Back to school. Summer’s over and “back to school” is full of excitement, chaos, school supplies, meet the teachers, and the dreaded…SICK DAYS. As busy working moms (this 100% includes SAHM…that is the hardest job of all!), we can tackle everything with good planning, but planning sick days is just not a thing. Despite our efforts, going back to school means going back into the contact with more germs. So how can we prevent or minimize this disruption to our lives and our kiddos education?? Proactive natural healthcare.
Proactive healthcare is simple, it is taking measures to keep our immune systems strong and healthy so that we aren’t constantly in the doctor’s office (another germ haven of sick kids) or the pharmacy (who has leftover money for that?). Let’s cover the basics of proactive healthcare for immunity and reduce sick days.
FIRST – Handwashing. I know this seems obvious, and you’ve heard it before, but it truly is the best way to reduce the spread of germs. Washing hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds -OR- using hand sanitizer with 96% alcohol content can kill 99.9% of germs. Washing hands after playing outside or with other kids, before eating, and after coughing/sneezing into hands is recommended.
SECOND – Not sharing drinks. We recently had TWO of our family members go down with strep throat this school year. Strep is spread by sharing drinks or kissing and it is NO fun. Strep is also nothing to mess around with. It needs treated by a healthcare professional every time so that you don’t end up with heart trouble later on from rheumatic fever. If your kiddo can, have them take their own water bottle to school each day and clean it each night.
THIRD – Getting good rest and hydration. This one is hard, with littles involved in activities that practice/compete in the evenings, resulting in late nights, early mornings, and little sleep in between. Sleep is when our bodies “rest and repair” and without it, we are more susceptible to all kinds of illness. Establish the best bedtime routine you can, and 9-12 hours per night is recommended for kids 6-12 years old. For kids 13-18 years, 8-10 hours per night is recommended. Getting enough water in their bodies also helps keep their immune system strong. A good “rule of thumb” is half of their body weight in water each day. So for our 53 pound 6-year old, trying to get about 20-24 ounces of water in him each day is our goal. If your kids are involved in sports and are sweating a lot in this August heat…replace half of that water with electrolytes such as Gatorade, Pedialyte, Propel, etc.
Additional support tricks: We are very into natural health and wellness in our home, including mindful supplementation. Vitamins C, D, and Zinc can be good immune supporting and virus fighting supplements. We also utilize essential oils and reduced our overall sick days by over 70% by consistently using a kid’s protective blend of oils twice a day on our son.
I’ve found that doTerra essential oils work best in our home. We have used them for about seven years. If you are interested in additional information, I would love to answer any questions.
Amanda Spencer is a nurse practitioner practicing outpatient cardiology in Oklahoma City. She is passionate about integrative healthcare and helping patients feel their best. She has been a nurse since 2009 and a nurse practitioner since 2015. She is married with 2 children, a cat, a bearded dragon, and enjoys spending time with her family and traveling on vacation.
Dawn Corbett is a driven, self-motivated, elementary educator, and a molder of young minds. She has taught in public education for twenty plus years. Creating original content is something that she is passionate about and gets excited about. She knows the value of confidentiality, cooperation, and being a team player. Working as an editor and blog writer has given her a valuable opportunities to develop her own intellect and a different perspective on how to respectfully communicate with others in different styles.