What ideas about illness prevention does your family adhere to? What do you do when someone gets sick?

6c cultural competence: awareness, sensitivity, and respect

My family adheres to a number of ideas about illness prevention. First and foremost, we make sure everyone is up-to-date on their vaccinations which helps protect against potentially serious illnesses such as measles or whooping cough. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of regularly washing hands and using hand sanitizer—especially after being in public places like grocery stores or restaurants—in order to reduce our chances of getting sick.

If someone in our household does become ill then generally the first step taken is consulting with a doctor; depending on the severity of symptoms this can range from making an appointment for an office visit or visiting an urgent care center. Once there, physicians will usually assess the situation and then advise on how best to treat it based on individual needs. In more severe cases prescription medications may be prescribed while less serious issues are usually managed through rest/over-the-counter medications.

Overall my family emphasizes preventing illnesses whenever possible but also knows when seeking medical attention is necessary; by doing so we hope that anyone who falls ill can get back to feeling better quickly and safely.