Healthy holidays for kids and teens

Compared with what adults face, it doesn’t seem like kids have much to worry about during the holidays. The reality is children and teens also experience stress and seasonal health concerns that can be just as overwhelming, particularly during the holiday break, when schedules become more hectic and less predictable. This holiday season, five simple tips can help your family stay well and have a good time.

1. Fight germs. Family gatherings, airports and travel stops, shopping malls, even the school library during finals week — they’re all home to germs. Protect yourself by getting a flu vaccine and washing your hands often. People can be contagious before they even know they’re sick, so even just a sip from someone’s drink puts his or her germs in your body. Be sure to keep this in mind when sharing meals with your family. Although the holidays may be all about sharing, you’ll want to keep some things to yourself, including forks, spoons and drinking utensils.

2. Eat healthy. For children and teens, nutrition plays a key role in battling germs and boosting energy. But holiday foods are often high in calories and lack the nutritional qualities necessary for good health. Make it a priority to serve five or more fruits and vegetables a day. Carry an apple or a bag of baby carrots so you always have a healthy snack available. Exercise also gives you energy in addition to burning the extra calories consumed during the holidays, so stay active and don’t give your exercise routine a break.

3. Relax. Even things we look forward to, such as holiday parties or gifts, can be a source of stress. For many, stress also leads to other health problems and can make it difficult for your immune system to fight illness. Feeling stressed? Stop what you’re doing for a moment. Take five deep breaths — all-the-way-down-to-your-belly deep — and concentrate on each breath as you inhale and exhale. Walk over to a window and look out at the sky. Then go back to what you were doing, realizing that holiday drama will happen. Just hope it leaves you with some great stories to tell.

4. Beat the winter blues. Many children and teens suffer from seasonal depression, which can be brought on by shorter days, longer nights and cooler weather. Sunlight and exercise are great mood lifters, so go outside if you or someone in your family is feeling down. Try a seasonal activity to put you in the holiday spirit, like ice-skating or neighborhood carol singing. Also, encourage your children to talk to you or someone they trust about how they are feeling.

5. Get plenty of sleep. Strengthen your immune system by getting eight and a half to nine hours of sleep each night during the holidays. Ensuring you and your children get enough sleep during this time will also give you more energy and make you less vulnerable to stress.

For more information about how you can stay healthy during the holidays, please visit www.kidshealth.org

Lane F. Donnelly, M.D., serves as vice president of Nemours as well as chief medical officer and physician-in-chief for Nemours Children’s Hospital, which will open in Lake Nona’s Medical City in 2012.