Tips on preventing colds and the flu as students return to classrooms

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Kindergarteners are typically the last to head back to school and the hardest to keep healthy.

There are 61,000 children that are enrolled in Kindergarten statewide, all of them giving their immune systems their first real test run on a full day of fun with their peers. There are a few easy ways to keep them healthy and keep whatever illness is bouncing around the playground from infiltrating your home.

Hand washing is the big one, make sure they know to wash their hands thoroughly before eating after going to the bathroom, after coughing sneezing, or blowing their nose, and even after just playing outside.

There are a few items you can equip them with to help out, as well. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer and a package of tissues to sneeze and cough into. Remind them to keep their hands away from their eyes and out of their mouths and not to share food and water bottles.

It’s an uphill battle that you will probably lose at some point so if your child has symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, or rashes, keep them home.