Winter ailments, the watchword is prevention
Getting children through the winter months unharmed is a sort of mission impossible, but there are several good practices that can be used to limit the spread of germs and bacteria.
Influenza, colds, pharyngitis, fever, bronchitis and gastroenteritis are always lurking during the winter and children - especially the youngest - are among the most exposed subjects, especially since kindergartens and schools are the places of choice for the transmission of viruses and bacteria. Although it is not possible to build a universally effective protective shield, we would like to point out some good daily habits that can help keep them healthy.
■ Keep the nose clean and free, spraying a few drops of sterilized saline or physiological solution into the nostrils. Nasal breathing is in fact the most correct and should be facilitated, since it is the mucous membranes that retain most of the viruses, bacteria and dust.
■ Wash your hands well, to combat the transmission of infectious agents.
■ Moisturize the skin all over the body after a bath: when it's dry, it's more vulnerable to infections.
■ Ventilate the domestic environments: in the bedrooms after waking up, in the other rooms at least once a day. Ten minutes is enough to dilute the concentration of bacteria and mites.
■ Keep the temperature indoors around 19°C, which rises to 22 in the bathroom: an extra sweater is better than a few more degrees indoors.
■ Humidify the rooms: a humidity rate of around 60% is optimal to prevent the respiratory tract from drying out too much.
■ Limit kissing on the mouth, saliva is a powerful conductor of germs and bacteria.
■ Yes to walks and outdoor games: just dress the children a little more and cover their throats and ears well with scarves and hats; if your clothes get wet from snow or rain, be sure to change them immediately.
■ Yes to sport for the older ones: their body will be stronger overall.
■ Sleep well: 11-12 consecutive hours are ideal for children, especially since, during sleep, they naturally use the
'deep breathing' (abdominal) – adults, due to stress, no longer do it automatically – which allows the lungs to store more oxygen to regenerate cells, to the benefit of the immune system.
■ Take vitamins: a freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast – also a source of calcium, for the bone growth of the little ones – or, mid-morning, the juice of half a lemon diluted in warm water (with a teaspoon of honey to sweeten it); and then lots of fresh fruit rich in vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system and the formation of antibodies. Vitamins and mineral salts present in fruit and vegetables also promote concentration at school.
■ Take care of your diet: yes to vegetables, kiwis, tangerines, cereals, white and red meat, the latter much more suitable for children than in the diet of adults.
■ Resort to probiotics: in the older ones, drinking milk enriched with bifidus Bl helps preserve the balance of the intestinal flora and strengthen the body's natural defences.
Wean in the winter
Whenever possible, pediatricians recommend waiting for the cold months to start weaning. However, even in this case a few caveats are in order:
in fact, it becomes all the more important to start with fresh fruit – preferably after six months of the child's life – because the introduction of new foods weakens the intestinal bacterial flora, which is the basis of the correct immune process.
exanthematous diseases
After the Christmas holidays, and even more in the months immediately following, exanthematous diseases, typical but not
exclusive to childhood: measles, chicken pox, rubella, scarlet fever, hand, foot and mouth disease, fifth and sixth disease. Exanthemas are skin rashes that appear in the course of numerous contagious infectious diseases and represent their constant symptom: red spots, vesicles, annoying itching and often even fever. These are mostly viral diseases, with the exception of scarlet fever, which is a toxin disease caused by a bacterium, group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus. When the presence of an exanthematic disease is suspected, it is always advisable to contact the pediatrician, who will be able to formulate the correct diagnosis and provide all the information necessary for its management and treatment.
