The beginning of any new school year should be exciting for both parent and child! The new year also unfortunately brings new illnesses. Whenever a new school year starts, it is common to have your child come home feeling under the weather within days or weeks.

While this is a normal part of the back-to-school season, it can still be hard to manage if your child is constantly battling the next virus or bug. Our team at AFC Urgent Care Bronx Webster Ave. know what it is like to go through this part of the school experience and offers some great advice for tackling it below.

Why Is It So Common to Get Sick During the School Year?

During the summer, your child typically comes into contact with fewer people and other children. When school starts back up, kids are entered back into the entire student body inside one building! Each child brings new viruses and illnesses into the mix, which makes it a perfect recipe to contract a new bug.

Even just considering that the common cold has over 200 different strains and is constantly mutating, the chances of one of these infecting your child during the school year is very high. While it is expected for your young ones to get sick at some point during the school year, you can take some small steps to help bolster their immune systems.

Tips for Preventing Illness

• Make sure your kids’ vaccinations are current.
• Teach proper and frequent handwashing.
  
• Make meals at home and encourage hydration.
• Discuss germs with them and discourage sharing consumables.

What If My Child Seems to Get Sick a Lot?

Usually that isn’t a cause for concern. Contracting multiple viruses and illnesses throughout the school year is normal and to be expected for most children.

Keep in mind that even though you always want to protect your children, exposing them to all of these illnesses actually does just that! Allowing their immune systems to build up will protect them later in life and keep them healthy when they are older.

Home Remedies

• Prioritize sleep and rest.
• Monitor for any worsening symptoms or a fever that won’t break.
• Encourage food and water as often as possible.

Are you concerned that your child’s illness is more serious? Visit our AFC team—no appointment necessary!