How to protect your 1 year old from the flu. Is a vaccination needed? Treatment of patients with influenza

The time of seasonal colds, flu and SARS was not long in coming. Every now and then you hear: one friend came down with a temperature, the other went on sick leave. If, as usual, you are not very worried about yourself, relying on "maybe", then it is always scary for the child. After all, there is nothing worse than the extinct eyes of a baby who does not want to play or laugh.

It's really worth the fear. After all, if an adult has more or less stable immunity, then it is still difficult for a child’s fragile body to resist diseases, including acute respiratory diseases, among which influenza is the most dangerous in terms of symptoms and consequences.

flu symptoms

High fever, chills, headache, aching muscles and joints, as well as photophobia, dizziness, clouding of consciousness and even delirium that occur in severe cases are signs of the flu. Symptoms of the disease unfold very quickly, often with lightning speed. Temperatures up to 39-40 degrees can jump in just a few hours. By the second day of illness, a slight nasal congestion appears and a dry cough occurs. Redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes is also a fairly common symptom.

Causes of the Flu

The causative agents of influenza are three types of viruses: A, B, C. They are very variable, and every year their new varieties usually appear that cause epidemics. Adults who have had flu more than once in their lives are less susceptible to new varieties. However, children become a real target for the disease. Therefore, in kindergartens and schools, where, on top of everything else, students are in close contact with each other, it is enough for one child to get sick for the majority of children to be stricken with the disease.

Why is the flu dangerous for children?

Influenza is dangerous with serious complications. Sinusitis, otitis, acute bronchitis, chronic tonsillitis, pneumonia are the most common consequences of influenza. In turn, acute otitis media can lead to meningitis, brain abscess, and sinusitis can develop into orbital inflammation and intracranial complications.

How to protect your child from the flu?

A reasonable question arises: is it possible to protect a child from the disease? Doctors have been looking for an answer ever since the cause of the flu was discovered, and everyone agrees on one thing: it is easier to prevent than to treat.

Currently, the main method of prevention is active immunization - that is, vaccination or specific prophylaxis. During vaccination, a weakened or killed pathogen or part of it is introduced, which stimulates the body to produce antibodies. So, when a “wild” strain enters the body, ready-made antibodies “meet” it. By binding to the virus, they prevent the infection of the cell and the reproduction of the virus.

Why should we not be afraid of vaccination?

However, many parents are apprehensive about vaccination. First, everyone knows that flu viruses are constantly mutating. Of course, experts from the World Health Organization are conducting research and observations in this direction, but no one can give a 100% guarantee. Simply put, you vaccinate a child against one type of virus, and he is completely defenseless against another.

Nevertheless, to date, vaccination is one of the most effective means of protection, and in 70-90% of cases it is thanks to it that it is possible to avoid

the development of the disease.

What is nonspecific influenza prophylaxis?

In addition to specific prevention, there is another way to protect against SARS and influenza: non-specific prophylaxis. Non-specific prophylaxis is aimed at strengthening the body's own defenses and can be carried out in parallel with vaccination. Anti-cold drugs are used as non-specific protection, which significantly reduce the risk of the disease.

How to use Oscillococcinum to prevent childhood flu?

The homeopathic French preparation Oscillococcinum is used not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of influenza and SARS. Oscillococcinum has practically no contraindications and side effects. Studies conducted in Russia have shown that during the prophylactic use of this drug, the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections in children is halved. Oscillococcinum can be used in children of any age, is not addictive. It can be used for a long time.

Doses of Oscillococcinum for Children

With a preventive purpose you can give the child 1 dose of granules 1 time per week, during the rise in the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza. For children under 6 years old, you can dissolve the contents of one tube (1 dose of granules) in a small amount of water and give with a spoon or with a bottle with a pacifier.

Oscillococcinum can also be taken for treatment. The dosage depends on the stage of the disease and does not depend on the age of the patient.

At the initial stage of the disease you need to take 1 dose as soon as possible, then, if necessary, repeat 2-3 times with an interval of 6 hours.

In the midst of illness - 1 dose of granules in the morning and evening for 1-3 days.

If within 24 hours the symptoms of the disease increase, you should consult a doctor.

In the winter of 2011, many were seized by a media-fuelled panic about the high number of deaths during the swine flu epidemic. On the street, people in protective armbands were not surprised, and many were simply afraid and ... didn't do anything!

Influenza poses the greatest risk to children, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly.

So how can you protect yourself and your child from the flu virus, including swine? Everyone knows that there is no cure for the flu: both vaccinations and antiviral drugs are aimed at stimulating your immunity, and not at destroying the flu virus. Therefore, we have to repeat the hackneyed truth: disease prevention is just as important as effective treatment.

To reduce the likelihood of infecting yourself and your children with the influenza virus, you just need to follow simple rules:

1. In the morning and in the evening flush your nasal passages with Dolphin systems(and it is not necessary to constantly buy bags for preparing a solution in a pharmacy, it is enough to prepare a saline solution that does not cause severe discomfort and burning when washing) or use sprays like Aqua-Maris or Aqua-Lor(or similar). It is more difficult for a virus to overcome the barrier in the form of a moistened mucous membrane and enter the body.

Attention! If Dolphin is used incorrectly, acute otitis media may develop!

Humidifiers also create unfavorable conditions for the virus - it doesn’t even matter what it will be: a modern household ultrasonic humidifier or a pot of water on a battery in a nursery. Indoor flowers also make a small contribution to air humidification, and some (for example, myrtle, laurel, lemon, geranium) also release substances that are harmful to microbes - phytoncides.

