The Medicine Mom By DR. Tara Kompare, Pharm. D.

The Flu Fighters

Keep Your Holidays Healthy

You have seen them before¾mothers sporting backbacks equipped with disinfectant sprays, highchair liners and a gallon of hand sanitizer. To some they may appear silly, paranoid even, but to those of us who have survived a flu infestation during the holidays, they are our role models for the flu season.
 
The influenza virus spreads like wildfire. Knowing how to prevent yourself and others from catching this “Bah-humbug” virus can help you build happy holiday memories this year. To keep the flu out of your home, follow these tips:
 
Get Vaccinated
It is easy to do, when the supplies are not limited, and can decrease the risk of you and your family members catching the flu. Although there is a chance you or your child could still become infected, the severity and duration of symptoms will be less severe after receiving a vaccine.
 
The best time to get vaccinated is in October or November. The flu season starts from as early as October and ends as late as May. Two types of vaccines are available:
 
-Flu Shot. No one likes a shot. At least, I don’t know of anyone, and if I did, they probably would not give me that warm and fuzzy feeling.
 
Anyway, shots are sometimes a necessary evil. The shot contains a killed virus and most people can receive this form of vaccination except: children under six months old; people with egg allergies; people who have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of receiving a flu vaccine; and people who have experienced an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past.
 
-Nasal Spray. This is a lot more user-friendly, but it has more restrictions than the shot since it contains a weakened live virus.
 
Women who are pregnant, people younger than five or older than 49, and anyone with a chronic medical condition should not receive the nasally inhaled vaccine.
     
 
Follow Good Health Habits
-Wash hands thoroughly and frequently. Scrub hands for 15 seconds with warm soap and water or apply a rinse-free hand sanitizer. *Hand sanitizer caution: Keep instant sanitizers out of children’s reach and only use on the hands. It can burn the skin when applied to sensitive areas such as the face.
 
-Cover up. Remind your children to cough and sneeze inside a tissue.
 
-Stay home. Get some movies, chicken soup and ginger ale, and turn into human couch potatoes together.
 
-Avoid infected individuals. No play dates with feverish kids and no kisses from sick grandmothers, please!
 
-Avoid touching the mouth, nose and eyes. I know this is next to impossible for kids to do—that is why it’s so important to make sure their tiny hands stay clean.
 
 
Ask About Drug Treatments
There is no magic pill to get rid of the flu. However, if someone in your home becomes infected, some drug regimens can, when started early enough, lessen the duration and severity of flu symptoms. Consult your child’s doctor about possible options.
 
The winter season is often accompanied by guests¾some welcomed and some not.  Hopefully, with the proper precautions, you will be able to keep the flu out of your home and welcome your beloved guests with arms wide open and mouths germ free.
 
 
*P.S.S. (Parent Sanity Saver): Always keep some hand sanitizer on hand, especially when venturing to children’s play areas in fast food restaurants. These fun zones often harbor tons of hidden germs just waiting to pop into the mouths of babes.

The author is a doctor of pharmacy. She lives in Virginia with her two amazing little girls. You can visit her website at www.themedicinemom.com. She encourages reader comments and suggestions.

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