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How to protect the child from the flu?
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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When a small baby is in the house, it is very difficult to protect the child from all kinds of viruses and bacteria - dirt, bowls for feeding the dog and not quite clean surfaces of public places.
But there is another very dangerous source of viruses and bacteria that is difficult to control - people. Especially a conglomeration of relatives, friends or completely unfamiliar people who can surround a small child. Smiling grandmothers and slovenly preschoolers try to touch an unprotected baby, stretching out their hands and even trying to kiss him. Yes. It is very difficult to protect the health of your crumbs. Unfortunately, all contacts with uninfected infected people lead to the illness of the child (especially the newborn), and very often serious complications develop. So, how to protect the child from the flu and the bacterial effects of other people and how to make them not to contact the child, while not spoiling relations with them?
Do I have to beware of viruses and bacteria?
Of course, all moms are concerned about how to protect the baby from the flu from germs. In the end, does the impact of extraneous viruses and bacteria promote immunity? Is this not the result of keeping the baby healthy?
One thing is clear - the constant impact of viruses and bacteria on the body activates the work of the immune system, which calculates how to protect themselves. Therefore, when the next time there is an infection, the cells of the body are ready to fight and can protect themselves, as a result, the person remains healthy. Nevertheless, this does not mean that it is necessary to deliberately expose the child to various bacteria and viruses. Later, they naturally fall into his body.
Remember that influenza viruses or colds, which for adults are not dangerous, can cause serious complications in young children. It is for this reason that parents should protect small children from exposure to bacteria in the first three months of life, and, if possible, more.
In the end, remember that it's not just about your child's health. When a child becomes ill, one of the parents has to stay at home and take care of it, which creates many problems at work. Moreover, during the child's illness, the possibility of infection of other family members increases, and the infection can be present in the house for several weeks.
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How to keep the child healthy?
So, in order to preserve the health of the child and protect the child from the flu, it is necessary to protect it. Use the following tips:
- Let washing hands become the rule in the house. Often microbes and viruses enter the body by touching infected objects. Wash your child's hands before taking the baby in his arms and before cooking, after changing diapers, going to the toilet or coming home. Force any person who wants to take the child in his arms and play with him, follow your rules.
- If you can not stop relatives from touching your child, ask them for permission. Let them kiss the leg, not the pen or face. As a result, everyone will remain happy. Relatives can touch the baby, but the bacteria remain in areas that are unlikely to lead to infection and disease. This approach should be practiced for up to 9 months, until the child begins to suck his toes. Always wear a disinfectant wipe. There is an opinion that only soap with water eliminates bacteria, but alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. If someone really wants to touch a child, first use napkins and wipe hands for at least 15-20 seconds to protect the child.
- Always monitor the number of visitors. As a rule, someone is sick at this moment. When the child is still too small, do not stay with him in the places of a large gathering of relatives. In time, when he is three months old, you can start visiting.
- Look carefully at the guests. People simply can not forget how sensitive young children are to microbes. Therefore, it is worth reminding potential guests that in the case of their illness, a visit can be postponed.
- Refer to the pediatrician. If you are concerned that you can not stop an insistent relative in an attempt to kiss the child's cheeks, cite the doctor's prohibition. For example, say that the doctor strictly forbade strangers to touch the child.
- And if the nurse falls ill? Parents often fear that the next day they will open the door of a nurse who has a terrible cold. What to do in this case? It is very difficult to find the right solution. If the child is attending a kindergarten, go to the manager and find out what the management is doing in this case. Do caregivers and nannies stay at home in case of illness? What preventive measures are taken? Before choosing a kindergarten, find out whether the sick leave is paid for the teachers. If not, most likely, with a mild cold they continue to work. Therefore, you should check and it is better to stay at home for a day, rather than let the sick person look after the child. Although this is not an option. If it happens that you leave the child with a sick person, ask him to take maximum security measures so as not to infect the child.
- Give your child timely vaccinations. Experts agree that vaccination is the best way to protect oneself from the disease. Most people do not fully realize this, but still wash their hands for prevention purposes.
- Do not worry too much. If you can not save the child from contact with other people, do not panic.
- Remember that you are parents. Of course, it is not so easy to persuade annoying relatives to stay away from the child. This is your child, and only you are responsible for his health and well-being. If you are uncomfortable at the thought that the child is in the hands of other people, just tell them about it. People usually respect the decision of their parents. (But even if it is not so, what do you care?)
When precautions do not work
Despite all your efforts to protect the health of the child, he can still get sick. When this happens, you lull the capricious and squelching baby and, of course, get angry: it was better to wipe the shopping cart, and Aunt Jeanne should be completely isolated! But do not reproach yourself. Microbes everywhere and completely avoid them is impossible. All you can do is to take reasonable security measures and accept the fact that the child will get sick from time to time. In addition, do not blame other people for your baby's illness. As long as you complain about an impaired nephew, most likely, the source of the infection is someone else, for example, a neighbor or someone who is an outsider who touched the counter in the store as your baby.
Care for a sick child
The child fell ill. Now we need to shift attention to another - to protect other people, especially other children. If the child is attending a kindergarten, then, most likely, you need to stay at home, although this may go against your plans and work. But now it's your responsibility, to protect other children and to hope that other parents in turn will do the same. Remember that it's your duty to stay at home with a sick child and be patient. Children get sick constantly, especially if they are in a team. First they pick up one, then get sick for a week, two weeks feel good, and then the story repeats, but with a different infection. Do not think that this happens only with you. This is observed in almost every family where there are small children. Over time, the immune system of the baby becomes stronger, and the disease will be observed less often.