Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years

Healthy Habits for Preventing Infection and Illness

Handling food safely, practising basic hygiene to prevent communicable diseases, and getting regular physical examinations and immunizations are all healthy habits that help protect your child against illness and infection.

Safe food preparation and precautions

Thorough cleaning and food preparation helps keep you and your child from getting food-borne illnesses. Do your best to ensure that the restaurants where you eat also handle food safely.

Experts recommend the following steps to prevent food poisoning:

• Prepare foods safely. Because germs spread easily on surfaces that many people use or touch, it is important to wash your hands frequently and keep surfaces clean.
• Shop safely. Raw meats, seafood, and eggs can contaminate other foods they touch. Keep these items wrapped in plastic and away from fresh foods in your shopping cart.
• Cook foods safely. Meats and foods that have been in contact with raw meat need to be cooked thoroughly to prevent the growth of bacteria. The specific temperature varies by type of food.
• Store foods safely. Keep food temperatures at safe levels to prevent bacterial growth that can cause illness. For example, perishable foods should be refrigerated promptly, not left out on the counter.
• Follow labels on food packaging. Look for expiration dates on perishable foods before you buy or eat them. Also, follow cooking guidelines that are provided, such as temperature and cooking time.
• Serve foods safely. Keep hot foods hot—60°C (140°F) or above—and cold foods cold—4°C (40°F) or below. If you are not sure if a food is safe to eat, throw it out.

For more information, see the topic Food Poisoning and Safe Food Handling.

Protect against the spread of illness

Although colds and flu are more common in the colder months, they can occur any time of year. Take extra precautions to help protect your child against these and other viral and bacterial infections.

• Be aware of higher risk of germs in public areas. Avoid exposing your child to a large crowd if he or she has been ill recently or has an otherwise weakened immune system, especially when a contagious illness is going around. Also, it may be helpful to have a hand sanitizer and disposable wipes on hand to clean hands and to wipe off shopping carts or other shared items in public places.
• Avoid close contact with others who are sick. Keep your child away from others who are obviously ill. Also, if your child is ill, avoid contact with other children until the contagious period is over. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure about how long your child is likely to be contagious.
• Wash your hands frequently. Keeping your hands clean is an obvious but often overlooked means of preventing the spread of germs.
• Wash and disinfect surfaces and toys. Areas where germs collect, such as the kitchen and bathroom, should be kept clean and frequently disinfected.
• Teach children to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, preferably using a tissue so that germs do not get on their hands. Also show them how to use tissues to wipe their noses.
• Consider flu shots for your child. The inactivated flu vaccine is recommended for:^{2, 3}
  • All healthy children between 6 months and 23 months of age.
  • All children who are at least 6 months of age and have certain medical conditions (such as asthma, chronic heart or lung disorders, or an impaired immune system) that put them at high risk for complications of the flu.
  • Siblings and close contacts of children 23 months of age and younger who could spread the flu to those at high risk.
  • Siblings and close contacts of children who are at high risk for problems caused by the flu.

In general, the Canadian Paediatric Society and the National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) support that all children age 23 months and older get the flu shot. But they are not a high-risk group. Provinces and territories may have different recommendations about who should get a yearly flu shot. You can access the latest flu vaccine recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/naci-ccni/is-si/index.html. Also, for more information, see the topics Immunizations or Influenza.

Visit the doctor regularly

Make sure you regularly schedule well child appointments. During these visits, a health professional:

• Gives your child a general physical examination.
• Gives or schedules vaccinations, also called immunizations. These provide important protection for your child against harmful disease. National or provincial immunization schedules outline the recommended vaccinations and the ages at which they should be given. Immunization schedules may vary in each province and territory. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
• Asks you questions about your child's health and development and whether you have any concerns.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH Carrie Henley	Last Updated: February 21, 2007
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.