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Parents are proud when people comment on their child’s good manners. They learned because you taught them. Good hygiene habits also have to be taught and are just as important.

Kids can be dirt magnets and keeping them “clean” can be a challenge. Keeping the dirt off is tough enough. Keeping them free from harmful germs can be even tougher. 

Hygiene has never been more discussed than it has been in recent years. Good hygiene is one of the major keys to wellness, and teaching kids to practice it could help keep your household germ and virus free. 

According to World Health Organization (WHO), hygiene plays an extremely vital role in protecting us from infectious disease. Here are some tips to teaching your kids how to stay practice good hygiene and form healthy habits: 

Hand Washing: Lead by example. Teach your kids to wash their hands after using the restroom, before eating, after returning from school, the park or grocery store, and anytime they have had contact with high-touch surfaces. 

Cover Your Cough. This simple sentence speaks for itself. Instruct kids to cover their coughs and cough or sneeze into their elbows. 

Hands Off. Remind your kids not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Teaching them to do so will also help them pick up and spread germs. 

Bathing and showering. Teaching your kids about keeping their whole body clean will remind them of the importance of self-care and routine. Daily (or nightly) baths will both relax them and teach them proper hygiene! 

Life gets busy, and routine healthcare appointments are postponed because we’re just too swamped. Some may still be avoiding appointments because of COVID concerns. Regardless, missing routine appointments can have a negative effect on your health. 

For some, that means a missed dental appointment or postponed eye exam. But people with chronic medical conditions face a nerve-wrecking choice between staying home and missing necessary appointments or heading into the clinic where they may feel vulnerable or unsafe. 

Many ailments and chronic conditions may make sufferers more susceptible to colds, flu and even COVID,  or they are at risk to become seriously ill if infected. It’s more important now that older adults (65+) and patients suffering from chronic conditions maintain their routine appointments, like annual physicals and visits that help manage their conditions. 

It’s important to maintain recommended or scheduled appointments if you suffer from conditions, including chronic kidney disease, COPD, an immunocompromised state, obesity, heart disease and even diabetes. Children with medically complex conditions are also at higher risk. 

A large part of staying healthy and managing chronic conditions are routine appointments, exams and treatments. If your health is at risk overall, you are more at risk for serious complications from COVID-19. Maintaining the healthcare plan developed with your provider can keep you in the best possible health and less at-risk for COVID-19 or other conditions.

We are living through days when it’s critical to take a serious look at our health. Stop smoking. If you have a few pounds to lose, now is the time. Make an appointment for an annual physical or well-child exam. If you’re in an at-risk condition, you can work with your Floyd Valley Healthcare provider to possibly move into a category facing less risk.