2. After washing in the morning, lubricate the nasal passages oxolinic ointment or instill 2 drops in each nostril. calendula oil(it is difficult to buy oil in a pharmacy - it is better to prepare an oil macerate (exhaust) in the fall yourself). Oil significantly increases the body's resistance to infections.

Attention! Excessive and frequent use of oxolinic ointment can cause mucosal atrophy, and before using calendula oil, it is necessary to carry out individual tolerance test!

3. How can wash your hands often with soap: the flu virus, like all microbes, loves to meet you on door handles, public transport handrails, fountain pens in public places, banknotes, etc. Avoid touching your nose, mouth, eyes, and try to wean from this child.

4. Use a powerful natural antiviral agent to disinfect the air - tea tree essential oil (if you and your child are not allergic to it) - in aroma medallions, aroma lamps, or simply spread cotton wool around the house, dripping oil into it. You can use other essential oils with antiviral action - rosemary, lavender, juniper, thyme, marjoram, lemon, bergamot. As an option - cut into a saucer garlic or onion that purify the air with phytoncides.

5. A healthy lifestyle also increases the body's resistance to infections. Healthy sleep, consumption of foods rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals - all this will also strengthen your immune system. Use throughout the ALL period from autumn to spring multivitamin or vitamin and mineral complexes , better on doctor's advice. But remember that vitamins A, , , and zinc absolutely necessary to protect the body from infections and the full functioning of the immune system.

6. Refuse to visit large shops, entertainment in crowded places, even Christmas trees: the health of your child and your own health is much more important than temporary inconvenience. Perhaps this point can be called the most important in influenza prevention measures.

7. With a sharp increase in temperature, immediately call the doctor.

To accurately diagnose the type of influenza, it is necessary to take tests, so if the doctor does not give you a referral for tests, but immediately prescribes treatment, you should insist on laboratory tests. A doctor is not a god, he can make a mistake both in prescribing treatment and in making the diagnosis itself.

If you are advised to get a flu shot (for example, influenza vaccine), consider whether it is worth putting yourself and your children in danger: the reaction to the introduction of a foreign protein into the body can be unpredictable, and it is not necessary to be allergic in order for the vaccine to provoke anaphylactic shock. In any case, the vaccination should be done BEFORE the start of the flu epidemic.

Dear parents! There is a lot of debate now about the need for standard universal vaccination, and many doctors, based on their practical experience, say that it is flu shots are ineffective. Take responsibility for your health and the health of your children!

Can be used to prevent influenza Grippferon or IRS-19 within 2 weeks before the increase in morbidity and Arbidol- adults 200 mg twice a week for 3 weeks, children at an age dosage (grippferon and arbidol are also approved for use during pregnancy).

Prevention of influenza and ARVI is of particular importance during pregnancy: a woman's body during this period experiences significant stress and immunity is often significantly weakened. Of particular difficulty is that the flu during pregnancy is not recommended to be treated with many pharmaceuticals, as well as some medicinal herbs. The use of homeopathic medicines for influenza during pregnancy is not prohibited, but it is still better to take care of prevention than to think later how to cure the flu so as not to harm the fetus.

Flu treatment

What is the treatment for the flu? As mentioned above, there are no flu pills, the pharmacy will only offer you drugs that can alleviate certain symptoms of the flu - runny nose, cough, reduce fever. Phytotherapy is by far the most effective and safe remedy for influenza.

It is necessary that a sick person with influenza use separate dishes and cutlery, a towel, and be isolated in a separate room. peace the best doctor for flu. At the first symptoms of any catarrhal disease, a mandatory bed rest is required, the maximum possible increase in the drinking regime ( rosehip broth, herbal teas, lingonberry, cranberry, sea buckthorn drink, mineral water with lemon, raspberry tea or honey, lemon And ginger) to remove toxins - the waste products of the influenza virus in the body. An effective universal detoxifier is liquid chlorophyll .

Use paper handkerchiefs; cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing and be sure to wash your hands afterwards! This way you will reduce the number of viruses circulating in the air.

In the treatment of influenza, especially if you start treatment from the first day, homeopathic remedies are effective (for example girel, oscillococcinum) and drugs echinacea. Do not forget about vitamin-mineral complexes and zinc to support immunity, but take into account that for medicinal purposes the dosage should be increased by 2-3 times (this applies ONLY to vitamin complexes; an overdose of some minerals can be dangerous for the body!).

It is impossible to hope that the flu will pass by - it is necessary to engage in active prevention now. Even by performing such seemingly elementary actions every day, you can protect yourself and your children from the flu, or at least weaken the effect of the virus.

According to medical statistics for 2011, only regular nasal lavage reduces the incidence of influenza and SARS by almost half !

Take care of yourself so that others do not get sick! I wish health to you and your children!

Caring mother of three children

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When one of the household members catches a cold, the whole family instantly faces two problems at once: how to quickly cure the patient, and how not to get infected by everyone else? It is especially important to protect children! Regarding how to properly and promptly treat ARVI, every grandmother and mother knows about a dozen of her “tested recipes”. We, relying on the experience and sound knowledge of doctors, will tell you how to protect the whole family from infection as much as possible. In other words, we will teach the basics of preventing SARS in children and adults.

To protect both children and adults from colds (and above all from respiratory viruses), you must first of all have two "things": common sense and elementary knowledge.

SARS: for whom in the family is the disease most dangerous?

