Local News | CHOC doctor reminds fall fun can be interrupted by cold and flu season

Fall is here, and for many of us, that means fun family traditions like trick-or-treating or apple picking and - finally! - cooler temperatures.

Autumn is a wonderful time of year, but it also brings about some challenges, and I'm not talking about pumpkin-flavored lattes, cereal and chewing gum.

Cold and flu season: I'm looking at you.

Luckily, there are a few things families can do to protect themselves and their children against this autumnal adversary.

First, the best thing you can do is get a flu shot. Both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and I recommend it for everyone ages 6 months or older.

Vaccines are especially important for people at increased risk of flu complications, including children younger than age 5, pregnant people, and the immunocompromised.

People often forget that the flu can be very serious: Between the 2004-05 and 2019-20 flu seasons, flu-related deaths among children have ranged between 37 and 199 each season, according to the CDC.

That's why it's incredibly important that families receive their flu shot each year - and that you encourage people who spend time with your children to do so as well.

Also remember that you cannot get the flu from getting a flu shot.

The second thing families can do to protect themselves against cold and flu is to practice proper hand hygiene. Wash hands for at least 15 seconds with soap and vigorous rubbing after using the restroom, before and after eating, after coming home from another location, and definitely after sneezing or coughing. You mastered the routine during the pandemic, so keep it up!

Avoiding sick people is another common sense way to not get a cold or flu. If a friend or family member has had a fever, wait for it to have been gone 24 hours before being around them again.

In turn, if you or your child has been sick with a fever, don't return to work, school or daycare until it's been gone for at least 24 hours. When you cough or sneeze, do so into the crook of your elbow or into a tissue.

Finally, practicing healthy eating, getting ample sleep and exercising can help keep colds and the flu away. With produce aplenty in fall, now is a great time to try new vegetables or healthy seasonal fare. The season's cooler weather can make sleeping a bit easier and exercise even more fun.

Now that I think about it, a nice hike with crisp temperatures and color-changing foliage sounds amazing right about now. I'm adding that to my fall bucket list - right after getting my flu shot.

Dr. Eric Ball is a pediatrician with Children's Hospital of Orange County, CHOC, Primary Care Network.