For many families, battling the flu is a seasonal rite of passage: Up to one in five children will suffer through a bout this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "But it can be a scary experience for any mom," says Dr. Kelly Orringer, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan. "Your child can get very sick, very fast."

To help ease your worries, we asked the experts to spell out what day-by-day flu symptoms to expect, how you should treat them, and when to call your pediatrician. By arming yourself with the flu facts, you can stop fretting -- and start taking charge!

Day 1: Initial Flu Symptoms Appear
The first signs of flu are a runny nose, chills and body aches," says Dr. Stanley Grogg, a professor of pediatrics at Oklahoma State University and a spokesman for the American Osteopathic Association. "A child will feel pretty miserable within a 24-hour span.” To prepare for the next few days, stock up on blankets and soft tissues that won’t irritate the area around your child’s nose and increase discomfort.

Be sure to call your pediatrician too: Your little one is already contagious, says Grogg, so if you have a family member who is at risk for complications of the flu -- for example, an infant under the age of 6 months, or a senior citizen older than 65 -- an antiviral medication may be necessary. The course of two pills, which prevent the spread of flu, is most effective within 48 hours of the onset of your child's symptoms.

In addition, Grogg says you should take your child to the doctor if, at any point during the duration of the flu, your child runs a fever higher than 105 F, experiences painful, labored breathing, or stops drinking. Moms have good instincts about their kids, so if something feels really wrong, trust your gut and call your pediatrician.

Day 2: Your Child Runs a Fever
On the second day, a child usually starts running a high fever," says Grogg. "She'll also experience fatigue and a wet cough." He advises bringing down her fever and easing aches with acetaminophen or ibuprofen -- but avoid aspirin."Giving a feverish child aspirin has been linked to a rare, but dangerous, condition called Reye's syndrome," he says.

To prevent dehydration, Grogg recommends making sure that your child is drinking enough: Place a water bottle next to her bed and give her ice pops made with 100-percent fruit juice. And because most children also lose their appetite, he also suggests feeding her calorie-dense treats, like chocolate milk and smoothies.

Days 3 to 5: Symptoms Worsen
Is your child super-sick? That's normal. "This is when flu symptoms are at their worst," explains Orringer. Your kid may also start experiencing gastrointestinal problems, like vomiting and diarrhea; continue giving your child plenty of fluids and ibuprofen or acetaminophen, says Orringer. "For children older than 6, over-the-counter oral medications can provide relief." Other methods she recommends to ease the suffering:

• Brewing tea with honey (can help soothe a sore throat and cough)
• Using a saline spray and running a humidifier (can lessen congestion
• Applying a topical cough-relief rub (can help your child sleep better)

Days 6 to 10: Recuperation Begins
At last -- your child should start feeling better. But if he's not showing improvement, call your pediatrician, says Grogg.

Your kid is also less contagious during this time, says Grogg, so it's safe to let him play with his siblings and friends again. Once your child's temperature is below 100 F for 24 hours (without the aid of acetaminophen or ibuprofen) and he no longer has an uncontrollable cough, Grogg recommends sending him back to school.

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Maybe your son suddenly developed a stomachache on the day of the big quiz. Or your daughter has a mysterious cough after playing back-to-back soccer games yesterday. For whatever reason, you're not sure if your child is really sick -- or just sick of school. In my experience as a school nurse, I've found that there are a few ways you can tell the difference. Be on the lookout for these telltale signs for when a child is faking sick:

• Inconsistent complaints. If your daughter complains of a stuffy nose one minute, followed by a stomachache and then a headache the next, it may be a sign she's pretending.
• Disappearing symptoms. In my office, I have a rule that I don't see non-emergency cases for the first hour of school. That's because when kids become engaged with activities and friends, they forget all about being "sick." So take note if you notice that your child's cough vanishes when he's playing with his brother. Kids who are under-the-weather also tend to doze off throughout the day, so be wary if your son seems completely alert while watching television or playing computer games.
• Sudden recovery. If a child seems fine after you decide to keep her home from school, that's a surefire red flag!

So should you let him stay home? My rule: If a child doesn't have a fever, hasn't vomited or doesn't have any obvious symptoms (such as diarrhea), I would send him to school. But don't discount his complaints: If he keeps mentioning a symptom, like a headache or stuffy nose, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to rule out any illnesses or other health issues.

