Young children really are the germiest

(CNN) — Kids are really the germiest members of the household.

In case you didn’t know that from experience, new research published in the journal Pediatrics confirmed that respiratory viruses circulate frequently in school settings, and younger children are more likely to carry these viruses and become ill.

But why are younger children more likely to catch and spread infections? What does this mean for schools and households as we head into peak respiratory virus season, with relatives of all ages hugging and spreading those germs around? There must be something we can do now to help prevent illness.

To help answer these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previ