Keeping Your Child Healthy When Starting Preschool

If your child is starting a preschool program for the first time this coming fall, you are most likely excited about the new friends they will be making and activities they will be doing. However, when children are in a preschool atmosphere, there is often an increased chance for illness as several people are spending time together in close quarters each day. Here are some steps you can take to help minimize the chance of your child contracting illness during their preschool days.

Ensure Healthy Practices At Home To Boost Cold-Fighting

The best way for your child to ward off cold germs is by taking care of their body regularly by eating nutritional foods, getting exercise each day, and sleeping enough at night. Make sure to bring your child to their pediatrician for a complete physical in the months or weeks before they start their preschool program. A few weeks before preschool is to begin, start pushing back your child's bedtime if they got off a set schedule during the summer. Children between three and six require ten to twelve hours of sleep a day, including any naps they may take, so take this into consideration when determining a proper bedtime for your child.

Teach Your Child To Wash Hands Often And Long Enough

It is extremely important to teach your child when they need to wash their hands to minimize the spreading of cold germs that could make them sick. Make sure to start this process at home so they get used to the procedure for when they get to a school atmosphere. Washing hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing upon a hand is extremely important. Each time your child does one of these actions, head them to the bathroom sink to wash appropriately before carrying on with their activities.

Set a timer for twenty seconds from the time your child places soap in their hands to start lathering. Have your child sing the ABC song or another song your child knows during this time to see how many times they can sing it while the timer is set. They can sing this song while washing their hands at school so they are sure to use soap and water long enough to kill bacteria from the hands.

Check Out The Facility For Appropriate Safety Precautions

It is important the preschool facility you use for your child's learning experience is clean and that the teachers use good hygienic practices themselves while on the job. Most people will take a tour of a preschool facility when deciding where they would like their child to attend. At this time, make sure the school has a sink in each room and that there are paper towels in the bathroom for children to use rather than a towel to share.

If you are visiting at a time when children are present, observe whether teachers remind them to wash hands after using the restroom or having a snack. Teachers should also be washing their hands before serving children food of any type. Ask teachers about the protocols they have in place regarding sanitizing toys or dealing with a sick child. These indicators will help you determine if a facility is up to par on their own part in minimizing the spread of germs.