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It seems to happen when you least expect it: You pass a woman on the street who's wearing the same perfume your grandmother used, and you're taken back to being 8 years old and watching her put on makeup in her bedroom. Or you enter a bakery and the aroma of freshly made sourdough bread transports you to the kitchen in your childhood home, where your dad is cutting into a loaf.

You already know how certain smells can instantly call up long-forgotten memories, but you may not realize that there's a scientific reason behind the phenomenon. "The part of the brain that processes odors, which is called the olfactory cortex, is located very close to the hippocampus and amygdala -- two areas that are involved in storing emotional memories," says Pamela Dalton, an odor researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. "So when you breathe in salty ocean air with a hint of sunscreen in it, that whole section of your brain gets kick-started, which helps explain why you immediately flash back to the beach house your family went to every summer when you were younger."

The Scent-Memory Connection
In fact, a Swedish study found that smells unearth earlier memories better than any other type of cue. Researchers exposed elderly people to a word, picture or odor and asked them to identify their earliest memory connected to the prompt. While the word and picture brought up moments from early adulthood, the smell led them to think of a time before they were 10 years old.

And because their power transports you back to the carefree days of childhood, Dalton says scents can be useful for helping you feel less stress or anxiety. "People don't realize how easy it is to change your mood by purposefully smelling something associated with a time in your life when you felt happy," she says." For example, try keeping a little vial of your mom's favorite perfume in your purse or at your desk to take a whiff of when you feel overwhelmed or upset. The effect is instantaneous."

Create Your Own Comfort

How do you get your own children to connect certain scents with happy memories? Dalton says it's easy; you just have to be consistent. "Apply the same lotion every night before you go in your daughter's room to read her a bedtime story or bake an apple cinnamon pie for every special holiday," she says.

In their minds, those smells will quickly become associated with being nurtured or with festive occasions, and they'll always think of you and their childhood fondly when they get a whiff of it, even decades down the road." You can also use a familiar, soothing smell -- like eucalyptus or lavender -- to ease their stress or discomfort when they're sick or uncomfortable. It makes perfect scents!

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In the movies, chilly weather leaves starlets looking rosy and flushed. But in reality, the biting wind, harsh temperatures and dry air can take a toll, leading to an irritated, pasty complexion.

Tired of itchy, chaffed skin? We asked the experts to share their advice on safeguarding your skin from the elements. Here’s what they said.

Skin Protection Tip No. 1: Moisturize the right way.
“In the winter, you may need to swap your normal lotion for a thicker cream that’s more hydrating,” says Maggy Hazard, lead aesthetician for The Spa and Wellness Center at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont. She also recommends using a facial serum. “Apply a thin layer on your neck and face before your lotion or night cream,” she says. “The serum has smaller particles, so it can better penetrate your pores.”

For the best results, rub on lotion immediately after showering. “You want your skin to be slightly damp,” says Dr. Ahmet Altiner, an assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College and owner of UWS Dermatology & Skin Care in New York City. “The lotion helps lock in the moisture.”

Skin Protection Tip No. 2: Turn down the heat.
Steamy showers feel good, but they can leave your skin feeling parched. That’s because hot water strips the skin of natural oils, says Altiner. Opt for lukewarm showers lasting no more than 10 minutes. Also use a mild soap, like those tailored to sensitive skin.

Skin Protection Tip No. 3: Consider a humidifier.
Your home’s heating system zaps moisture from the air, resulting in Sahara-like conditions. Using a humidifier can help soothe irritated skin, reports a study in the Archives of Environmental Health. 

Bonus: You’ll also fend off colds and flu in the process. Researchers from Oregon State University showed that the flu virus thrives in dry environments. Adding humidity to the air lowers the odds that those germs will survive for longer periods of time, say the experts.

Skin Protection Tip No. 4: Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Since you’re covered from head to toe, chances are protecting your skin isn’t the first health concern that comes to mind. In fact, 98 percent of Americans neglect to use sunscreen regularly during the winter, according to experts at Ohio State University. But the reality is that the sun is equally strong as in the summer. Plus, the snow can reflect 80 percent of those damaging UV rays, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

To protect yourself, slather on a product with SPF 30 on any exposed skin (for instance, your face, neck and hands) before heading outside.