Regarding the prevention of SARS, it makes sense to immediately warn - there are no measures or means that could 100% protect some people from contracting a viral infection in conditions where there is already a sick person nearby. Moreover, the carrier of the virus (and its active distributor) can be not only the one who is currently sneezing right and left with a snotty nose and high fever.

With regard to any SARS, the process of transmission of the virus from one person to another is completely unpredictable and spontaneous. But some things are still known about him. For example what , than adults. However, among adults there are categories of people for whom infection with respiratory viruses can be even more dangerous than for children. This:

• Pregnant ladies and nursing mothers;
• Elderly people with weakened immune systems;
• People with chronic respiratory diseases, for whom usually even a mild form of a "cold" turns into severe complications;

The probability that a child will get ARVI from an adult is about 2.5 times higher than vice versa. Moreover, the younger the child, the higher the risk of infection. The only exceptions are very small crumbs - babies of the first three months of life - they are protected by their mother's immunity.

On the other hand, it doesn’t matter at all who exactly “brought the infection” into the house - an adult or a child. If someone in the family "came down with a cold", one must objectively try to protect the rest. Even if there are no guaranteed measures to prevent influenza and SARS in this situation.

Precautions at the household level: elementary prevention of SARS in children

So what can be done to minimize the risk of passing the virus from one family member to another? First, you should observe some household "formalities":

• 1 Isolate the sick from the healthy. If possible, you need to "separate" the sick household and his still healthy relatives as far apart as possible. Obviously, it is extremely difficult to take such a disposition in a typical urban "kopeck piece", but if there is such an opportunity, use it without delay.
• 2 Bed rest for the sick, walking - for the healthy. This condition is often overlooked, and in vain! In fact, the less a patient with ARVI wanders around the house, and the more often and longer those who are forced to live side by side with him will be in the fresh air, the less likely it is that by the end of the week he will “collapse” from a cold. the whole family. The “lying” position of the patient will reduce the spread of the virus around the apartment, and frequent walks for everyone else will provide the healthy with additional chances to counteract the virus.
• 3 The room where both the sick and the healthy live should be ventilated and washed frequently.. And also to maintain an optimal climate in an apartment or house - this is an air temperature of no more than 21 ° C and a humidity of about 65%. The patient should be allocated a separate set of dishes. Like other household items that the patient touches every now and then, these dishes should not only be washed regularly, but also wiped with disinfectant solutions (in any pharmacy you will be offered a dozen different disinfectants).
• 4 In close contact and communication of the patient with healthy it is advisable to wear a mask on both (and not just on the patient).
• 5 If a nursing mother suffered from SARS, then all care for the baby should be taken over by some other family member, and the mother should contact the baby exclusively during feeding (while using disposable masks). Before and after feeding, the baby should rinse the nose with saline (saline) solution.

Extremely simple, but very effective measures to protect children from SARS: from time to time, rinse children's noses with saline solutions and, whenever possible, walk with children in the fresh air as often and as long as possible.

Simple but effective measures to prevent influenza and SARS in children

The above measures are “good” and useful in the case when one of the household members is already sick and there is a high risk that SARS (the most common type of which is the flu) is about to attack other family members, especially children. But besides this, it also makes sense to know about simple, but very effective ways to prevent SARS - so that no one in your family gets sick, at a time when, perhaps, everyone around is sick without exception.

It should be understood that there are only two strategic defense maneuvers against respiratory viruses: the first is not to meet them at all, the second is to significantly increase the protective functions of the body when it comes into contact with the infection. The first option is practically inaccessible to us, citizens, but there are a number of different measures to implement the second one.

• 1 Do not forget from time to time during the day wash your hands thoroughly. And remind the kids to do the same! No matter how banal and simple this technique may seem to you, it really works. After all, one of the most common types of transmission of viral diseases is contact. When respiratory viruses (including the influenza virus) get on the skin (of course, most often on the hands of people), they can live there for 1-2 days! So any friendly handshake with a not too clean colleague or friend can turn into a contact infection of SARS for you. And if we can't control who we shake hands with, we certainly can control ourselves! So, wash your hands often for yourself and your children - this is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections.
• 2 Wearing a mask(both a sick person and those who are forced to contact with sick people) - has some protective effect. However, keep in mind that wearing a mask on the street is useless. In general, if you don’t touch anyone in the fresh air, then you probably won’t get infected, even if a passerby walking in front of you desperately sneezes. Viruses are actively transmitted from person to person through the air only in enclosed spaces, while in the open air it is almost impossible. So walk outside more and more often and breathe freely - this in itself is already the prevention of colds.
• 3 Vaccination- this is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. And in those cases, if infection does occur, the disease proceeds much easier and faster (in many cases, it is generally asymptomatic).
• 4 Eat Probiotic Yogurt Once a Day(or any other product containing, for example, bifidus or lactobacilli). A number of recent studies have shown that probiotics significantly increase the overall protective functions of the body against respiratory diseases by strengthening local mucosal immunity.
• 5 Since we are talking about products, it is impossible not to mention garlic. The people are not in vain garlic is revered as the main fighter against any cold- multiple studies have proven that garlic phytoncides (phytoncides are volatile substances contained in different plants and have the ability to "kill" some types of bacteria, fungi and even viruses) effectively suppress the activity of influenza viruses, preventing them from multiplying. The only thing you should pay attention to is that, contrary to popular wisdom, as part of garlic prevention against SARS, this product should not be eaten, but ... inhaled! After all, phytoncides are volatile substances. And the main reproduction and activity of respiratory viruses does not occur in the human stomach, but in the respiratory system - in the nose, throat, and lungs. So in order to deliver the "killers" directly to their "victims", we just need to inhale the phytoncides, but deeper. And for this you just need to cut the garlic cloves, put on a saucer and put by the bed for 2-3 hours (or overnight). Thus, you will save yourself from a cold, and do not spoil the freshness of your breath. It is no secret that children are also much more pleasant to breathe garlic than to eat it, gnaw or swallow it without chewing ...
• 6 Some doctors claim a direct connection with . So kind of prevention of iron deficiency anemia can be considered as a prevention of colds.
• 7 The use of various immunotropic agents for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections (in particular, phytoimmunomodulators) can be justified, and effective, and very useful. But it should be understood that in order to protect the child, such drugs should not be prescribed by a parent, but by a sane and experienced doctor.

