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Keep Your Children Healthy
this Winter
Cold weather does not cause colds or flu. But the viruses that cause illness tend to be more common in the winter when children are in school & in closer contact.
- Frequent handwashing & teaching your child to sneeze or cough into the bend of their elbow may reduce the spread of illness.
- Teach your children to sing the 'Happy Birthday' song twice through while washing their hands to assure the appropriate amount of washing.
- Children 6 months of age & older should have had the influenza vaccine. Parents of infants under 6 months should also get the influenza vaccine.
- If you are a parent of an infant, try to steer clear of visitors with obvious cold symptoms or fever.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of cold medicines for infants & small children. Talk to your provider about other ways to treat symptoms due to a cold or click the Links to the right! (For example, saline spray, bulb suction & humidifiers.)
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Preventing Asthma Attacks
- Follow your child's asthma action plan closely: Use preventative medications daily and start and continue rescue medications as soon as symptoms start! Early, aggressive treatment can prevent asthma attacks
- Prevent Illness: Make sure your child receives the Flu Shot and teach them good hand washing hygiene
- Be Prepared! Check you child's asthma medication regularly. Make sure that they are not expired or empty. Request any refills through your pharmacy.
Schedule regular asthma follow-up visits with your primary provider. If unsure when to do this, please call our front desk or e-mail your provider.
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When it's more than just a cold...
Children may need to be evaluated by us if any of the following occur:
- Great difficulty or fast breathing
- Grunting or nasal flaring
- Excessive wheezing
- Gray or blue skin color
- Worsening cough
- Extreme tiredness (especially during times they are normally active)
- High fever, one that does not respond to fever reducing medications, or a fever lasting longer than 4-5 days
- Inability to tolerate fluid intake
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See our Acute Illness Guide for dosing for Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen and Dimetapp.
More information on managing the common cold, flu and congestion at www.chmed.com (and the links to the right)
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