The main reason we see thousands of cases of colds and flu throughout children can mostly be attributed to lax hygiene and parents who permit their children to attend school when they are sick. Millions of school attendance days and adult work days are lost each year due to schoolchildren becoming ill. Kids in school can also get and give strep throat, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), and impetigo. Because of the fact that one sick child can easily infect ten or more other children, parents with children who are sick should keep them at home. Sneezing, drooling, or touching an object transfers germs to the next person who picks up or touches that object. To reduce this problem, basic hygiene is needed. Studies have proven that kids catch fewer colds after they are taught to wash their hands regularly and their toys are disinfected three times a week. It is necessary to teach your children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and then to throw the tissue away and wash his or her hands. Children can also pick up germs by petting a dog or cat, handling dirty underwear, and using public restrooms.

Hand washing is an important prevention measure in keeping children healthy. The problem in a lot of schools is that they make it difficult for children to wash their hands. Some schools don't always have paper towels or enough soap available. Because the purpose of school is to learn, there is nothing more important to learn than good hygiene. Regular hand washing is one of the best defenses against the spread of colds and gastrointestinal infections. Therefore, you should teach your children to lather the hands with soap for at least fifteen seconds and dry their hands with a clean towel. It may also be a good idea to provide your child with sanitizing lotion so that he may be able to protect against disease when a bathroom is not accessible.

When children are eating out or at a mass-prepared school lunch, they should first wash their hands. They should also avoid any raw food that doesn't look washed such as raw fruits and vegetables. If you are unsure about the drinks that are served, have your child carry his own bottled water.

In order to best fight back against these germs, you should enhance your child's immune system by providing adequate nutrition and having your child take a multivitamin and mineral supplement every day. By eating sugar in the form of glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, and orange juice, your child will significantly reduce his body's ability to have an effective immune system starting within thirty minutes and lasting several hours. White blood cells will not have the ability to get rid of the bacteria the way they usually do. Food is the greatest challenge facing a child's immune system. The new U.S. food pyramid suggests that we eat five servings of fresh vegetables daily. Although is sounds easy, only twenty percent of the population actually does this. It's also very important to get enough protein in the diet along with water intake. It's best if the 6-10 glasses (depending on the age of the child) does not contain chlorine or fluoride. Dehydration is a big factor in whether the child will stay healthy. Making the simplest changes in your child's diet and lifestyle will help him or her to greatly reduce the number of illnesses he or she has each year.