During winter children tend to suffer from seasonal illnesses and hospital trips become more frequent. But with some little care you can protect your child and family from some common winter diseases.
According to the pediatrician and president of the Scientific Department of Infectious Diseases of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, Eitan Naaman Berezin, the diseases that hit children the most in winter they are widespread infections with viruses and bacteria.
This is because in winter environments are naturally more closed, without air circulation, which makes viruses and bacteria proliferate faster.
In this case, the child is exposed to diseases such as flu, colds, ear infections (ear infections) and complications such as pneumonia and sinusitis. In addition, a child suffering from rhinitis, bronchitis, or asthma may experience more seizures because of the drier air in winter that concentrates pollution.
The precaution to prevent one of these conditions is to pay attention to the hygiene of the child, both at school and at home. "Washing hands with bactericidal soap or using alcohol gel to sanitize the area is very important to prevent the proliferation of bacteria and viruses," explains the pediatrician.
He warns parents to teach their children the most appropriate way to cough when the child has a cold or the flu. • One should cover the mouth with the forearm. This way we avoid the contact of the virus with our hands ?, explains the doctor.
Protection that comes from the mother
The pediatrician also explains that children between 1 and 4 years old tend to become more infected. This is because this is the time when they will make their own antibodies and so they are more susceptible. When they are born, they carry the protection of their mother's antibodies in the body and when breastfed continue to benefit from this protection. "But this is part of the process of evolution of the organism of children, is not anything scary," warns the pediatrician.
The doctor also stresses that parents should be aware of the children vaccination. It indicates that babies are vaccinated against pneumococcus, a bacterium that causes diseases such as bacteremic pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, acute otitis media, conjunctivitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. This vaccine is now available even in the public health network. In the first year of life the child should take the three doses of the vaccine, and strengthen it in the second year ?, concludes Berezin.
But if your child shows signs of fever, cough and respiratory complications, avoid sending them to school, especially in the early days when viruses and bacteria spread faster, and take them to your pediatrician.
Winter Illnesses in Children: Prevention and Treatment | Dr. Nina Shapiro - UCLA Health (April 2024)
- Kids & Teens, Colds & Flu
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