Children and Common Illnesses: 48% Already Sick In the 2022-2023 School Year

Myvision.org shared that Kids are back in school, and that means the return of back-to-school illnesses. As children across the country are spending time in classrooms, for many families, there’s a concern about what their kids might bring home. From the flu to pink eye or the common cold, many illnesses get spread around schools, especially as winter nears.

We surveyed more than 1,000 parents of school-aged children to learn more about the precautions they take and how illnesses impact their families and everyday life, especially for those who work from home.

While there are many illnesses that can go around a school and impact families, the most common sicknesses parents are concerned about this year include COVID-19 (70%), the flu (63%), common cold (46%), stomach flu (37%), strep throat (37%), head lice (32%), and pink eye (19%). Additionally, 64% of parents say they’re somewhat worried about their child getting sick this year, followed by 22% who are not worried, and 14% who are very worried.

Nearly half (48%) of parents say they’ve already had a child get sick this school year. 3 in 4 (76%) report their child had a common cold, more than 1 in 5 (22%) had COVID-19, and 1 in 10 had the stomach flu.

There are several ways parents and kids are taking precautions to stay healthy this year. The number one precaution is frequent handwashing (79%). This is followed by getting enough sleep (75%), coughing and sneezing into a tissue or elbow (63%), being up-to-date on vaccinations (60%), and eating healthy foods (56%). Despite these efforts, nearly 1 in 2 (45%) parents struggle to get their kids to follow these health precautions. Additionally, 38% believe there will be more illness this school year due to the relaxation of COVID-19 prevention measures.

To read the full article, click here.

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