The home is one place where children can remain healthy and safe amid the emergence of new variants of the virus. This is why parents should make sure to keep the home clean to prevent the entry of the virus into the home.
But parents can also do more than keeping the home clean so that the children remain healthy during the health crisis. With schools reopening and mask mandates lifted, parents should also prepare their children in case they needed to attend classes in person. Here are the things that parents should do to keep their children safe during the pandemic.
Update Their Vaccine Shots
While the vaccine for young children isn’t available yet, parents can still let them get vaccines for other diseases. They can get their children protected against measles, chickenpox, flu, diphtheria, and meningitis. These diseases can affect the health and development of children. So, it’s best to protect them before they get sick.
Getting vaccinated reduces the risk of getting sick. It also strengthens the immune system of the children and allows them to remain healthy and strong. Parents can visit their children’s pediatrician and ask about the vaccines available for their children to get.
Once the Covid-19 vaccine is available for children under 12 years old, parents should immediately have their children vaccinated to prevent the virus from infecting them. It also protects them from a severe case of the disease in case they get infected by the virus.
Keep the Home Clean
The parents should also make sure to keep the home clean. This is particularly important during the pandemic so they can keep the virus out. A clean house also makes it less appealing to pests, which can carry diseases into the home.
Parents should make sure to clean any food particles on the kitchen and dining tables. They should also clean spills as soon as possible. Additionally, they should disinfect the home regularly in case someone goes out of the house every day.
It’s also advisable to get a professional to control the tick or mosquito infestation at home. Controlling these pests can help reduce the risk of the children getting sick even if they’re staying home all the time.
Train Them in Washing Their Hands
If young children attend in-person classes, the parents should train them to wash their hands using soap and water. Washing their hands for 20 seconds can prevent viruses from spreading in the house and school. The parents should also train their children to avoid rubbing their eyes before they wash their hands.
They should reinforce this behavior so it’ll become second nature to them when they go to school. The parents should also give their children hand sanitizers. These items are useful in case water and soap are unavailable. The hand sanitizer should have at least 60 percent alcohol content. While hand sanitizers reduce germs present in the hands, the children should still find a way to wash their hands with soap and water, especially if they are about to eat.
Look for Signs of Stress
When the pandemic started, it upended the lives of people across the country. People lost their jobs and many businesses closed. Those who still had jobs had to start working from home to prevent the spread of the virus. This resulted in a lot of stress among many people who were not used to remote work.
But the situation also affected the children who couldn’t meet up with their friends. They also had to deal with online classes and homework that affected their daily routine at home. Due to this, parents should look for signs of stress among their children.
Young children and toddlers may become socially withdrawn, irritable, and have issues with sleeping. On the other hand, adolescents and older children may lose interest in their hobbies, become moody, and exert little effort on their school work. In these instances, the parents can support their children and try to stay positive despite what’s happening outside the home. They can also ask for help from their pediatrician.
Substitute Junk Food with Healthy Snacks
Parents can also serve healthy snacks to their children when they are doing their homework. Instead of processed food, they can give baby carrots, fruits, nuts, frozen yogurt, and whole wheat bread with cheese and deli meat.
The parents can also avoid buying junk food so the children will not look for them when they want a snack. They can also leave a bowl of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator that the children can get if they feel hungry.
With the vaccine for young children yet to become available, parents should do everything they can to keep their children healthy during the pandemic.
