Drink Water
Drinking plenty of fluids during the day keeps you hydrated, delivers nutrients to organs and flushes toxins from the body.
Get Plenty of Sleep
A well-rested body is one of your best defenses against a range of illnesses, including colds, because regular, healthy sleeping patterns help bolster the immune system.
Exercise
Regular physical activity — especially cardiovascular and aerobic workouts such as running, walking and biking — helps strengthen the immune system and increases the body's natural virus-killing cells.
Wash Your Hands
Some cold viruses can live up to two hours on surfaces like desks, cafeteria tables and doorknobs. That's why it's so important to wash your hands often with soap and water. Consider packing in your child's backpack or lunchbox a small bottle of soap or alcohol-based hand wipes as a reminder.
Avoid Touching Your Face
The eyes, nose and mouth are entry ports for cold viruses. So avoid rubbing your eyes and nose or chewing your nails — especially when a cold is working its way through your office or school.
Learn to Sneeze the Healthy Way
Avoid using your hands to cover your mouth when you sneeze. Why? Because the viruses that cause colds will live on your hands, and that means the next person who touches your hand might get infected. Instead, use a tissue to muffle sneezes, or, if you don't have one, turn your head away from people near you and sneeze into the air.
Sharing Is Not Always Good
Avoid sharing a communal bathroom cup because you could inadvertently catch germs. Opt instead for disposable paper cups. Also, be sure to throw away toothbrushes after an illness.
Consider Taking Time off From School
The cold and flu experts at Vicks estimate that the average child catches five to eight colds a year. One reason for this is because colds can spread quickly and easily around a school. Assess if your child is too sick to go to school, and consider keeping your child home from school during the most contagious stage (usually the first 24 to 72 hours).
