Thousands of North Texas students are returning to school on Tuesday after two weeks of winter break. The return to school in the new year often goes hand-in-hand with cold outdoor temperatures and warm body temperatures.
North Texas has seen an uptick in some illnesses in kids, and this cold, dry weather isn’t helping.
"They're seeing a lot more common respiratory illnesses, viruses, normal viruses such as rhinovirus, normal cough, and runny nose," Dr. Cesar Termulo, a pediatrician at Parkland, said. "We are seeing an increase in flu and over the past week we've had an 18% increase in flu laboratory positivity."
Here's how you can help your children stay warm and healthy as they go back to school after the holiday break.
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Over the holidays, kids have been home and likely around a lot of people. That means they have been around their cousin’s cough, their sister’s sneezes, or their friend with the flu. With children returning to school, chances are someone is bringing an illness back from break with them.
According to Termulo, there are signs to look out for to let parents know when to keep kids at home and ways to help them recover when they are sick:
- If there is still a significant cough that wakes them up at night or interferes with their normal activities
- If they have a fever
- They should be at least 24 hours without a fever before they return to the classroom
- Make sure they have the proper food their bodies need to fight illness
- Ensure they are hydrated
- Make certain they are getting enough rest
Termulo also said that a flu shot could be the most important way to keep kids healthy as they go back to school.
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"Many children are coming in with a high fever due to the flu that actually causes seizures," Termulo said. "If one has asthma and gets the flu. they can have an asthma attack. Over 200 children died last year from the flu so this is not an insignificant illness."
Parents should also make sure their children stay warm during these cold months in order to keep their immune systems strong.
Before the expected winter weather arrives in North Texas at the end of the week, below-freezing temperatures can be a real cause for concern as kids head back to school from winter break.
Temperatures on Tuesday morning were in the 20s as the coldest air of the season settled into place.
Termulo said parents should pay a little extra attention to make sure children are dressed correctly when they head off to school on frigid mornings.
According to NOAA, layering is important when it comes to dressing for cold weather. Recommendations include wearing a head covering, gloves, and in some cases, a face covering.
Kids are more vulnerable as temperatures begin to fall, and layers help to prevent hypothermia and frostbite.
Experts say children should also take regular breaks indoors to warm up after being outside in cold temperatures.
"If they are properly layered so that if they are to go outside their their body won't be as affected and, you know, perhaps the immune system might be as affected if they're not as layered up," Termulo said.
