Creative Tutors of Wake County, North Carolina

The Five Illnesses That Affect School Attendence - #1 the Common Cold

August is here and most of the year round schools are in full swing with traditional calendar schools gearing up for their first day.  Families are making school preparations, too. Classrooms crowded with kids are ideal environments for germ growth.  Here are the top 5 illnesses that cause children to miss school and ways you can prepare: common cold, stomach flu, ear infections, conjunctivitis and sore throats.

Follow up:

Common Cold - The common cold is easily spread through contact with infected respiratory droplets that are coughed or sneezed into the air.  Signs and symptoms of a cold include runny or stuffy nose, itchy or sore throat, cough, sneezing and a low-grade fever.  There are no cures for the common cold.  Cough and cold medicines should not be given to young children unless prescribed by a doctor.

Teach your children these tips to help prevent them from catching a cold.
-Wash your hands often with soap and water.  If this is not possible, carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and use as needed.
-Use tissues and immediately throw them away.  If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into the inside of your elbow rather than covering your mouth/nose with a bare hand.
-Teach your children not to touch their faces, especially the nose or eyes.  This prevents the transfer of the cold virus.
-Drink plenty of water to keep your system flushed out and your body well hydrated.
-Eat a healthy diet which includes natural sources of Vitamin C.
-Get plenty of rest.

If your child contracts a cold....
-Offer plenty of fluids including water, juice and homemade chicken soup.
-Get plenty of rest.
-Run a humidifier in your child's bedroom or have them sit in a steamy bathroom.
-Saline nose drops may help reduce the discomfort of stuffy noses.
-Older children may find sucking on hard candy or gargling with salt water will help make a sore throat feel better.
-NEVER give aspirin to any child under the age of 18 due to the danger of Reye's Syndrome.  Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are safer pain and fever medications for children.

Categories: Science, Auditory Processing, Allergies, General Education, Health and Nutrition | Permalink | Send feedback »

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Meet Kim Ashby | Owner

Kim Ashby earned a BS in Nursing from The Catholic University of America and, when she worked outside the home, was a Certified Emergency Nurse with a special interest in trauma nursing. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and three sons. The Ashbys have home schooled their children since 1999. They graduated their oldest son in May 2007. He is attending UNC Wilmington. Kim continues to home school her younger boys. Her oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in the public school system in the second grade. Her second son has cerebral palsy which has resulted in multiple/global developmental delays. Her youngest son has undiagnosed, mild auditory processing issues.

Kim has co-instructed graduate level courses at UNC Chapel Hill for ST/OT students and Early Intervention students. She is the founder and President of the Board of Directors of GIFTSNC, Inc., a home schooling special needs support group. Kim has presented workshops at a variety of state home school conferences as well as local support group parent meetings and is often a guest speaker at homeschool conferences and is found on many guest speaker lists including Balancing the Sword. She is a Steering Committee member and former Treasurer for Dayspring Home Educators in Cary, NC. She served on the Board of Directors for the Family Support Network of Wake County. She holds a North Carolina Wildlife Permit for Small Mammal Rehabilitation and enjoys working with orphaned and injured wildlife.

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain