How to Prevent Meningitis in Your Teen (COURTECY;-
How to Prevent
Meningitis in Your Teen
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Is Your Teen at Risk?
The bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis
-- a disease that leads to inflammation in the brain and spinal cord --
spread quickly through dorms and classrooms. Teens can pass these germs
by sharing personal items like glasses and utensils -- and by kissing. If you
find out there's been a case of meningitis at your kid's school, keep calm.
There are ways to prevent him from getting it.
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Get Vaccinated
An easy way to prevent bacterial meningitis:
Get a vaccine. There are different types. Kids usually get a shot of the
meningococcal conjugate vaccine at age 11 or 12. Because protection fades with
time, your teen needs a booster shot at 16 to cover him through college.
Ask the doctor whether your child needs added protection from the meningococcal
B vaccine, which he gets between 16 and 18.
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Wash Hands
Meningitis germs spread through the air and on
items an infected person has touched. Those germs can catch a ride on your
teen's hands and end up in his nose or mouth. Remind him to wash his hands with
warm water and soap throughout the day. It's especially important after he uses
the bathroom, before he eats, and after he's been around lots of people.
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Don't Share
You probably taught your kids to share when
they were little, but this is one case where generosity is a bad idea. If she
uses the same glass or fork as a friend, swaps lipstick, or borrows a
toothbrush from someone who's sick, it's a sure way to get infected. Tell your
teen to keep her own set of personal items and just say "no" to
anyone who wants to use them.
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Don't Get Too Close
Meningitis germs live in the mouth and throat.
So it's no surprise that an easy way to spread them is by kissing. Tell your
teen not to get up close and personal with anyone he thinks is sick.
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Keep Hands Away From the Face
Your teen's nose, mouth, and eyes are an easy
entryway for the bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis. Tell your child to
keep her hands off her face. Ask her not to bite her nails,
rub her eyes, or pick her nose.
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Clean Up
Let's face it, most teens don't win awards for
cleanliness. But let your child know that good cleaning habits can help keep
her from getting sick. Although the bacteria that cause meningitis don't
live long on surfaces, viruses can survive for a while. Kids can pick up these
bugs if they touch an infected doorknob, computer mouse, or counter. Scrub
surfaces often with a disinfectant wipe or spray to kill germs.
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Sneeze in a Sleeve
Every time an infected person coughs or
sneezes, the force sends droplets with meningitis bacteria or viruses into the
air. Anyone who's in the path of these flying germs can get infected. If your
teen is sick -- no matter the cause -- tell her to be kind to others by
coughing or sneezing into her sleeve or a tissue -- not into the air.
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Ask About Antibiotics
If your teen has been in contact with someone
who has bacterial meningitis, antibiotics can help prevent her from
getting sick. Check with your doctor. The drugs won't work for viral meningitis.
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Eat Healthy Foods
One way for your teen to avoid getting sick is
to eat more foods that boost the immune system -- the body's defense against
germs. Suggest he try things like:
·
Spinach, broccoli,
kale, or other leafy greens
·
Fruits like
strawberries, cantaloupe, and oranges
·
Nuts and seeds
·
Fortified whole-grain
bread and pasta
·
Dairy foods like milk
and yogurt
·
Lean proteins such as
fish and skinless chicken breast
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Get Enough Sleep
You already know that when your teen misses
out on a good night's sleep he's probably going to be groggy in class the next
day. But not getting enough shut-eye also makes it harder for her body to
fight off germs. Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night to feel their best.
Encourage your child to cut off text messages and computer games at a
reasonable hour each night so she can get the rest she needs.
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Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol
Teaching your kids to stay away from these bad
habits is good advice for many reasons. One is that they weaken their body's
immune system. Being around cigarette smoke increases your teen's chances of
catching meningitis -- and of passing it to others. Alcohol use -- especially
binge drinking -- also makes teens more likely to get meningitis and other
infections.
This
tool does not provide medical advice.
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