Why Are Kids Such Germ-Magnets?
Autumn has rolled around again. Leaves are crisping up, glossy brown conkers scatter the ground, and the kids are back at school. For many parents, this might bring a little sigh of relief after a hectic summer. However, a quieter house comes at a cost, because as the weather gets colder, your little ones won’t just be bringing home fridge-worthy artwork, but a striking collection of colds, viruses, coughs and fevers. Sweet as they are, your kids are germ magnets and school can be a Petri dish.
Why Do Kids Catch So Many Colds?
While adults catch 2-3 colds per year, kids suffer an average of 5-8 annual colds (1). Children’s immune systems are less experienced than ours and haven’t had the chance to build up defences to the more than 200 different cold-causing viruses out there (2). This makes them more susceptible to catching colds and other bugs. As it gets chillier and they spend more time indoors at school, they end up in close contact with lots of other little germ-spreaders, making schools and nurseries hotbeds for the season's latest colds and flu. Unluckily for you, these viruses often spread to parents at home.
A year-long American study involving weekly nasal samples from 26 households found that adults living with children spend significantly more time battling viruses. And more kids = more viral infections. In families with 2, 3 or 4 children, at least one family member was sick for more than half the year. They also found that younger children are more likely to bring viruses home, with children under 5 having some kind of respiratory virus a whopping 50% of the year (3).
The Inspiration For Leapfrog
Incessant kiddie colds was exactly the reason that Leapfrog's founder, Stephanie Drax, started the company. She dreaded the series of spluttering coughs and blocked noses that her two boys would bring back from nursery. Deciding that there had to be a natural way to stop colds in their tracks, she called Australian scientist, Dr Nicholas Larkins, who opened her eyes to the magic of Lactoferrin.
Lactoferrin is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory protein naturally present in our immune system that when topped up has been found to reduce colds and cold-related symptoms. After experiencing firsthand how Lactoferrin crushed colds in her own family - and the plethora of scientific papers suggesting its ability to do the same for others - Stephanie was sold. After formulating a chewable tablet with scientists, Leapfrog Remedies was born.
Beat The Back-In-School Bugs
A key component of mothers' milk, Lactoferrin is gentle and safe for children. Our delicious citrus-flavoured chewable IMMUNE tablets are packed with the recommended daily amount of zinc and vitamin C for kids aged 4 to 11, making them perfect for children 4 and up. One tablet at the first hint of a runny nose or cough can supercharge your child's immune system, topping up their body’s natural supply of Lactoferrin to help them 'leapfrog' over that cold and get back to their usual whirlwind energy.
But it’s not just the little ones who need extra support: wiping runny noses, sharing utensils or giving extra cuddles to poorly children also puts parents at risk of catching a virus. Leapfrog IMMUNE is your ally, helping you stay healthy while juggling the demands of caregiving, work and daily life.
Cold Crushing Tips for Parents
IMMUNE is a valuable support if your family is struggling during cold and flu season, but following these general guidelines is also crucial for preventing the spread of illness:
- Keep your child at home
If your child spikes a fever, keeping them at home doesn’t just give them a chance to recover, but can help stop their classroom from becoming a breeding ground of nasties. If they have tummy trouble like diarrhoea or vomiting, give them at least two days at home after their symptoms clear.
- Wash Hands
Little hands, big germs. Never skip the suds! Regularly washing your hands for 20 seconds, specifically before eating, can help prevent the spread of germs. Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice, or the chorus to ‘Let it Go’ takes about 20 seconds and can be a great way to get your little ones to join in. However, if you’ve heard that chorus one too many times, maybe just grab some hand sanitiser and spare yourself the earworm!
- Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.
Using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, throwing it away immediately, and washing hands right after is how it's done. If there aren’t any tissues to hand, this is where the elbow trick comes in. Teaching your children to cough or sneeze into the crook of their elbow helps prevent the spread of respiratory droplets and, since they don’t touch that spot often, it helps prevent those germs from making their way onto every surface.
Sources
1. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/common-cold/background-information/prevalence/#:~:text=Adults%20experience%20an%20average%20of,5%E2%80%938%20colds%20per%20year
