Managing Chronic Illness During Cold and Flu Season: Tips for Parents
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Having a chronic illness can make you more prone to getting sick, especially during the cold and flu season. In recent flu seasons, 9 out of 10 people hospitalized with the flu had at least one underlying health condition, reports the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Certain conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, can weaken the immune system, making you more likely to catch a virus that is going around. In other cases, treatments can cause the immune system to be compromised. Sometimes it is a combination of the two.
For people with chronic conditions, cold and flu season brings on extra stress and anxiety and that feeling gets magnified when you have kids. Research has found that kids are more vulnerable to infection — and so are you. When they bring home a cold, you’re likely to get sick as well. This leaves you caring for your little one as well as yourself. And having a weakened immune system may cause you to experience more severe symptoms and a longer recovery time.
As a parent with a chronic illness, I have experienced first hand the challenges of caring for sick children while being sick myself. When I am suffering from severe Crohn’s symptoms it can be challenging both physically and mentally for me to keep up with the needs of my sick children. Oftentimes an illness can cause my condition to flare, which further prolongs the time I am out of commission.
This predicament is one that parents try to avoid at all costs, but how do we do that?
Be Aware of Your Risk
Talk to your doctor about your risk of serious illness. Your provider can share these facts with you along with any specific recommendations. You can also work out a plan with your doctor for when you do get sick. This should cover questions like: Are you eligible for an antiviral drug? At what point should you let your provider know if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms? What additional symptoms should you look out for with your condition? Are there any supplements you should add to your routine to help with prevention?
While your doctor can help you come up with a customized game plan, there are some actions you can take that are relevant no matter your specific condition.
I start off the season by evaluating my family’s current health situation and deciding with my partner what we are comfortable with. Will we attend large gatherings? What activities will the kids participate in? How will we handle care if someone in our family does get sick? Having set expectations helps me feel like the season is more manageable and reduces my anxiety.
Prepare Yourself for Cold and Flu Season
Get Your Flu Shot
Getting the flu vaccine each year is the best way to kick off the season with the odds stacked in your favor. The flu vaccine may not prevent you from getting the virus, but it does substantially lower your risk of serious illness or hospitalization related to the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recommends getting your shot in September or October for optimal protection during peak flu activity. Even if you miss the ideal period, still get the shot. A late vaccination is better than no vaccination. Many pharmacies offer free or low cost flu shots so check in with your local pharmacy to schedule an appointment and get additional cost information.
Prioritize Your Rest and Wellness
Lack of sleep contributes to a weakened immune system which, in those with chronic illness, may already be weakened. Instead of waiting until you are rundown to catch up on sleep, try adding sleep time to your schedule. This has been a huge challenge for me as I balance the demands of parenthood, but I have found ways to squeeze in extra rest. I limit social commitments during cold and flu season to allow for more time to rest. I also lean on support from my partner and family to help out with childcare.
Make sure to also stick with your prescribed treatment plan for your condition. Preventing a flare up or worsening of your chronic condition can help keep your body in better shape to fight off infections. Keeping your chronic condition well controlled could mean quicker recovery time and less likelihood of complications if you do suddenly get sick.
As a parent, it can be challenging to remember to put yourself first at times. Scheduling extra rest can mean enlisting help from your support system or allowing extra screen time for your children so you can get a break. If you catch yourself feeling guilty about these things, try to remember that prioritizing your selfcare will help you better support your children, especially if they end up getting sick.
Focus on Controlling What You Can
Proper Hygiene
It is difficult, and sometimes downright impossible, to have your children comply with common flu hygiene practices from the Red Cross, like keeping hands away from the face and frequent, thorough hand-washing while they are at school or daycare. The good news is, you have a better shot at controlling such practices at home. You can do this by:
- Teaching your kids how to properly wash their hands and then encourage frequent hand-washing. We review the CDC’s handwashing guidelines as a family at the beginning of fall. This can be a helpful refresher for adults, too. We pick a fun song to sing to help us time our handwashes for the recommended 20 seconds. My son has loved this and it is a practice that is easy to remember not just at home, but at school as well.
- Having hand sanitizer readily available to keep hygiene top of mind. Some key locations to have hand sanitizer readily available are your car, your purse or backpack, and high traffic areas of the house like the playroom. I always carry hand sanitizer on my keys so it is easily accessible.
- Try setting up a sanitization station by the entrance to your home. We have hand sanitizer and hand wipes on the table in our entryway. This serves as a reminder to sanitize when we return home and encourages guests to do so when they are entering our home.
- Encouraging family and guests to sanitize as they leave and enter your home. Don’t be afraid to ask people entering your house to utilize your sanitization station. Having this set up ahead of time makes the process smoother and also signals it is part of your routine, not just specific guests you are asking to sanitize.
While your efforts may not be totally foolproof, you are reducing your risk by incorporating these habits into your family’s routine.
Limit Exposure
Crowded indoor events are a prime environment for cold and flu transmission. If you are trying to significantly lower your risk of illness, avoiding these events may help. You can still take your family to activities or events, just be mindful of crowds. If you can, research less crowded times to attend major events, move your child to a class time that is less popular, or opt for an outdoor activity instead.
Set Boundaries
Openly communicate with family and friends about how you feel about being around people that are sick or have recently been sick. Ask them to be honest with you if they are sick or experiencing any symptoms. Decide what makes sense for you and your family and don’t be afraid to enforce it. For example, our family knows if they are experiencing cold symptoms we may ask them to wear a mask when visiting with us. If they are not comfortable with that request, then we will reschedule their visit for a time when everyone is healthy.
Talk to Your Family About Your Situations and Concerns
Communicating your concerns and coming up with a plan as a family can be helpful, especially if your condition is more recent or you have increased concerns. You should also set standards of what makes you comfortable as a family in order to keep the family well this season — if everyone is on board it feels like a team effort. Of course, the communication will vary based on your children’s age. With a teenager the conversation may be asking them to avoid inviting friends over who have recently been sick. With preschoolers the conversation could be centered around why they must wash their hands before they eat. While this should help in the short term by lessening your family’s chance of illness, it can also help to develop healthy habits for your children in the long term.
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