Cold & Flu Season Tips for a 1st Year Teacher

This morning while on facebook, a friend of mine (a 1st year preschool teacher) posted on her wall and asked what she could do to dodge the cold and flu season. an intended comment on her status quickly turned into a long personal message. Since it took so much time, I thought I'd share my tips with you guys:

My Message to Melissa:

The first year is always rough for educators of all age groups. In terms of sickness, my 2nd year was SOO much better than my 1st and it gets better every year. While you ARE in your 1^st year, here are a few prevention tips:

Prevention

1. Eat a healthy diet and make sure you do not skip any meals, especially breakfast and lunch

2. Take a multivitamin. This helps with prevention and also will make you feel better overall.

3. Be aware of the things you touch. I know it’s hard especially for you because when a little one runs over to you with tears running down their cheeks and snot running out of their nose, you can't be like, “eww! Wash your hands before you touch me”. For me, I have to be very aware to when I sign agendas when kids need to go to the bathroom, making sure I use my own pens. I also use antibacterial lotion a few times a day. (not constantly because I’m horrified of super bugs). I find the gel dries out your hands so I LOVE the lotion!

Treatment

1. Airborne! airborne, airborne, airborne!!! I LOVE airborne! The trick with this stuff is that you have to take it the second you start to feel yucky…even if you’re not sure if it your getting sick, take it anyways. It’s not going to hurt you if it was just paranoia. I can't tell you how many times it's saved me from a cold. If you take it once the symptoms are in full swing, it is pretty useless.

2. I am not a fan of the multi symptom medications like Nyquil or day quil. I don’t like the way it makes me feel and I really cant function on it. Also, you may not have all the of symptoms that it treats. I have found I only need 3 medications. I don’t use them all at the same time when I first feel yucky.

Usually the first thing that starts when you get sick are body aches and fever. For that I take advil. This is my #1 go-to medication. Next comes a runny nose, followed very quickly by a sore throat and if not treated a cough will come (again due to post-nasal drip). When the running nose symptom comes, I take some kind of non-drowsy antihistamine like Clariton. This should stop the running nose, stop the soar throat and stop or prevent the cough. If you are dried out and still have a cough, then I bring out the big guns.

For coughing, I usually take robitussin. I’ve only had to use this for 1 of the times I’ve gotten sick. All the other times, the Clariton cleared it up. When I did have to use it, I usually only used it at night since it makes you feel drugged and it helps you sleep. During the day I just had cough drops. But if it’s a really painful dry cough then I would take a non-drowsy cough medication just because I know how unbearably painful it can be. Honestly, if you have to take cough medication at night during the day, I would definitely go to the doctor at this point because it is more than likely bronchitis and needs antibiotics. Also, the doctor can prescribe prescription strength robitussin as well. But again, for majority of my experience, it’s just been a runny nose and fever and all other symptoms that are caused by the runny nose/fever.

Hope this helps!

-Bridge-

So that is my advice. Take it or leave it. I am obviously not a doctor. This advice is just all from personal experience and may not be for everyone.