Hints to Keep Kids Healthy Over Holidays

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022 -- 2:00 PM

(Bob Hague, WRN) There are a number of things families with young children can do, to keep kids healthy over the holidays.

Dr. Jasmine Zapata is Chief Medical Officer with the DHS Bureau of Community Health Promotion. “One of the first things is just a reminder to avoid contact with people who are sick.”

That’s critical as the state is seeing an early surge in pediatric hospitalizations for the respitatory illness RSV. Good handwahing for at least 20 seconds is also important. “One personal tip that I do even with my own children is we sing our favorite song while we're washing our hands and make sure that we do that for the full 20 seconds.”

Good hand hygiene is an important way to keep kids healthy during the holidays. “Making sure that everyone in the household is washing their hands at least 20 seconds now 20 seconds seems like a short time when we say it but actually it can feel kind of long if you actually put a timer on but it's so important to make sure everyone in the house has good hand washing.”

As the holidays approach health officials nationwide are concerned about an early surge in pediatric hospitalizations for the respitatory illness RSV. Dr. Zapata says parents can work with kids on not touching their faces.

“In particular their eyes their nose and their mouth. So just being very very careful to avoid as much as possible touching the face. Also another very basic but important measure is making sure to cover the mouth with coughs and sneezes.”

Health officials nationwide are concerned about an early surge in pediatric hospitalizations for the respitatory illness RSV.

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