subject: Back to School: Keeping Kids Healthy [print this page] Did you know that over 22 million school days are lost every year due to the common cold and on average children have between 6 - 10 colds each year? That's a lot of sniffles and sneezes that may be avoided by following these tips for keeping kids healthy:
Ensure your kids are physically active for at least 60 minutes every day through a combination of age-appropriate exercise and active free play.
Help your kids get a good night's sleep, which means about 10 to 11 hours for school age children and 11 to 12 hours for preschoolers.
Make sure your child's vaccines are up-to-date.
Stay on schedule with well child visits to your pediatrician.
Encourage your kids to wash their hands often, especially before they eat, after they use the bathroom, after handling animals and whenever they seem dirty.
Teach your kids not to share glasses, water bottles, hats, towels, or other items with friends.
Be sure your kids cover cuts and scratches.
Teach your kids to keep their fingers and other items, like pencils or pens, out of their mouths, so that they don't help germs get into their body.
Teach kids to wash fruits and vegetables before they eat them and follow other food safety practices.
Encourage kids to eat healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, and whole grains, etc., and to not skip any meals.
Consider giving your child a multivitamin if you think that your child doesn't eat well and is missing out on important nutrients, such as iron, vitamin D, and calcium, etc.
Help your kids learn to manage stress.
For more health tips and information about activities that will keep your child healthy, please visit http://www.i9sports.com
