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The holidays are coming soon and Dr. John Stutts joins the Mix to give advice during the cold, cough, and flu season. Dr. Stutts has been a practicing physician for three decades and is the pediatric medical director at Abbott, a global healthcare company. For more information visit pedialyte.com
Transcript
00:00 - Well, the holidays are coming up
00:01 and so is the cold and flu season.
00:04 - Yup, I know.
00:05 Dr. John Stutz, Pediatric Medical Director at Abbott
00:08 is here to give us advice to help us stay healthy
00:11 during the cold, cough and flu season.
00:13 - Hello everyone.
00:17 My name is Dr. John Stutz.
00:19 I'm a Pediatric Gastroenterologist
00:22 and the Pediatric Medical Director at Abbott.
00:25 And I'm here today to speak with you
00:28 about cold and flu season and what we can do to get ready
00:32 so we are as healthy as possible
00:35 during that time of the year.
00:38 One question that I'm commonly asked is,
00:41 does cold weather really make you sick?
00:44 Are you more prone to getting sick
00:46 during the cold weather months?
00:48 And really the answer is yes, for a couple of reasons.
00:53 One is our immune system is often really not
00:57 as effective at colder temperatures.
01:00 And the other is that in those colder temperatures,
01:03 family and friends gather inside together.
01:07 So that great time of togetherness
01:10 is really unfortunately an opportunity
01:12 for those germs to be shared and can lead to illness.
01:17 So with that, what can we do to prevent getting sick?
01:22 Well, I cannot stress enough the power of prevention.
01:27 And so I'll give you four tips for decreasing your chances
01:31 of getting sick and preventing illness.
01:34 Number one, washing your hands
01:36 with soap and water frequently.
01:39 Number two, keeping your hands away from your mouth,
01:44 your nose, your eyes, because those are ways
01:47 in which germs can enter our bodies.
01:49 Number three is sanitizing surfaces,
01:53 both within the home, maybe at work.
01:56 That can help decrease chances of getting sick.
01:58 And fourth, and maybe most importantly,
02:00 really talking with loved ones, like your kids,
02:03 about how to wash their hands properly
02:06 and help prevent them from getting sick.
02:08 Because if they get sick, who's next?
02:11 You and the entire household, right?
02:15 So how do we prepare?
02:16 How do we prepare for a cold and flu season?
02:19 Well, think back to when your kids last got sick
02:22 or a loved one got sick.
02:23 It's always at the most inopportune time.
02:26 It's the middle of the night, early morning hours,
02:28 or maybe the day before you leave on vacation.
02:32 So now is the time to get those sick day essentials.
02:36 So those hand sanitizers, fever reducers,
02:40 tissues, thermometers, COVID self-tests,
02:44 like BinaxNOW and electrolyte solution like Pedialyte.
02:49 So everyone knows hydration is important,
02:52 but hydration is vital when we are ill.
02:57 Well, fever, vomiting, diarrhea,
03:00 they not only deplete our bodies of fluids,
03:03 but they also deplete us of electrolytes
03:07 that are really important for getting better
03:10 from our illness and feeling better fast.
03:13 And what you hydrate, rehydrate with really matters.
03:17 Water's great, but it really is not enough.
03:21 What we rehydrate with, we want it to have electrolytes
03:24 like sodium, chloride, and potassium.
03:27 And that's why I recommend Pedialyte to my patients
03:31 because it's scientifically formulated
03:34 with not only the fluids,
03:36 but also those three main electrolytes
03:39 that we lose during times of illness.
03:41 My personal favorite is the Pedialyte Advanced Care Plus.
03:46 It comes in the ready to drink.
03:48 It also comes in the powder sticks.
03:51 And for children, we have the Pedialyte Freezer Pops.
03:56 And they're very soothing to a sore throat.
04:00 And kids think they're getting a treat,
04:02 but what you're really accomplishing
04:04 is getting those fluids and electrolytes in them
04:07 that they need when they are sick
04:09 and to help get them feeling better more quickly.
04:13 The other thing I'll say, let's face it,
04:15 they're not just for kids.
04:17 It's okay to have those on hand for yourself as an adult.
04:21 If they're soothing for a kid's throat,
04:23 I know that they're soothing for my throat as well.
04:28 What about signs of dehydration?
04:29 How do you know if a child is dehydrated or not?
04:32 That can be tough,
04:33 and that varies from one individual to the next.
04:37 But young kids that can't vocalize very well,
04:40 look for signs such as irritability, fatigue,
04:45 or ask about a headache.
04:47 And if those are present,
04:50 then it may be time to do a hydration check
04:53 and ask when's the last time there was something
04:56 that was had drinking-wise?
04:59 Or when's the last time that there was something to eat?
05:03 And when's the last time
05:04 that your child went to the bathroom?
05:06 Because decreased urination,
05:09 it's a telltale sign of dehydration.
05:12 So I hope that everyone has a very happy
05:16 and healthy holiday season.
05:19 And don't forget the power of prevention.
05:23 And for more information, visit Pedialyte.com.
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