Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Prima Pediatrics, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.
Despite the mildness of most winters in the Santa Clarita Valley, a Santa Clarita pediatrician recommends parents do a few simple things to help keep kids healthy during wintertime.
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Flu Shots
“Number one, get your flu shots, and then number two get your flu shots and number three, get your flu shots,” said Dr. Shelley Feldman of Prima Pediatrics in Canyon Country.
Some parents may be staying away from flu shots for themselves and their children because they got sick after their last flu shot, but according to Feldman, that means they simply got it too late.
“It takes two to four weeks for the immune system to beef up to be able to work after the shot,” she said. “If you get sick right after your flu shot, it has nothing to do with the shot… You cannot get sick from a flu shot; it’s a killed vaccine.”
The exception to this rule is those who choose to get the nasal flu vaccine, which theoretically may cause a mild case, Feldman added, but studies show nasal flu vaccines may be more effective in terms of prevention.
Related: Santa Clarita Pediatrician Names Best Ways To Keep Toddlers Healthy
Feldman stressed the importance in protecting not only one’s own children with a flu shot, but also protecting elderly grandparents or new babies the children may come in contact with.
“Kids are the reservoir of influenza,” she said. “It means if they see Grandma or Grandpa, it’s Grandma or Grandpa who is going to end up in the hospital and die from the flu, or if they see the new baby, its the new baby who is going to die of the flu. So you need to do this because you care about everybody else, including your kid.”
Washing Hands
The second simple tip Feldman offers to parents is to wash their hands and their kids’ hands often.
“Being near a sink isn’t always possible, so carry an antibacterial gel,” she said.
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Bundling up kids during winter is vital in preventing illness, according to Feldman.
“In the winter– even here –the air is cooler, and when the air is cooler it thickens the mucus that’s in your nose,” she explained. “When the mucus thickens, it doesn’t move as fast. It can’t push the bacteria and the viruses out as much. That’s why you get sick in the winter.”
When both children and adults alike shiver in the cold, they breathe faster, taking in even more viruses and bacteria.
Children, especially babies, should always wear hats because they have a larger body surface area on their heads, according to Feldman.
“In an infant or in a kid under age one year, close to half their body surface area is in their head,” she said. “You need to keep that covered.”
A simple way for parents to check if they’ve bundled up their kids too much or too little is to feel their hands and feet.
Feldman continued, “If their hands and feet are hot and sweaty it’s too much. If they’re cool and slightly pale, it’s not enough.”
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