While I was generally excited about the girls starting school full-time this fall, I was super nervous because it generally means that they are bound to get sick. I remember when Harlan first started preschool it only took her a month to come down with a cough and the sniffles. It seemed like we were at our pediatricians office or an urgent care facility every other week because she or Avery had come down with something.
A couple of weeks ago MacKay and I took the kids into the city for a morning at Haven’s Kitchen to spend time with the lovely ladies of Cool Moms Picks, learn how to cook delicious and healthy snacks, and check out more about LiveHeath Online, an app that offers a way for parents to get one-on-one time with a doctor from the comfort of your own home.
With cold and flu season upon us and both girls in school, this was the perfect opportunity for me to learn about this app. Sometimes coming down with a cold is unavoidable and because you know kids always have the best timing, I’m sure they will wake me up at 3am letting me know they are sick (because doesn’t it always happen that way?)
Thankfully rather than searching for a place that does 24-hour care or trying to schlep all three kids to their pediatricians office the next morning, LiveHealth Online is a safe, fast and easy option. With the app, you can talk face-to-face with a doctor to get a diagnosis and treatment (even prescriptions) for every member of your family all on your phone. The LiveHealth Online app is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
At just $49 a visit, it’s less expensive than most urgent care facilities and you don’t have to get all of the kids dressed and in the car for the visit.
And while LiveHealth Online is a great option for those times when our family gets sick, ultimately we want to do whatever we can to avoid coming down with a cold or flu this season (crossing fingers.)
At the brunch I had the chance to meet with Dr. Mia Finkelston, a LiveHealth Online doctor, who gave us some everyday health and wellness tips to reduce your family’s risk of getting sick from seasonal and school-borne illnesses this fall and winter.
- Rest up: Make sure your kids get between 9.5 – 12 hours of sleep each night to restore their bodies, improve their ability to help fight off germs, and reduce their stress levels.
- Hands off: Germs are lurking everywhere during the school year and are transported mostly through our hands. Teach your kids to keep their hands away from their face, and make sure they wash hands often, especially before eating.
- Eat for wellness: Stock up on nutritious foods to help kids and parents function at optimum levels. Kids love to snack. Pack nuts, whole grain crackers, and fruit in their school bag so they don’t head to the vending machine.
- Don’t skip breakfast: Studies show that eating breakfast helps kids focus better in school, and they are less tired and cranky.
- Immunize: Make time to get the flu shot for your family because studies show it safely protects against the most common strains of flu.
- If your kids are athletes, it’s even more important that they get enough sleep, eat healthy and stay hydrated!
Great news! You can get one FREE visit with a LiveHealth Online doctor by using the code MommyinCity. Simply register for your free LiveHealth Online account by downloading the app from iTunes or the App Store or Google Play store and sign-up in one quick step. Or, you can visit www.livehealthonline.com and register.
(Code is good for one free visit. Expires 12/31/14)
{Disclosure: I was compensated for this post as a part of my partnership with LiveHealth Online and attended the Cool Mom Picks event solely because I wanted to. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.}
Photo Credit: Aaron Adler Photography
