School Nurse

Visit the TeacherWeb® videos to learn about the features, modifications, and customizations available on your website. Click here to learn more.

Surviving The Cold And Flu Season
                       Tips From The Health Office

This time of year presents plenty of opportunities for viruses to 
spread.  Chilly weather keeps more of us indoors at the same time, and the 
holiday season brings together family members of all ages.  According to the 
National Institute of Allergy Diseases, in the course of a year, individuals 
in the United States suffer 1 billion colds.  And, according to the Center 
for Disease Control, thirty-five to fifty million Americans are infected with 
influenza (the flu) during flu season, which typically lasts from November to 
March.  The symptoms of a cold and the flu are somewhat similar.  This easy-
to-read chart can help you determine which infection you may have.

Symptom                 Cold                                 Flu
                                         
Fever             Rarely above 100.5-101    Characteristic, high (102-104 F)s
 
Headache             Generally mild                        Prominent

General aches,          Slight                     Usual; often severe
 pains

Fatigue,weakness        Quite mild               Can last up to 2-3 weeks
 
Extreme exhaustion        Never                   Early and prominent
 
Stuffy nose              Common                      Sometimes
 
Sneezing                  Usual                      Sometimes
 
Sore throat             Common                       Sometimes
 
Chest discomfort,     cough Mild to moderate,      Common; can become severe 
                        hacking cough

Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

With so many people affected by these two infections, it may seem 
impossible to avoid catching one, or both.  But you can greatly reduce your 
chances!  Here are a few tips to ward off colds and flu and to ease the 
misery if they strike:

§	Get a flu shot.  Because the flu virus changes over time, you need to 
get a flu shot every year.  Due to the short supply of vaccination this year, 
the CDC has issued interim recommendations for influenza vaccination during 
the 2004-05 season.  The following is just a few of the priority goups for 
vaccination:  1. all children aged 6-23 months; 2. adults aged > or = 65 
years; 3. persons aged 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions; 
4. all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season.

If you have any questions regarding the interim recommendations contact your 
primary care physician or refer to www.cdc.gov/flu or www.mass.gov/dph.

§	Wash your hands.  Both colds and flu can be passed through coughing, 
sneezing, and touching surfaces such as doorknobs and telephones.  Remember 
that one of the most common ways people catch colds and flu is by rubbing 
their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with a 
virus.  So it is wise to make a habit of washing your hands frequently and 
teaching children to do the same.

§	Limit exposure to infected people.  Avoid close contact with people 
who are sick.  When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect 
them from getting sick too.  Children should be kept home from school when 
they are sick!  Not only do they expose others to their germs but their 
resistance is lowered which makes them more apt to pick up another germ.
   
§	Teach your children proper “cough etiquette”.  The American Academy 
of Pediatrics describes this as teaching your child to turn their heads and 
cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or the inside of their elbow if a 
tissue is unavailable.

§	Practice healthy habits.  Eating a balanced diet, getting enough 
sleep, and exercising can help the immune system better fight off the germs 
that cause illness.  Because smoking interferes with the mechanisms that keep 
bacteria and debris out of the lungs, those who use tobacco or who are 
exposed to secondhand smoke are more prone to respiratory illnesses and more 
severe complications.

Have a safe and healthy season!

Automatically clean input to optimize for the web.

Or, would you like to view and optionally restore one of these previous versions?

Password: Forgot your password?

TeacherWeb.com

Content on this site is the responsibility of the Subscriber. Additional information is available in the TeacherWeb Terms & Conditions

School Nurse

Cold or Flu?