ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 1, 1997 TAG: 9701020015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
If you have a child in day care or school this winter, chances are you have been - or are, or will be - sick.
Flu and flu-like symptoms hit the New River Valley earlier than usual this year. In the week before Christmas, the number of influenza cases increased by 600 percent over previous years. Many of those recent cases have been children.
And once the child gets sick, the rest of the family often follows suit. So, before the kids return to day care or school Thursday, now is the time for a little preparation and good old-fashioned hygiene.
"Children are extremely sociable, especially the younger ones that like to be in close contact," said Dr. Jody Hershey, director of the New River Health District. "It's important to teach some basic hygienic practices early on."
Droplet infections can spread through the air, or by touch, Hershey said. Encourage kids to cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough, and then wash their hands right away. Tell kids that sharing food or drinks or touching others can spread their germs. And don't forget hand-washing.
"The main thing is the germs through their hands," said Gulben Esen, director of Children's Nest day care in Blacksburg. She said repetition and daily practice can get even 2-year-olds in the habit of covering mouths, washing hands and minding their own germs.
To keep germs from spreading, Esen disinfects bathrooms and table tops daily, and lets fresh air in to circulate when it's not too cold.
The best prevention, though, is keeping the germs away from others.
Esen requires parents to keep a sick child home for at least 24 hours. For strep-throat and other infections, Hershey said it takes one or two days before an antibiotic renders a person noncontagious.
"If a child with a bacterial infection has a fever or shows signs like coughing and sneezing which could spread the infection, I would strongly recommend that they stay home," Hershey said.
So, if the child stays home, how do you keep everyone else healthy? For starters, parents and siblings should practice the same good hygiene they teach.
If a child does come down with the flu, and family members did not receive a preventive flu shot, Hershey said there are two drugs that may stop or at least lessen flu symptoms. Doctors can prescribe amantadine or rimantadine if a person has been exposed to the flu or shows the first signs of illness.
The key is to be careful, Esen said.
"I've been taking care of kids for 12 [or] 13 years and I haven't gotten really sick for years," she said. Then she touched wood, just in case.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB