Healthy Lesson Plan for Going Back To School  

DuPage County children will soon be heading back to school and the DuPage County Health Department wants to offers some tips that will make this school year healthy and happy for all children.

According to the Health Department, the following guidelines can help parents prevent the spread of illnesses in classrooms:

• Make sure your children are up to date on their immunizations and sports physicals, and receive an annual flu shot.
• Make sure your children have plenty of rest and a nutritious diet to help them fight germs.
• Make sure your children are dressed properly if they are involved in outdoor activities at recess or gym.
• Notify the school if your child has been diagnosed with an infectious condition such as strep throat, chickenpox, scarlet fever, or pertussis.
• Teach your children the proper way to wash their hands. Make sure they use soap and water, rub their hands for at least 20 seconds, and thoroughly rinse and dry their hands.
• Teach children the importance of covering their coughs and sneezes.
• Keep your child home if he or she is ill. One sick child can spread germs to all his or her classmates.
• Keep your child home if he or she has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, has nausea or vomiting, has a sore throat with fever, has a persistent cough (dry or productive), has diarrhea (three or more episodes in 24 hours), has a rash, or has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school such as fatigue or lack of appetite, headaches, body aches, earache or sore throat.