It’s Fall here and that means a few things.  The leaves are about to change, it’s the start of cold/flu prevention season, and lots of kids will be shivering and underdressed half the day.

With temperatures changing with the season, it is sometimes difficult to properly dress children for the day.  However, it is better to be on the safe side with extra layers that are easily removed, than purple lips and shivering little bodies that result from a chilly Fall day.

Can you get sick from being cold? No, it is not the actual cold temperature that makes you get sick (unless you are hypothermic – in which case, you have serious illness to worry about). So why is it important to dress children warm?

Here is a simple explanation:
Viruses incubate (multiply quietly without our knowledge) in the body before symptoms appear.  This can take 2-5 days depending on the virus.

The immune system is the body’s defense against these viruses and germs.  Our immune system goes on alert as soon as the virus enters our body and gears up for battle (all without our knowledge). View them as the body’s “soldiers”.  What happens when “soldiers” are worn down by cold weather, poor diet, lack of sleep, and stress? They are not able to “fight and defend”  optimally.

Now picture these same “soldiers” boosted by vitamins and herbs, balanced diet, good sleep, happiness and layers of clothing to keep comfortably warm.

They are able to defend the body more effectively!

So strengthen those “soldiers” -prepare for the cold/flu season with well-rested, nutritionally fed, happy, and properly dressed children.

If traveling, packing layers is essential.  Airplane cabins can be cold or hot- irrelevant of the season.  Layers are a great option since optimal temperature is within your control.

Keep this in mind for infants as well. Feel the back of the baby’s neck.  Sometimes, cheeks can be cool from cold air, and yet the baby is overheating.  Feeling on the back of the neck is another way to test how comfortable they are.  Also remember that babies cannot regulate their temperature as well as adults and older kids.  Layers and periodic checks are important for parents to do to keep infants comfortable.

Overdressing (sweating) and underdressing (shivering) children will cause extra fatigue for little immune systems (soldiers).

Should you keep kids inside and avoid cold weather? Actually going outside in the fresh air may lower the risk of getting sick – as long as dressed appropriately. The reason behind this is that the cold/flu virus spreads quickly when people are in close proximity and when the air is dry (heated indoor air has low humidity).

By avoiding germs with proper hand-washing and keeping little “soldiers” strong with the tips above, your family will have a much better chance of preventing cold/flu this Fall/Winter season. And if they do happen to get sick, the immune system (soldiers) will be stronger to fight the illness and the virus will be less severe than if those soldiers are weak and shivering.

Check out the comfie layers at Agoo Baby for happy, healthy kids!

Anya Clowers is a registered nurse, travel expert, and author of the book, Jet With Kids.  Actively involved in the travel, medical, and juvenile product industries, she assists thousands of families to travel safely and self-sufficiently. Anya travels monthly with her world-traveling preschooler to research the flight process. To pack peace of mind for your next trip, visit www.JetWithKids.com. To view Anya’s full bio, go here.