By Diane Griffith, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth

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Sending your kids to school, possibly exposing them to classmates sick with swine (H1N1) flu, can be scary. But knowing how to protect your child can help ease your anxiety.

Rest assured that your child's school has plans in place for reacting to an outbreak of swine flu or any other emergency. You can also help your children protect themselves from swine flu, and many other infections, by teaching them some easy prevention tips.

Helping kids avoid germs

Help keep your kids healthy by teaching them to:

• Wash their hands. The most important prevention technique you can teach your kids is to wash their hands frequently with warm soap and water for at least 20 seconds - about the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
• Use hand sanitizers. Also give them alcohol-based hand sanitizers to keep in their book bags or purses. Tell them to use it after touching any surface where germs may live and to rub it on their hands until they are dry.
• Know when to wash or sanitize their hands. During a flu outbreak, teach them to wash or sanitize if possible after touching such surfaces as:
  • Stair rails
  • Lunch room tables and chairs
  • Gym equipment
  • Pens, pencils or other school supplies borrowed from other students
  • Lockers
  • Computer keyboards
  • Desks and chairs
  • Water fountains
  • Bathroom faucets
  • Doorknobs

Also make sure they wash their hands:

• Before eating
• After using the bathroom
• After blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing
• After touching an animal

• Keep their hands away from their face. Tell your kids not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth unless their hands are clean. Explain to nail-biters that their habit can increase their chances for infection.
• Don't share cups or utensils. Tell them not to drink from a classmate's cup, take a bite from a friend's sandwich or share spoons and forks with other students.

Keep them at home

If your child shows any signs of illness, keep him or her at home for at least 24 hours after his or her fever is gone. The fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.

If the school decides to close the school due to a swine flu outbreak, make sure your child stays home. Keep your children from gathering with groups of classmates at the mall, playground or other popular locations. This could defeat the purpose of closing the school.

View the original Swine flu: protecting your child at school article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC guidance for state and local public health officials and school administrators for school (K-12) responses to influenza during the 2009-2010 school year. Accessed: 08/27/2009

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) and you. Accessed: 08/21/2009

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clean hands save lives. Accessed: 04/14/2009