Skin Protection Tip No. 5: Reach for the right tissues.
On average, adults come down with two to four colds each year, more often during the winter months than any other time of year. All of those sniffles and sneezes can do a number on your skin, resulting in a red, chapped nose. “That’s why it’s important to invest in soft tissues with lotion,” says Hazard. “They’re gentler.” She also recommends dabbing your nose with a protective ointment, lotion or oil.

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Far too many of us treat our cars like second homes: We eat, drink, spill things and create piles of clutter inside.

But stop and think about it. When was the last time you really gave your car a thorough cleaning on the inside? And think back to the last time you hopped into your car with a bad cold and sneezed, spreading germs throughout your car's cabin. Did you bother to wipe down surfaces afterwards? Didn't think so.

Germs run rampant all around us, including in our automobiles. Fortunately, there's much you can do to keep those pesky little microbes in check. Here are some tips from the country's leading germ experts on how to sanitize your ride's interior.

Daily Wipe-down
When you and your kids get in your car, you inevitably come into contact with surfaces that are covered with germs," says Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences."Then you touch your eyes, nose and mouth. That's how little germies from unclean surfaces make their way into our bodies."

Stay healthy by wiping down the frequently touched areas with a disinfectant (e.g., a sanitizing or disinfecting wipe) that kills viruses and bacteria. (You may have to read the fine print on the label to be sure.) Look for a wipe that does not contain bleach -- some are labeled as being "bleach-free" -- so you can use them to clean hard, nonporous surfaces like steering wheels, dashboards, knobs, chrome accents, door handles and even mirrors.

Make wiping down the interior of your vehicle part of a daily routine, especially when someone in your family has been sick.

Sneeze on Wheels
We are becoming a nation of families eating on the go -- most often in our cars. Inevitably, food particles end up on the vehicle's upholstery, floor, seat belts, steering wheel and knobs. These crumbs are a breeding ground for bacteria, which love a warm, dark and moist environment.

What's more, during allergy season you're also likely tracking irritating outdoor allergens into your car, exacerbating those sniffles and sneezes.

Vacuum what you can with a handheld portable vac after returning home from any outing during which you or the kids were eating in the car. "Then wipe down surfaces with a disinfectant wipe and dry them completely to eliminate any lingering moisture," says Philip Tierno, M.D., Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center and the author of The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons From a Microbe Hunter. "Failing to do so allows organisms like mold to grow, which can make you and your children sick," warns Tierno.

And even if your family doesn't eat in the car, make a regular habit of vacuuming the floor and seats to pick up pollen and other sneeze-inducers you might have inadvertently welcomed into your car.

Sanitizer at the Ready
Once you get into the habit of wiping surfaces and vacuuming food spills in your car, why not attack germs' main entry point into your car: your hands?

Hand sanitizers should be kept in every single vehicle, advises Duberg. After you use the handle at the gas pump or press the buttons on the ATM, your hands are covered with germs from the people who touched these surfaces before you.

After touching commonly used surfaces, apply a hand sanitizer to avoid passing germs onto the surfaces inside your car. Go with sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol concentration. Look at the list of active ingredients for ethyl alcohol, ethanol, isopropanol or another variation. Apply to all parts of the hands (i.e., palms, nails, knuckles) and continue to rub your hands together until they are completely dry.  

Car Seat Care
Little ones can equal big messes in the car -- bottle spills, leaky diapers, unidentifiable crumbs. Luckily, the majority of child safety seats are made from fabric that can be removed and washed. A recent study conducted by Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D., professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona and a leading authority on germs, found that car seats often have bacteria on them -- and enough to make a child sick with an ear infection or strep throat.

And that's not all. They also typically have some mold growth, which can be particularly worrisome if you or your child suffers from allergies or asthma. Gerba suggests washing your child safety seat cover a few times per month.

He also recommends wiping down the plastic shell and harness of the child safety seat with water and a mild soap on a weekly basis -- or more often if your child is sick. Between washings, be sure to vacuum or shake out the car seat as often as possible to remove food droppings.

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