How to avoid getting sick at winter gatherings

Between the holidays and the winter weather, your children are likely to be in close company with lots of people over the next several weeks.

That's part of the fun, of course. But few things can put a damper on fun like getting sick — especially if the culprit is a fast-moving virus like stomach flu or norovirus.

What can you do to improve the odds against getting sick for your kids — and yourself?

“First, don't take your kids out when they are sick,” said Dr. Reinhold Llerena, chief medical officer at Amita Health Medical Group.

This can be difficult. Kids don't want to miss a Christmas party with their cousins or a sleepover with their friends. But explain to your kids that it is not fair to visit people when you are sick.

Stay home if you are sick yourself. As a general rule, sick people should not go out until they have been fever-free and not throwing up or having diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

And don't go to gatherings where you know other people are sick. If Aunt Susie was in bed with a cold and fever yesterday, make your polite regrets and offer to stop by with some chicken soup when she is feeling better.

“When people are sick, use supportive measures to treat symptoms – a humidifier for nasal congestion, honey or lozenges for a cough, Tylenol or ibuprofen for a fever,” Llerena said. “Get a flu vaccine.”

Wash your hands often, and make sure your children do too. Teach them to wash with soap and warm or hot water for as long as it takes them to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

Also teach them to use a tissue when they sneeze and to cough into a tissue or their sleeve rather than their hands.

“Consider disinfecting frequently used areas at home and work, especially if there are sick people there,” Llerena said. “Germs are potentially everywhere, but if you focus on hand hygiene and covering nose and mouth, you will reduce a large amount of risk for spreading germs.”

If you are preparing food, wash your hands often, and clean and disinfect surfaces and utensils used in food preparation.

If you are a guest, keep a discreet eye on the cook. If you are worried about sanitation methods, either offer to help out or avoid the foods that concern you.

Avoid communal bowls of finger foods like nuts, candy or fruit. Everyone should use a utensil to serve onto an individual plate or bowl. Kids are especially prone to grabbing a handful of some treat, eating it out of their hand, and then going back for another handful — and leaving their germs behind.

Give your kids and yourself an extra weapon in the war on germs by eating right. Over the holidays in particular, most people eat things you don't usually eat — and probably shouldn't. Keeping your body adequately fueled can help fight off illness. Getting enough sleep can be helpful too.

Finally, make time to relax. If you and your kids are constantly running, you eventually will get rundown. And that is when you are most likely to get sick.

• Children's health is a continuing series. This week's article is courtesy of Amita Health, which is comprised of 19 hospitals and more than 230 sites of care, including Amita Health Alexian Brothers Women & Children's Hospital Hoffman Estates. Amita Health has 900 providers in its medical groups, more than 26,000 associates and 7,000 physician partners and serves over 4.3 million residents in the greater Chicago area. For more information about Amita Health's pediatric programs, visit www.amitahealth.org.