After spending the cold winter months indoors, spring is one of the most anticipated times. Unfortunately, the warmer weather and longer days threaten your kids' health. Besides knowing what to look out for when diagnosing, it's important to know how to prevent health issues before sending your kids back outside. Here are five ways to ensure your children stay healthy this spring.
1. Make Sure They Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is important all year round. However, it gets trickier to do so in the spring when temperatures start to rise. If your kids participate in sports or other outdoor activities, they'll need more water to get them through the day.
The amount of water your child needs to drink depends on their age and size, their activity, and the weather outside. While sports beverages boast about their ability to replenish electrolytes, most contain a lot of sugar. When your youngster needs to recharge, bananas are a far better and healthier alternative for balancing electrolytes.
Some dehydration symptoms include headache, muscle cramps, abdominal pains, vomiting, and nausea. Your children should urinate between four and six times daily if they're adequately hydrated, and the color of the urine should be clear to pale yellow.
2. Protect Against Spring Allergies
After being stuck indoors throughout winter, your kids can't wait to be outside. However, warmer weather tends to trigger springtime allergies. Allergies in children can manifest at any age and be equally severe as in adults. Around 40% of youngsters experience allergies in the spring, and the signs are easy to spot. Common signs include sore ears and throat, itchy eyes, heavy breathing, runny nose, and repetitive sneezing.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep your kids healthy throughout the spring allergy season. One way is to have them take a bath after spending time outside. While unfortunate, if your kids have a history of severe allergies, keep them indoors on high pollen days, even if the weather is beautiful and warm outside. Rather than opening the windows and letting pollen and other allergens enter your home, use your air conditioning system to keep your interior cool.
3. Get Private Health Insurance
While 40% to 50% of residents in the United States rely on employer health insurance, more Americans are opting for private health insurance. With private health insurance, you don't have to worry about losing coverage when you change jobs. It also gives you more control, as you can tailor a plan to include your preferred doctor and hospital. Private health insurance will ensure your kids get the best health care when needed.
4. Keep Up With Dental Visits
After spending most of the time indoors during winter, your kids have likely been snacking a lot. The increased sugar intake can put them at a higher risk of developing tooth decay. Tooth decay is 20 times more prevalent than diabetes and five times more prevalent than childhood asthma. Keeping up with dental visits will help to detect potential health issues early on when they're easy to treat. It will also help to reinforce good oral hygiene practices.
5. Consider Private Schools
Private schools often have smaller classes with student-to-teacher ratios of 12:1. Fewer students means your child will be less likely to catch contagious illnesses. Private schools prioritize physical activity, have facilities for different sports, and encourage good eating habits by offering healthier food options in their cafeterias. Private schools also have a more nurturing and supportive environment, which can lower stress levels and improve mental and physical health.
As temperatures get warmer in the spring, the last thing you want is for your kids to suffer from illnesses of any kind. To do this, you need to be proactive. Use these tips to ensure your children stay healthy throughout this season.
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