We’ve had a record-breaking cold and flu season this year. 

As early as March, statistics were showing that, as a nation, we had doubled 2018’s figures of the number of people hospitalised due to flu. Flu season came earlier than expected, and took off with much more ferocity and deadliness than years previous – so far, of course, because it isn’t over until the fat lady coughs, apparently.

And influenza is the least of our worries, with croup, pneumonia and measles also making a comeback.

Most people you come into contact with will say they’ve had more than one round of horrible colds and flu this year, with many nasty viral infections lingering or reoccurring. It’s almost become commonplace to ask if anyone is unwell, more than ‘how’s the weather?’ or ‘did you see that show on TV last night?’.

I am no exception, being solidly unwell for much of April, May and June with reoccurring viral infections. It’s enough to send anyone absolutely crazy!

But adults, we get off lightly. Children in childcare and their families across the country are in the real firing line.

Since small children do not yet have a fully formed ‘library of immunity’ , everything and anything can be picked up at daycare - with some kids seemingly sick all the time! Can you imagine how this impacts a family’s ability to cope with and end the cycle of illness?

And if it does seem like your child is always sick because of daycare, you’re not paranoid. Children who regularly attend care are known to have up to 12 infections with fever a year - more so than children who are cared for at home - and this usually ramps up in the winter months.

It’s not all despair though. With every infection comes the ability to grow your child’s immunity library, which eventually means kids at primary school age are less likely to have sick days. By the time your child reaches their teens to early adult years, their immune system should be fully developed to an adult’s level.

Although, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should chuck your kids out into a cold pit of snotty noses and hope for the best. 

While sickness is perhaps unavoidable for us all, there are strategies we can adopt during winter and into spring (when the gastro virus comes out to play - gross!) to avoid unnecessary or serious illness and perpetuating colds within a family unit.

So this week, I took the liberty of researching what your GP would probably tell you are the secrets to staying well over winter, and I’ve summed them up here in five easy steps.

1 Personal Hygiene and Cold Care

This might go without saying, but washing your hands regularly throughout the day - particularly before preparing or eating meals and after going to the toilet - is imperative for stopping the spread of illness. Even while not visibly dirty, washing hands is a good habit to adopt.

Additionally, being considerate by covering your face when you cough or sneeze and then washing your hands after is the best way to cut down on spreading the love.

And remember, washing with soap for at least 15 to 20 seconds, rinsing and then drying with a towel is the optimum way to rid your paws of germs.

But keep in mind that while washing your hands takes care of the surface of your skin, be mindful also of surfaces around the home and make sure they are clean too. Wiping them down with soap or disinfectant will stop the spread and perpetuation of illness among family members in the home.

If it’s your children who are sick or around other kids who are, teach them good hand hygiene, to not share eating or drinking utensils, and to cover their mouths when they cough - they are never too young to start learning these rules to live by.

2 Eat Well

Ever wondered why some fresh fruit and veggies are more expensive than others at certain times of the year? It’s because, generally, the cheaper fruits and veggies are more likely to be in season at the time, than the ones that are more expensive.

For example, in winter, berries are more expensive than oranges, because oranges are in season and more readily available.

You’ve probably heard that eating seasonally is the best for you and there’s some merit to that. What’s grown seasonally seems to match up with the needs of the body in those seasons. So in winter when you need more vitamin C to ward off the lurgies, oranges, mandarins and lemons are coming into their own.

So it goes without saying, having a healthy, balanced diet is so imperative in winter to help you and your kids stay well. Making sure you are getting enough fresh vitamins and minerals, as well as protein and iron, should be at the top of your shopping list. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water, whether you’re well or not!

3 Stay Away

If you’re sick, the best thing you can do for those around you is to stay home and rest. Going to work is needlessly spreading your germ confetti, and also may prolong your cold or flu because you are not seeking the proper hours of rest your body needs to recover.

Likewise for kids, be clear about what their school or daycare policy is for illness and keep them home to protect other kids from becoming needlessly unwell. The home environment will also give them a chance to rest and recover quickly.

For parents, this part can be a bit of a juggling act between letting kids get better and not losing too much school or daycare hours, particularly when institutions such as daycare have a strict attendance policy. But as a general rule, careforkids.com.au says before you send a sick kid to school or daycare, ask yourself these three questions:

• Will my child be well enough to comfortably and happily participate in the activities of the day?

• Will my child's care provider be able to care for my child without it affecting their ability to look after the other children?

• Will my child pass the illness on to their playmates if I send them in today?

If your answers to these is no, no, yes (or a similar combination), it’s best to keep them home. The more they rest, the quicker they’ll recover and the stronger they’ll be against relapse or future infection. 

4 Sleep it off

Night time is when your body regenerates and does the most healing, so getting a full night’s sleep is not only good if you're getting over a cold, it also helps to fight and prevent them.

While it’s different for everyone, on average for adults, a full night means getting at least seven to nine hours of fitful and satisfying sleep. There is no room for burning the midnight oil in winter, guys!

For children, anywhere between 10 to 14 hours of sleep (depending on age) is needed to help them stay healthy and fight illness - perhaps more may be needed if they are actually unwell.

They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing!

5 Practice Self-care

I’m not really talking mental health self-care here, although cutting down on stress is important for immune health too. I’m more talking about literally taking care of yourself and making sure your kids are also receiving the same form of care. 

Feel your diet is lacking? Maybe speak to your GP about the type of supplements you could take to boost your immunity, such as probiotics - which take care of gut and immune health.

Feeling a bit sluggish? Maybe you need to get up and move more. Exercise is great for not only keeping you fit, but also warding off colds and flu. And a total bonus - you’ll be ready for swimsuit season when it rolls around.

But perhaps the most important thing you can do during winter is the most obvious - keep warm! Having cups of herbal tea, using blankets and heating at home and wearing the appropriate outerwear when you go outside will help you fight and prevent illness, as the body doesn’t have to work as hard to do so while fighting the cold temperatures.

Indeed, the team at Grain & Weave know the importance of keeping infants warm and have even written articles about the importance of them being comfortable - no matter if it’s hot or cold outside.

While these are not total fail-safe ways to stay well over winter - and let’s face it, you’re probably going to get sick at least once - it does give you peace of mind that you are looking out for yourself and your kids.

Stay safe out there, guys!

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