Colds and flu are a fact of life for kids, but there are smart steps you can take to help reduce their number of sick days. What can you do to protect your child from the endless array of germs and viruses they encounter? Unfortunately, in some ways, getting sick is simply part of the child job description. We all enter this world with an inexperienced immune system, says Charles Shubin, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland. Slowly, children prime their immunity by battling an ongoing series of germs, viruses, and other organisms—which is why many pediatricians consider six to eight colds, bouts of flu, or ear infections per year normal.

Keywords - Parenting