Now, with school starting, teachers and parents are bracing for a possible wave of the 2009 H1N1 flu . With budgets stretched to the max, some school districts won’t have the funds to implement simple prevention measures. from the flu; with limited supplies of hand soap, disinfectants to clean desks; or even cleaning staff who are in charge of cleaning the surfaces and taking out the garbage when the day ends. Add to this situation that schools are generally the center of spread of a contagious disease and that children do not always put prevention techniques into practice. With an average of only three feet of personal space for each child in the school, that’s a lot of germs in a small area.

This year, as we face the H1N1 flu and seasonal flu, parents should be especially vigilant and encourage their children to follow the same basic prevention steps they have been taught to follow at home. Below are additional steps that can prevent the flu in schools and day care centers.

Teach your children: Parents need to prepare children with the knowledge and tools necessary to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu and other contagious diseases. Reinforce the same prevention techniques they are using at home, such as frequent handwashing and covering coughs or sneezes with tissues or the elbow. Encourage this practice at school and in the wider community.

Put together a tool kit: Make sure your kids have the tools they need to stay healthy. If your child’s school allows it, keep a kit of alcohol-based hand sanitizer or a bar of soap in your child’s backpack and remind them to use it often throughout the day. Find out if you can donate supplies to their school, such as disposable disinfecting wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, or even add these items to the school’s supply list.

Take a sick day: A recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine showed that in a Seattle school, for every 100 children, the flu accounts for about 20 more days parents had to miss work 1 . If your child feels sick, keep him out of school, after-school activities, or sports. Limit exposure to other children and relatives until he has recovered.

Raise your hand: Talk to your child’s teacher about disinfecting the classroom and communicate with people your child comes into contact with, including the school bus driver, cafeteria lunch servers, and staff in charge of activities outside of school hours, to share tips for preventing the flu. Your child’s school nurse can also be a great ally in the fight against the 2009 H1N1 flu, as she is the front line of flu prevention at school.

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