Instruction

Before sending child in, a kindergarten or just on the street, grease his nostrils with oxolin ointment. And upon returning home, you need to wash off the ointment with baby soap. Use this remedy only if the child is going to crowded places. The constant use of oxolinic ointment can only do harm. Also wash your baby with seawater-based sprays.

Pay close attention to how and what your child is wearing. Do not allow hypothermia, it is this factor that often leads to the occurrence of diseases.

During a dangerous period, treat your hands as often as possible with any alcohol-containing hand rub or simply wash them with soap and water, especially after or. Use paper tissues when sneezing or coughing, and be sure to dispose of them carefully afterwards.

Wear a gauze mask or any other protective disposable bandages during an epidemic influenza when the child is in public places.

After consulting with the pediatrician, carry out specific prophylaxis for the child, especially if he has reduced immunity. Include in your baby's daily diet foods that contain vitamins and strengthen immunity: green onions, garlic, daily tea with honey and lemon. You can drink infusions containing the root,. Even in the warm period, you can drink vitamins, herbal preparations that increase immunity. However, the most effective method of prevention influenza is timely vaccination.

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Tip 2: How to protect your child from diseases in kindergarten

Giving the baby to kindergarten, mothers worry that he will catch some kind of infection and get sick. So that many diseases pass by your child, and he felt cheerful and cheerful, take measures in advance to strengthen his health.

Instruction

In the nursery garden diseases are often common, as the guys are in close proximity to each other, and many infections are transmitted by airborne droplets or through shared objects. Therefore, teach your baby to take care of their own hygiene. Hand washing is mandatory before eating, as well as after going to the toilet, playing on the floor, playing sports and walking outside. Keep paper handkerchiefs and wet wipes in the locker. Wash your child's clothes frequently to keep them clean. Have a conversation with your child about the fact that during a street walk you can’t pick anything from trees or pick up under them and eat. Explain that unwashed and unripe fruits can cause severe illness.

Vitamins and minerals are needed to strengthen the immune system. Make sure your child eats enough fruits, berries, vegetables and herbs. If he has a low appetite, come up with an interesting dish, a funny saying, or exercise with him more often. Consult with your pediatrician about taking vitamin complexes, because children often do not receive the required amount of trace elements with food. Do not forget to give them to your baby on time, especially during periods of epidemics. Immunostimulating and use only as prescribed by a doctor, because they can cause allergies.

Gradual will also strengthen the immunity of the child. You can start with air and sunbathing, and then move on to water treatments. A gradual decrease in water temperature or a contrast shower will strengthen the body's ability to resist viruses. Ventilate the rooms at home, walk with your baby every day, look for interesting outdoor games in the fresh air to interest the baby.

Pay attention to whether your baby is sleeping, because a tired body is more at risk of being infected. Try to make sure that the baby's sleep lasts at least nine and two hours a day. If it is bad, consult a specialist, you may be prescribed soothing teas or syrups.

Vaccinations are also a good protective measure against viruses. To enter the garden, it is necessary to make a number of mandatory vaccines. But there are dangerous diseases, vaccinations against which are given at the request of their parents, for example, chickenpox or tularemia. It is better to protect the baby from such infections in advance, but after consulting with the doctor.

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Sources:

• How to protect your kindergartener from viral diseases

Influenza is one of the most dangerous acute respiratory viral infections. Increasingly, this diagnosis is being made in children. Babies take the flu hard, besides, the disease often ends in complications. Therefore, at a time when the risk of infection is especially high, everything possible must be done so that the child does not get sick.

You will need

• - disposable masks;
• - saline;
• - antibacterial wipes;
• - soap;
• - Fresh vegetables and fruits.

Instruction

The peak incidence usually occurs in December. For the season influenza need to prepare ahead of time. In the summer, start hardening procedures - this will strengthen the child's immunity. Swimming in the nursery, contrasting douches and rubdowns, cool foot baths - all this will help to temper baby. Pay attention to nutrition too. Introduce more fresh and boiled vegetables, fruit juices and purees, and lean meats into your child's diet. During the peak of the incidence, give the baby more citrus fruits - provided that he is not allergic to them.

Consider getting vaccinated against the flu. You can get vaccinated starting at six. But usually it is recommended to those already attending kindergarten. According to doctors, the effectiveness of protection against the virus, if done in a timely manner, is 70-90%. It is best to vaccinate before the peak of the incidence - that is, from September to November. Unfortunately, there is no universal vaccine yet, and new options are offered every year for individual influenza strains. The doctor selects the necessary vaccine.

