Britain’s working mums least likely to take time off work: survey

A recent survey by Sambucol suggests that the UK’s working mums are the least likely to take time off when they’re ill, probably because they have so many things to juggle, and so many other people relying on them.

The poll of 3,000 people found that working mums are the profession least likely to take a day off sick, choosing to soldier on whatever the state of their health. Whether it’s juggling a career with family life or taking responsibility for the housework and childcare, it would seem that Britain’s mums don’t let an attack of the sniffles get in their way.

Dr Serene Foster, expert immunologist and herbalist said, “With so many people relying on them it’s no wonder that so many mums feel they cannot afford to be ill. When you start to feel run down, it’s your body’s way of telling you to take it easy, so not taking a day off when you need to may
mean you’ll feel under the weather for longer.”

With 84% of working mums keeping going when ill, and probably a similar, if not higher, proportion of stay-at-home mums doing the same, it’s surely very important for them to have others around them who can lend a helping hand when they’re feeling ill.

Are you guilty of passing bad hygiene habits onto your children?

One in three parents pick their nose, nearly half sneeze into their hands, and over half don’t wash their hands after coughing. These bad hygiene habits are being passed onto their children, meaning that, particularly during the approaching cold and flu season, germs have a field day running around school and family.

Nearly half of all parents can’t remember ever being taught the right way to sneeze and cough, even though over three-quarters know how to brush their teeth properly, and three in five remember being shown how to tie their shoelaces.

Kleenex’s Sneezesafe campaign, though ultimately in place to sell more of Kimberly-Clark’s tissues, has some useful tips for ensuring that the family minimises the disruption and misery colds cause in the wintertime:

1. Use a tissue to blow your nose and to cover coughs and sneezes
2. Throw used tissues in the bin as soon as possible
3. Wash your hands as soon as you can

It’s clear that kids pick up on what their parents do: 52% of parents don’t wash their hands after they cough, 77% of their children don’t; 46% of parents sneeze into their hands, 65% of their children do.

The campaign is aimed at four to six year-olds, and their parents. Hopefully lessons learnt now will stand them in good stead for the future.

Expert advice on preventing the common cold infecting your child

Kenneth Haller, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri, has given some advice for parents wanting to reduce the risk of their children catching the “common cold”.

“The common cold is practically impossible to cure because more than 200 viruses can cause it,” he said. “Since it’s equally impossible to avoid exposure to all those viruses, the best course of action is to limit your risk for becoming infected.”

His eight common-sense tips are:

1. Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Good nutrition is the foundation for a strong immune system.
2. Drink lots of water, which helps to keep your body hydrated. Water also helps distribute nutrients throughout your body and flushes away toxins.
3. In the winter months, dry air can cause nasal membranes to become thinner and less effective at fighting off viruses. Use a saline nasal spray like OCEAN(R) Nasal Spray to keep membranes in the nose moist during cold, dry weather.
4. A cool mist humidifier in the bedroom during colder weather can also help keep nasal membranes well-hydrated.
5. Plenty of good sleep is vital, as is regular exercise, both of which help strengthen your immune system.
6. Be aware of your hands. Keep them away from eyes, nose and mouth — the most common portals for germs to enter into your body. Also, wash your hands throughout the day — before eating, after sneezing or coughing; after using the bathroom and touching high-use facilities such as cafeteria tables, doorknobs and playground equipment. Pack hand sanitizers in your children’s backpacks so they can use them at school.
7. Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze and cough to avoid spreading viruses through the air. Ideally, use a tissue. If a tissue isn’t available, sneeze into the elbow of your sleeve, not your hand, or turn your head away from people near you.
8. Stay home. The average child catches five to eight colds every year, largely because cold germs spread so easily through schools and day cares. Consider keeping a sick child home from school during the most contagious stage of the disease to avoid infecting others.

Of course that’s all easier said than done. September can be a nightmare month as children return to school and we move from summer to autumn.