Daycares are the go-to childcare option for most working moms. However one of the major downsides of daycare is the high frequency and rate at which the babies catch daycare bugs. Daycare bugs/illnesses are caused by viruses and bacteria that are transmitted from child or things they touch to other children.
The bugs can be very common, happening as frequently as weekly. Also because the immune system of your baby is still developing, it will seem to be worse during the first months into daycare. However it improve as your baby immunity develops.
These bugs are transmitted back to the family and everyone in the entire family may get sick when the baby gets sick it is important to prevent your child from them. You can avoid your child getting daycare illnesses through allowing them to have adequate sleep, eating nutritional food, observing hygiene, and taking necessary supplements.
Some kids are more susceptible than others to daycare bugs. You should seek professional health assistance if nothing is improving on your baby immunity to daycare bugs.
Simple Ways on How to Avoid Common Daycare Bugs
1. Ensure the Baby Has Adequate Sleep
Having enough sleep is recommended by health experts for everyone for various reasons. The main one is that it boosts immunity while re-energizing and refreshing both the mind and the body. Everyone, including your kids, needs at least 8 hours of sleep.
Kids need more sleep than adults as they are still building their immunity, which they need to develop against the daycare bugs. As such ensuring you kid has adequate sleep is one of the ways that you as a working mom can prevent them from catching daycare bugs.
To achieve this, let them dinner in time and move the kid’s bedtime early . Also create a bedtime routine that has a consistent sleep schedule to improve their sleep quality and build defenses against daycare bugs.
Read: Starting a Bed-Time Routine for Infants/Toddlers
2. Feed Baby on Nutritious Food
Nutrition is important for the healthy growth of a child as well as for building immunity against common illnesses such as daycare bugs. For your baby to improve on their immunity system, they need proper nutrition incorporating a well-balanced diet and other supplements.
To achieve this;
- Provide a balanced diet i.e. include fruits, vegetables to enhance your baby’s immunity against daycare bugs
- Focus on foods high in antioxidants to help your baby fight daycare bugs
In addition drinking enough water is critical in building immunity. Make drinking water a habit for your daycare child by ensuring they have high constant access to water.
- Ensure your baby water bottle/access is constantly refilled
- Always let the child carry a water bottle while going out
Read: Drawbacks of Meal Delivery Services
3. Provide Supplements to Boost Immunity
In addition to good nutrition, you need to supplement your baby system with supplements. Supplements improve the chances of a good immunity by providing what nutrients the baby may not get from the food. Supplements such as vitamins and zinc boasts your child immunity.
4. Observe High levels of Hygiene
Hygiene is very crucial in avoiding and fighting all types of daycare bugs and keeping daycare them at bay. Most of the daycare bugs are transmitted to the kids through poor hygiene.
Infants and toddlers are good at acquiring and transmitting viruses and bacteria so it is very critical that high standards of hygiene are observed. At home you can teach and ensure your kids maintain the highest level of hygiene. Some good hygiene practices to prevent daycare illnesses include;
- Hand washing before eating
- Hand washing after using the washroom
- Hand washing after playing among others
- Hand washing immediately they come home from daycare
- Clean and sanitize surfaces in the house that are often used/touched such as doorknobs, light switches, remotes,faucets/toilet handles, steering wheel, etc.
- Spray sanitizer on items hard to wash such as toys to keep them clean and off from germs that later causes daycare bugs
- Remove their daycare clothes immediately and bath the before everything else
What affects your kids will most likely affect you and your entire family. You, therefore, need to take the same precautions above for everyone in your family as well.
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