Look after your own health. Don't let your baby get the virus from a family member. If you feel unwell, consult a doctor and limit contact with the child. Purchase disposable protective masks from the pharmacy and change them every two to three hours. Throw away used masks and paper handkerchiefs immediately. Wash your hands frequently and wipe down surfaces that your child can grab onto with antibacterial wipes.

Make sure your child is washing their hands regularly, especially before eating. Encourage your child to rinse their nose with saline as a preventive measure. Do it together - such measures will not harm all family members.

If the child is still, invite a doctor to him. Do not self-medicate - flu symptoms are too similar to other diseases, sometimes more serious. While waiting for the doctor, do not bring down the temperature - antipyretic drugs are needed only when the thermometer rises above 38.5-39 ° C. Give your baby plenty of warm fluids and do not force him to eat. Isolate the sick person from the rest, for example, by fencing off his bed with a screen.

When caring for, wash your hands as often as possible and wear a disposable protective mask. Be sure to wash your baby's toys with hot water and soap. Keep your child's nose free of mucus. Babies need to remove it with a small enema, teach older children to blow their nose and provide them with paper handkerchiefs. Lay the child on a moderately hard bed, placing a couple of pillows under his head - this will make it easier for the patient to breathe.

Is it possible to protect a child from colds? Everything, as they say, is in your hands. Every mom has her own secrets, and I am no exception. Here are a few that I think will be helpful.

Everyone knows that it is necessary to walk with a child so that he grows up strong and healthy, but you also need to walk correctly. When you are going for a walk, do not try to dress your child warmer, especially if he is not sitting in a stroller, down the street. After all, a child who sweats will get sick faster, a cool breeze is enough. If you come home and notice that your baby's back is wet, be sure to change his clothes and dress lighter next time. Yes, and you can’t cover the baby’s face with a scarf, breathing humid air, he can easily catch a cold.

When, after returning home from a walk, you notice that the child’s legs and arms are cool, you need to rub them as soon as possible. In a pharmacy, for this you can purchase a special children's warming ointment, "Barsukor", for example. It is possible without ointment - with your own hands, until the arms and legs warm up. Or substitute them under warm water, this will also help to warm up. After these procedures, give the baby a warm drink, such as rosehip or raspberry tea.

Of course, in order for children to get sick less often, they need to be hardened from birth, but we will talk about this in a separate article.

What people used to call a cold is called in medical language SARS- acute respiratory viral infection. Why respiratory? Because most often the inflammatory process affects the respiratory organs: the nasopharynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs.

ARVI is accompanied by a low rise in temperature (maximum 38.4), profuse flow from the nose or congestion, inflammation of the tonsils, cough. If the temperature is above 38.4, there is "ache" in the bones and severe chills - we can talk about the flu. In any case, you should call a doctor at home and follow medical recommendations. Frequent colds (more than 6 times a year) indicate weak immunity and require preventive measures.

Prevention of acute respiratory viral infections should begin with a complete examination of the child for the presence of chronic diseases. Often the cause of reduced immunity can be chronic tonsillitis. In order to avoid further colds, it is recommended that the child once a year sanitize the tonsils - irrigate the throat with saline from a special syringe with a rounded nozzle.

After sanitation, teach your child to properly maintain oral hygiene and rinse his mouth at least 3 times a day after meals. After treatment of chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, hardening should be started.

Having adopted the habit of wrapping the child warmer from grandmothers, parents forget that a bunch of clothes will not protect the child from SARS, but, on the contrary, will weaken the immune system. The more unnecessary clothes on the child, the sooner the body begins to sweat and cools faster in a cool room. Do not warm the child too much, the body must breathe. Hardening is just designed to improve the thermoregulation of the body and strengthen children's immunity.

For hardening, purchase a needle mat (Lyapko or Kuznetsov's applicator), a soft massage mat and small foot baths (2-3 pieces). Every morning, take your child for a “walk” along the “road of health”.

First, the child gets up for 2-3 minutes in a bath with hot water (39-40 degrees), then with cold water (19-21 degrees), then carefully wipes his feet on a terry towel and walks along the massage mat. Finally, walk in place for 5 minutes on a spiked mat.

Solids such as sand and ice can be used instead of water. For a hot foot bath, the sand should be slightly heated. Hardening is impossible without morning exercises. If possible, in warm weather, exercise in the fresh air, and in cold weather, in a pre-ventilated area.

Hardening will be the most effective measure for the prevention of SARS, if combined with proper nutrition. The diet of the child should be enriched with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Once a week, fish meat rich in omega fatty acids (lamprey, halibut, mackerel, tuna, sardines) should be present in the diet. Vegetables and fruits - every day.

Organize a mini phyto-bar at home, brewing healthy herbal decoctions for your child. As a prevention of SARS in folk medicine, decoctions of rose hips, linden flowers, thyme, burdock roots and chicory are used. Homemade cranberry and raspberry fruit drinks strengthen the immune system.

Many parents associate winter time not only with the New Year holidays, but also with such a dangerous disease as the flu. How to protect your child from the flu? This issue becomes important for every family. When the outside temperature drops below 20°C, families, especially those with small children, frantically search for ways to protect them from the flu and its consequences.

The influenza virus is a dangerous and very insidious disease that does not spare even the smallest children. Its consequences are especially dangerous.

flu danger

Influenza is an acute viral disease that affects children of different age categories, accompanied by general intoxication of the body, catarrhal phenomena, such as rhinitis, runny nose and severe cough. The flu is especially dangerous for babies. Every year, medical statistics show how many children die from this terrible disease.

