Protect your child from contagious diseases like Influenza and Hand, Foot and Mouth disease
Influenza and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) are infectious illnesses. They can lead to complications if they are not properly treated, and young children are most at risk. Find out how you can fight these infections effectively.
Keep your child at home if he/she is ill. Avoid crowded places such as schools, child care centres, hospitals and malls.
Children who are sick should be resting at home to help them recover faster and reduce the risk of complications.
You probably know it as the “flu”. This is a contagious illness that can affect anyone.
The infection is spread through droplets in the air when someone with the flu coughs, sneezes or speaks. It can be transmitted indirectly when a person touches a contaminated surface, for example, a lift button or a door knob, and uses the same hand to touch his/her mouth or his/her nose.
Flu attacks the respiratory tract, causing inflammation in the nose, throat and lungs. Look out for symptoms such as a high fever, sore throat, coughing, headache, aches in the body and a stuffy nose. Your child may also suffer from sneezing fits, nasal discharge, appetite loss, fatigue, general weakness, chills, and stomach discomfort.
Left untreated, influenza can lead to complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infection and meningitis (inflammation of the lining that covers the brain).
Teach your child to fight flu with these tips.
Your child’s hands tend to get dirty as he/she explores his environment, thus his/her hands are exposed to germs. Wash his/her hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water. Alcohol sanitisers can be used when there is no soap and water.
Wash your child’s hands
• Before and after meals.
• Before handling food.
• After using the toilet.
• After blowing his/her nose.
• After touching common surfaces like tabletops, doorknobs, handrails, etc.
Teach your child to cover his/her nose and mouth with tissue when he/she coughs or sneezes. Each time he/she coughs or sneezes, germs are spread into the air. If the water droplets from his/her cough or sneeze land on surfaces that are touched by others, this can cause them to fall sick.
If your child has the flu, please let him/her wear a mask to prevent other people from being exposed to the germs. Wash his/her hands before putting on the mask and after disposing it.
Your child’s body temperature will increase when his/her body is trying to fight an infection. If his/her body temperature hits 38°C or more, he/she could have the flu. And if your child experiences other flu symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose, cough, muscle aches and tiredness, please keep him/her at home. Consult a doctor for further advice. Make sure he/she puts on a mask before he/she leaves the house.
Once your child is well, practise good personal hygiene and be socially responsible. This includes covering his/her nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and using a serving spoon when sharing food from a common plate.
HFMD is caused by virus. It is infectious and can happen to anyone, but young children aged 5 years and below are most susceptible. HFMD is usually mild, but it can lead to complications and even death.
HFMD spreads by direct contact with fluid from skin lesions, nose and throat secretions, or stools of an infected person. It can also spread by indirect contact with objects used by infected persons. There are cases where people who have HFMD do not show any symptoms, but they can still spread the disease as the virus is still active.
A child with HFMD usually has the following symptoms:
In most cases, HFMD is mild. However, please bring your child to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital immediately if he/she displays the following signs and symptoms:
• Disorientation, drowsiness and/or irritability
• Severe headache, giddiness or neck stiffness
• Breathlessness or turning blue
• Dehydration — this can happen due to continuous vomiting, diarrhoea or poor fluid intake as a result of painful mouth ulcers
Children who are sick should rest at home so that they recover faster, reduce the spread of infections and risk of complications.
• Bring him/her to your family doctor or nearest polyclinic.
• Encourage him/her to drink plenty of fluids.
• Feed him/her with a soft diet, such as porridge, mashed potatoes or pureed fruits.
• Give him/her medication prescribed by the doctor.
• Keep him/her away from school, the child care centre, and public places such as shopping malls.
• Inform his/her school or child care centre. They can monitor the other children and take precautions to prevent the spread of HFMD.
• Keep his/her toys, books, eating utensils, towels and clothes separate from others.
• Keep your child at home until he/she has fully recovered.
• Look out for signs and symptoms in other family members, both children and adults. Ensure his/her siblings are well before sending them to school or the child care centre.
Bond with your child as you both learn how to fight viruses and stay healthy. This fun “washy washy clean” song will teach your child the right way to get his/her hands squeaky clean.
(sing to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
Chorus/Intro
It’s fun to wash your hands
And I know you understand
So we washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Verse
We start with washing palm to palm
Between each finger, let us rub
Now the back of the hands, it’s such a simple plan
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Clean the base of the thumbs one by one
Then the back of the fingers, this is fun!
Don’t forget your fingernails, it’s about details
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Now move on to the wrists, let us rub I think we’re nearly done, so now what
Just rinse the soap away, dry our hands and we’re ok
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Chorus
So we washy washy clean, scrub scrub
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
It’s fun to wash your hands and I know you’ll understand
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides to give your child a healthy start.
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This article was last reviewed on 15 Nov 2022
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