How do you protect your child from the flu?

When you have a small baby in the house, it is very difficult to protect the child from all kinds of viruses and bacteria - dirt, the dog's food bowl and not very clean surfaces of public places.

But there is another very dangerous source of viruses and bacteria that is difficult to control - people. Especially a crowd of relatives, friends or complete strangers who may surround a small child. Smiling grandmothers and sloppy 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 baby. Unfortunately, all contacts with strangers infected people lead to illness of the child (especially a newborn), and very often serious complications develop. So, how to protect a child from the flu and bacterial effects of other people and how to make them not contact the child without ruining the relationship with them?

Should we be afraid of viruses and bacteria?

Of course, all mothers are concerned about how to protect their child from the flu and germs. After all, does exposure to foreign viruses and bacteria help strengthen the immune system? Isn't this what ultimately keeps the baby healthy?

One thing is clear - the constant exposure of the body to viruses and bacteria activates the immune system, which figures out how to protect itself. Therefore, the next time an infection occurs, the body's cells are already ready to fight and can protect themselves, as a result the person remains healthy. However, this does not mean that you should intentionally expose your child to various bacteria and viruses. Later, they will naturally enter his body.

Remember that flu or cold viruses that are harmless to adults can cause serious complications in small children. For this reason, parents should protect small children from exposure to bacteria for the first three months of life, and if possible, longer.

Finally, remember that it is not just about your child's health. When a child gets sick, one parent has to stay home and take care of him, which creates many problems at work. Moreover, when a child is sick, the likelihood of infecting other family members increases, and the infection can be present in the house for several weeks.

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How to keep your child healthy?

So, to keep your child healthy and protect your child from the flu, you need to protect him. Use the following tips:

• Make hand washing a household rule. Germs and viruses often enter the body by touching infected objects. Wash your child's hands before picking up the child and before preparing food, after changing diapers, using the toilet, or upon arriving home. Make anyone who wants to pick up and play with the child follow your rules.
• If you cannot stop relatives from touching your baby, have them ask you for permission. Have them kiss the foot, not the hand or face. This will make everyone happy. Relatives can touch the baby, but the bacteria will remain in areas that are unlikely to cause infection and illness. This approach should be practiced until 9 months, when the baby starts sucking his toes. Always carry disinfectant wipes with you. There is a belief that only soap and water kills bacteria, but alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. If someone really wants to touch the baby, have them use wipes first and rub their hands for at least 15-20 seconds to keep the baby safe.
• Always control the number of visitors. As a rule, someone is sick at this time. When the child is still too small, you should not be with him in places with a large crowd of relatives. Over time, when he is three months old, you can start visiting.
• Keep a close eye on your guests. People can simply forget how sensitive small children are to germs. So it's worth reminding potential guests that if they're sick, you can postpone your visit.
• Cite the pediatrician. If you are concerned that you will not be able to stop a persistent relative from trying to kiss your baby's cheeks, cite the doctor's prohibition. For example, say that the doctor strictly forbade strangers from touching the baby.
• What if the nanny gets sick? Parents are often afraid that the next day they will open the door to a nanny who has a terrible runny nose. What to do in such a case? It is very difficult to find the right solution. If the child attends a kindergarten, go to the headmistress and find out what the management does in this case. Do teachers and nannies stay home in case of illness? What preventive measures are taken? Before choosing a kindergarten, find out whether the teachers are paid sick leave. If not, most likely, they continue to work with a slight cold. Therefore, you should check and it is better to stay home for a day than to allow a sick person to look after the child. Although this is not a solution. If it happens that you leave your child with a sick person, ask him to take maximum safety measures so as not to infect the child.
• Vaccinate your child on time. Experts agree that vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from disease. Most people don’t fully realize this, but they still wash their hands as a preventative measure.
• Don't worry too much. If you can't keep your child away from other people, don't panic.
• Remember that you are the parents. Of course, it is not so easy to convince intrusive relatives to keep their distance from the child. It is your child, and only you are responsible for its health and well-being. If you feel uneasy at the thought of the child being in the arms of other people, just tell them so. People usually respect the parents' decision. (But even if they do not, why should it matter to you?)

When precautions fail

Despite all your efforts to protect your child's health, he or she may still get sick. When this happens, you lull the capricious and sniffling baby to sleep and, of course, get angry with yourself: you should have wiped the shopping cart better, and Aunt Zhanna should have been isolated altogether! But do not blame yourself. Germs are everywhere and it is impossible to completely avoid them. All you can do is take reasonable safety measures and accept the fact that the child will get sick from time to time. Also, do not blame other people too much for your baby's illness. While you complain about your sick nephew, most likely, the source of the infection is someone else, for example, a neighbor or someone else who touched the same counter in the store as your baby.

Caring for a sick child

The child is sick. Now you need to switch your attention to something else - to protect other people, especially other children. If the child goes to kindergarten, then most likely you need to stay home, although this may conflict with your plans and work. But now it is your responsibility to protect other children and hope that other parents will do the same. Remember that it is your responsibility to stay home with a sick child and be patient. Children get sick all the time, especially if they are in a group. First they catch one thing, then they are sick for a week, feel well for two weeks, and then the story repeats itself, but with a different infection. Do not think that this happens only to you. This is observed in almost every family with small children. Over time, the baby's immune system becomes stronger, and diseases will be observed less often.

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