The causative agent of this disease is the influenza virus, which is transmitted by airborne droplets when coughing, sneezing, and even talking and shaking hands. The first signs of the disease begin very quickly and intensely. The incubation period is 2 to 6 days. How difficult the flu is, depends on many factors: age, immune status, general health.

The greatest danger of influenza is fraught with damage to the cardiovascular system of the child, his respiratory organs, as well as the central nervous system. Having attacked the body, it sharply and quite strongly reduces its protective properties, which causes a number of dangerous and intractable complications for the child. Children with chronic diseases are more likely to receive them. This virus is especially dangerous for a newborn baby and his nursing mother.

flu symptoms

The symptoms of the influenza virus in infants and older children are different. The main symptoms are high body temperature, general malaise, pain in the joints and muscles, headache, intense cough, runny nose, dryness of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Sometimes children have diarrhea and vomiting, and nosebleeds.

Infants are characterized by such symptoms of the disease as:

• loss of appetite;
• change in the frequency of stool (it happens more often or less often);
• tearful and irritable state;
• change in skin and hair odor;
• restless sleep;
• hoarse breathing;
• inhibition in development.

The danger of this disease in infants is much higher, due to the fact that the baby cannot clearly describe his condition, say what and where he hurts. Moms can only be guided by the diagnosis that the pediatrician conducts. He prescribes an examination and a series of blood and urine tests that can determine that it is the flu, and not SARS or acute respiratory infections.

To protect the child from the flu, when the first signs of a cold appear: high fever, weakness and severe cough, treatment should be started immediately, but only after examination and appointment by a doctor. The flu is not a disease that can be cured on its own. Self-medication can lead to dire consequences.

Causes of the disease

The flu is most dangerous for a newborn baby in the first four months of life. Breastfed babies can overcome the disease in its first stages on their own thanks to the antibodies present in mother's milk. The immunity of infants who are bottle-fed is much weaker. Every year, the influenza virus mutates, its course passes with more serious complications, therefore, in the first months of a baby’s life, it is worth reducing its contact with others to a minimum, especially in winter.

Most often, parents of children have to deal with catarrhal conditions of their child during the first three years of life. The reason can be climatic conditions, dampness, contact with sick children and many other factors. If a child attends a children's institution, the incidence in this case occurs more often than in children who are at home.

The fault is not only the fact that some unscrupulous parents bring their babies with signs of a cold. Good conditions for the appearance of the influenza virus in a preschool institution are insufficient ventilation of the premises in winter, dryness of the premises from centralized heating, which makes it possible for pathogens to multiply. A big misconception, especially among young mothers, is the opinion that the flu can start due to drafts or hypothermia of the legs.

Treating people with the flu

Often, young mothers begin to fight the disease, bringing down the fever, without thinking about the fact that this is a manifestation of the protective properties of the child's body. At temperatures up to 38 ° C, it is not recommended to give medicine to children. It is much more effective to drink them with a warm decoction of herbs or dried fruits. This is one of the most effective ways to remove dangerous toxins from the body at the first sign of malaise.

Over time, every mother begins to understand how to protect her child from the flu in the early stages of this dangerous disease.

There are several generally accepted rules that parents adhere to when symptoms of the disease appear:

1. Often ventilate the room in which the baby is located, carry out wet cleaning with a disinfectant solution (soda or a chlorine-free product).
2. It is necessary to bring down the temperature only at a mark of more than 38 ° C and the first signs of febrile convulsions appear.
3. Increase your baby's sleep.
4. Limit contact with others.
5. Transfer the child to a special diet.
6. Give plenty of fluids.
7. Regularly clean the baby's intestines, especially with constipation.
8. Conduct breathing exercises and water procedures.
9. Massage feet, hands, back at temperatures up to 38.5 ° C.
10. Give cough and cold medicines, alternating them every two hours.
11. Transfer to strict bed rest.

If the child has a temperature of up to 40 ° C, you need to call a doctor, and before he arrives, provide the baby with plenty of fluids. We must not forget that at a very high temperature, any thermal procedures, the intake of solid food are prohibited. If the baby is hot, it can be dressed lightly, if it is cold - warmer. In any case, he should be under a blanket in a room with fresh air.

With sufficiently serious symptoms of influenza, children are prescribed inhalations, compresses and wraps, the use of children's antipyretics according to the age of the baby, the introduction of vitamin preparations that increase immunity.

Since the flu negatively affects the state of the respiratory tract, frequent airing and wet cleaning will help strengthen the child's immunity, protect his nose and throat from the penetration of harmful viral bacteria. When caring for a baby, parents should always wear a gauze bandage, and since the virus is transmitted through dirty hands, follow the rules of personal hygiene and wash their hands often. A balanced diet, together with measures to strengthen the immune system and the right treatment procedures, will help to quickly defeat the disease.

Flu Prevention

So that the health of the baby does not have to be protected from an already existing disease, parents should think about how to prevent its occurrence. The most effective way is to take preventive measures.

The nose, mouth, and hands are prime breeding grounds for infections, so washing your hands often and washing with cold water will help to temper and keep your baby safe.

During the winter exacerbation of diseases with the influenza virus, oxolinic ointment will help, which is lubricated with the nasal mucosa for prevention before going outside. Sufficient sleep (at least 10 hours) and the use of a large amount of vitamins will help strengthen the child's body. Summer is the best time for hardening, and the sun, air and water are the child's constant friends.

