How to keep babies and toddlers safe from RSV, Flu, and Winter Germs: Tips from a Pediatrician

Why do kids get sick during winter months? 

Cold weather keeps people indoors and close together, where germs spread more easily.  Some viruses, like the flu and RSV, are more active in cold months. That means kids are more likely to be exposed to these germs during winter. 

To keep your baby or toddler healthy in winter, you need to do a few important things. Wash hands for 20 seconds, sanitize high touch surfaces and offer  kids healthy food to help their immune systems strong. Making sure friends and family are symptom-free before getting together can help protect your kids as well, especially during the first 3 months of life.  

1. Bring on the bubbles and Wash Those Hands

Why this helps: Handwashing is the best thing you can do to stop germs from spreading from person to person.

• Use warm water with soap, and take your time. It's not just about rinsing off your hands. Soap molecules break open and destroy germs like RSV and the flu. Babies and kids love bubbles, so not only can this help keep them well, but it’s a great sensory activity, too. Make regular handwashing an important (and entertaining) part of your daily routine.
• Follow the 20-Second Rule. Make sure to rub your hands together with soapy water for at least 20 seconds. This is how long it takes for the soap suds to break down viral and bacterial particles. A great way to time it is to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
• Hand Sanitizer helps, but soap is better: Hand sanitizers with alcohol can kill viruses like RSV, but they are not effective against others like Norovirus. Use soap and water after using the restroom, before food prep, and if your child’s hands look dirty. 

2. Sanitize High-touch Surfaces

Why this helps: Germs like RSV and flu can remain infectious on hard surfaces (like plastic toys, doorknobs, and crib rails) for one to two days.

Knowing how to clean these "hot spots" is important in preventing germs from spreading.

• Hotspots: Hotspots are high-touch areas like doorknobs, light switches, faucets, toilet handles, remote controls, and countertops. Use disinfectant wipes on hotspots to keep them clean. Wipe these spots once a day—or more often if someone is coughing, sneezing, or touching them frequently. This helps lower the chances of others in the home getting sick.
• Hard vs. Soft Surfaces: Many respiratory viruses don't last as long on tissues or cloth (usually less than 4 hours) because the soft material dries them out. Focus most of your serious cleaning on hard surfaces. 
• The "Stay Wet" Rule: For a cleaning product to actually kill germs, the surface must stay wet for the amount of time written on the cleaner's label (usually 1 to 10 minutes). Wiping a surface dry right after you spray it means the germs will not be killed. It’s best to spray, wait 5-10 minutes, and then wipe. 

3.  Offer Immune Boosting Foods

Why this helps: While no single superfood can prevent sickness, eating well improves your child’s odds of staying well during wintertime. Offering a variety of whole-food options, and limiting processed snacks helps boost immune defenses.

• Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and high quality protein give the body important nutrients that help immune cells work properly. When kids eat well, their bodies have the fuel needed to find and fight germs. This means less frequent illnesses, milder symptoms, and a quicker return to wellness. A good rule of thumb is to “eat the rainbow” through lots of fresh whole foods from the produce section. 

4. Bundle up and get outside

Why this helps: Time spent in nature has been shown to improve immune function and regulate the body’s disease defense systems. 

• Colds spread indoors. One key reason that kids get sick in the winter is that less time is spent outdoors. Not only does inside time mean more exposure, but it also means their immune system isn’t getting the frequent power boosts that it gets during warmer months. This season, while your kids are feeling well, bundling up and getting outdoors can help give them an extra leg up when it comes to fighting off cold and flu exposures later on. 

4. Newborns Need a Protective Plan- It’s OK to say “No”

Why this helps: For the first 3 months of life, babies are developing their immune system, and do not have the same defenses as older babies. During this period, it’s important to minimize their exposure to close contacts who are ill. It’s ok to ask all visitors to wash hands or avoid close contact. Protecting your newborn is important, and it’s ok to set limits in order to keep them safe.

•  A strict "no sick visitors” rule is a simple way to reduce the risk of illness in your newborn. An adult with a mild cold or "just allergies" should wait until they are 100% symptom free before coming to meet your little one. This isn’t rude, it’s a healthy boundary that can prevent illness during this critical period of life.

Understanding Your Options for Protection

For families considering additional medical protection, new tools are available for the 2025–2026 season. These immunizations are designed to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.

• RSV Protection: There are two safe and effective ways to help protect infants from severe RSV illness: maternal vaccination during pregnancy and a long-acting monoclonal antibody called nirsevimab (Beyfortus), which is given directly to the baby. A single dose provides months of protection. Real-world studies show that both options decrease RSV-associated hospitalizations by approximately 70–80%.
  
  
• Influenza: The flu vaccine is recommended for all children aged 6 months and older to reduce the risk of influenza illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. For children under 9 years old receiving it for the first time, two doses are required for full protection.
  
  

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If you have questions about vaccines or immunizations, your pediatrician can help provide personalized guidance and help you decide what’s best for your family. Blueberry is also here to help you navigate that decision.

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Need Help with Winter Symptoms?

If your child has a cough, a fever, or you’re just not sure if they need to see a doctor, you don't have to guess.

Blueberry Pediatrics gives you 24/7 access to real, certified pediatricians. They can check your child over a video call, answer your questions, and even send prescriptions to your pharmacy if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the first signs that my baby or toddler is having trouble breathing?

The Simple Answer: Look for fast breathing, retractions (when the skin is sucked in under the ribs or at the neck), and nasal flaring (when the nostrils widen with each breath). If you see these it means your child is working harder to breathe, and needs medical help right away.

If your child has already developed symptoms, it’s important to know what to watch for in case they worsen. . Knowing these signs early can save a life.

• Fast Breathing (Tachypnea): Breathing more than 60 times in one minute for a newborn.
• Retractions: You see the skin pulling in between the ribs, below the rib cage (belly breathing), or at the base of the throat.
• Noisy breathing: Gasping, grunting or stridor (a hoarse inhale sound) are all signs of respiratory distress that warrant urgent medical attention.
• Color Changes: Blue or grey discoloration (cyanosis) around the mouth, or on the hands and feet is a very serious sign that the baby is not getting enough air.

Is it true that keeping babies too clean makes their immune system weaker?

While illnesses are a normal and developmentally important part of childhood, there is no good reason for a baby to get RSV or influenza. At a young age, kids are more susceptible to complications of both viruses, and RSV can increase the risk of asthma later in life. 

Even though it’s impossible to prevent your child from ever getting sick, you can proactively help decrease their exposure to illness without impacting their immune system in the long run.

When should I take my baby or toddler to the Emergency Room (ER) for breathing problems?

You should get immediate medical help if you see signs of breathing distress, including fast breathing (more than 60 times a minute in newborns), retractions (skin pulling in between the ribs or at the neck), nasal flaring (nostrils getting wider with each breath), or blue lips/fingernails (cyanosis).

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