 

5. Prevention is key, and healthy habits should follow suit

One of my personal top tips is practicing prevention and other healthy habits. Always make sure that kids are eating lots of healthy foods loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, exercising throughout the day, getting a good nights sleep (see how much sleep do children need guidelines here), and WASHING THEIR HANDS all the time! Younger kids can have a hard time remembering to do this, especially before eating at school without a parent to remind them. Try your best to make a clear and easy to follow hand washing routine at home, and your kids will be better able to remember it when at school. You’ll see more info in the video below!

kids at school drawing together

Here’s what to do when your child gets sick

In addition to the information provided above to curb those back to school germs, Know Your OTC’s has put together a video to illustrate the ways you can help your poor sick kiddos. Here are a few tips from parents who have definitely been there, together we have multiple kids who have all been sick a time or two. Watch the back to school germs video below to see what worked for them – look closely, you may see someone you recognize!

Being sick is no fun, and OTC’s can help with symptoms when used properly. For more information about back to school germs and the proper way to treat your child’s symptoms, please visit Know Your OTC’s online. 

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