If we properly protect our child from external negative factors, lead the right way of life, take preventive measures, then we can safely hope that he is not afraid of the flu.

With the onset of the cold season, the question of how to protect your child from the flu becomes relevant. Of course, no one wants to get sick, but adults are still less susceptible to virus attacks than small children, whose immunity is still very weak, as it is not fully formed.

How to protect children from flu and colds?

The most effective remedy that can protect a baby from influenza by 70-90% is vaccination. Unfortunately, if a child is vaccinated with a vaccine of one strain, and then an epidemic of another suddenly begins, which was not expected, then protection from such vaccination will be zero. So you have to protect yourself from the disease in other ways.

Such a remedy as Oksolin ointment is quite popular. Going out into the street, it lubricates the nasal passages of the child, thereby blocking access to the mucosa, through which microbes penetrate.

Do not forget about such a simple procedure as regular hand washing with soap and water. When you get home, you can also rinse your child's nose and drip saline into it. Older children can be given an antiseptic gel with them, which can be used to clean their hands several times a day.

How to protect a one-year-old child from the flu virus?

A well-known Kharkov pediatrician, who is listened to and trusted by thousands of young mothers, Yevgeny Komarovsky, knows effective ways to protect a child from the flu. These are banal and familiar methods that are often undeservedly ignored:

1. Vaccination or vaccination- the answer to the question of how to protect a child from the flu, without it, all methods will be only additional actions. But a well-known doctor does not recommend vaccinating children who are not yet attending kindergarten due to a weak immune system and a possible adverse reaction of the body. It is better to get vaccinated for family members and everyone who comes into contact with the baby, so as not to become a carrier of the infection.
2. In the room where the baby is daily wet cleaning.
3. Humidity in the house should be at least 60% and then the baby's mucous membrane will not dry out and will not become a good soil for microbes to enter.

In addition, the doctor advises with a preventive purpose give your child plenty of fluids- tea, juices, compotes, as well as observe the correct temperature regime in the room. That is, in the room where the baby is, the thermometer should show a mark of 19-20 ° C, no more.

Why is the flu virus dangerous?

The main danger of the disease is severe complications, which it gives mainly to the lungs (pneumonia) and ears (acute otitis media). Inflammation of the lungs, which the flu can develop into, is difficult to treat and can even be fatal. And inflammation of the middle ear leads to damage to the meninges (meningitis).

Of course, the likelihood of complications with the common flu is low, especially if you follow bed rest and doctor's prescriptions. What can not be said about the H1N1 strain - the swine flu virus, which is especially dangerous for a child, since it is impossible to protect yourself from it with the help of vaccination - there is simply no such vaccine. This disease is extremely difficult in children under three years of age, and therefore during the epidemic it is better to reduce contact with people to nothing.

Methods of infection

In order for children to protect themselves from the flu, they need to know how it spreads and is transmitted from person to person. Parents themselves need to clearly understand this and tell their children from an early age in order to give them the necessary knowledge about how to protect themselves from an insidious disease.

Like all viruses, influenza is volatile - that is, it is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets. A sick person releases microparticles when sneezing, coughing, and even when talking. Microbes, getting into the respiratory system of a nearby person, immediately, under favorable conditions, begin to actively multiply.

In addition to the airborne method of transmission of the virus, there is also contact. That is, the patient, touching with dirty hands the door handles, buttons in the elevator, handrails in the bus and subway, leaves microparticles of infected saliva on these objects. The sick person touches his face countless times while sneezing, wipes his nose, and covers his mouth when coughing, which means that there are a huge number of dangerous microorganisms on his hands.

But in an open place, that is, outside the room, the virus quickly disappears with air currents, losing concentration. Thus, during an epidemic, walking the streets is not scary, but visiting crowded places - supermarkets, pharmacies, schools, and traveling by public transport is very unsafe.

Annual influenza epidemics, colds, from which many suffer with the onset of a cold period, can be prevented or slightly alleviated. Preventive measures are to strengthen the body and carry out preventive measures.

Instruction

1. Get vaccinated against influenza- This is the main preventive measure that will help protect yourself in the midst of an epidemic. It does not completely protect against the disease, but in case of infection with influenza in a vaccinated person, it proceeds much easier and without complications. Vaccination should be done before the onset of the epidemic and against the background of full health.
2. Be more outdoors - walks in the cold strengthen blood vessels, strengthen immune defenses. It is most useful to walk in the forest and the park area, and exercise in the fresh air enriches the body with oxygen and brings double benefits.
3. Set the optimal mode of sleep and wakefulness - sleep at least 8 hours a day, go to bed no later than 22 hours, try to do everything during daylight hours and leave yourself time to relax in the evenings. Try to avoid stress that undermines the immune system, and do not overwork.
4. The degree of body resistance depends on good nutrition - eat fresh fruits and vegetables, drink juices, bran bread, sour-milk products. Try to avoid stagnation in the intestines, clean it regularly and monitor the balance of microflora. Drink tea with lemon, raspberry jam, viburnum - vitamin C contained in such drinks stimulates the immune system.
5. Reception of multivitamin complexes in winter and early spring is mandatory in terms of maintaining the body in good shape. Choose a balanced composition that meets your needs depending on lifestyle, activity, age, etc.
6. Use folk prevention methods - eat onions and garlic, add them fresh to first courses, salads, etc.
7. Monitor the condition of the nasal mucosa - in dry conditions, pathogens multiply rapidly. Humidify the air, drink more fluids, after visiting crowded places, irrigate the nasal mucosa with saline. Lubricate the nasal passages with antiviral ointments before leaving the house. Wash your hands often.
8. If possible, try to avoid crowded places during an epidemic. Wear a thick gauze bandage if visiting such places is unavoidable.

When there is a small baby in the house, it is very difficult to protect the child from all kinds of viruses and bacteria - dirt, dog food bowls 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 gathering of relatives, friends, or total strangers that may surround a small child. Smiling grandmothers and sloppy preschoolers try to touch the 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 contact with foreign infected people leads to the illness of the child (especially the newborn), and very often serious complications develop. So, how do you protect your child from the flu and bacterial exposure of other people, and how do you get them to stay away from your child without ruining your relationship with them?

Is it necessary to be afraid of viruses and bacteria?

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

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

Remember that flu or cold viruses, which are not dangerous for adults, can cause serious complications in young children. It is for this reason that parents should protect young children from exposure to bacteria in the first three months of life, and even more if possible.

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

How to keep a child healthy?

• Let hand washing be the rule in the house. Often germs and viruses enter the body by touching infected objects. Wash your baby's hands before picking up the baby and before preparing food, after changing diapers, going to the toilet, or when you get home. Make any person who wants to pick up a child and play with him follow your rules.
• If you cannot stop relatives from touching the child, ask your permission. Let them kiss the leg, not the hand or face. As a result, everyone will be happy. Relatives may touch the baby, but the bacteria remain in areas that are unlikely to lead to infection and illness. This approach should be practiced until the age of 9 months, when the baby begins to suck on its toes. Carry disinfectant wipes with you at all times. There is an opinion that only soap and water eliminates bacteria, but alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. If someone really wants to touch the baby, have them use tissues 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 very moment. When the child is still too young, you should not be with him in places of large concentrations of relatives. In time, when he is three months old, visits can begin.
• Pay close attention to your guests. People can simply forget how sensitive young children are to germs. Therefore, it is worth reminding potential guests that if they are sick, the visit can be postponed.
• Please refer to your pediatrician. If you're worried that you won't be able to stop a persistent relative from kissing a child's cheeks, quote the doctor's prohibition. For example, say that the doctor strictly forbade strangers from touching the child.
• What if the babysitter gets sick? Parents are often afraid that the next day they will open the door to a nanny who has a terrible cold. What to do in this case? It is very difficult to find the correct solution. If the child attends kindergarten, go to the head 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 being taken? Before choosing a kindergarten, find out if the teachers are paid sick leave. If not, most likely they continue to work with a mild cold. Therefore, you should check and it is better to stay at home for the day than to allow a sick person to look after the child. Although this is not an option. If it happens that you leave a child with a sick person, ask him to take maximum security measures so as not to infect the child.
• Keep your child vaccinated on time. Experts agree that vaccination is the best way to protect against disease. Most people are not fully aware of this, but still wash their hands as a preventive measure.
• Don't worry too much. If you failed to keep the child from contact with other people, do not panic.
• Remember that you are parents. Of course, it is not so easy to convince annoying relatives to keep their distance from the child. This is your child, and only you are responsible for his health and well-being. If you feel uncomfortable at the mere thought that the child is in the arms of other people, just tell them about it. People usually respect the decision of their parents. (But even if it's not, what do you care?)

When Precautions Don't Work

Despite all your efforts to protect the health of the child, he still can 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 completely isolated! But don't beat yourself up. Germs are everywhere and it is impossible to completely avoid them. All you can do is take reasonable precautions and accept the fact that your child will get sick from time to time. Also, don't blame other people too much for your baby's illness. While you are complaining about your sick nephew, most likely the source of the infection is someone else, such as a neighbor or someone else who touched the same counter in the store as your baby.

Caring for a sick child

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

Epidemics of influenza (a severe form of a viral infection) occur every year. The defenses of the baby's body are still quite weak. And therefore, unfortunately, infants are more susceptible to infection.

Instruction

1. Minimize or completely avoid visits to clinics and public places. Influenza is transmitted by airborne droplets, so waiting in the corridors of the clinic along with sick children is often fraught with infection. Call the pediatrician and other doctors at home. Avoid contact of the baby with people who have a cold.
2. Ventilate the premises of your house or apartment regularly. In the room where the baby lives, leave the window open for 15 minutes before going to bed. At the same time, protect the baby from drafts. Clean your baby's room daily.
3. Dress your baby according to the weather. Make sure that the child does not get cold, but also that he is not hot. On the street, touch the nose and hands of the baby - they should be warm. Spend as much time outdoors as possible, weather permitting. On cold days, it is better to spend 2 - 3 walks for half an hour. On the street, the baby is hardened, his immune system is getting stronger.
4. Do not introduce new foods into the baby's diet during an epidemic. Food allergies can occur on them, which depletes the strength of the child's body. If the child is breastfed, then the mother should continue to breastfeed him, even if she herself is sick. In this case, the mother should wear a cotton-gauze bandage when in contact with the baby and reduce the time of communication with the baby to a minimum, entrusting the care of relatives or a nanny. Wash hands thoroughly with antiseptic soap and dry thoroughly before handling an infant.
5. Moisten the nasal passages of the crumbs, for example, with a saline solution. Consult with the district pediatrician, he can prescribe prophylactic antiviral drugs. For example, he will advise you to lubricate the baby's nose with oxolin ointment. But any prevention of a cold should take place under the supervision of a specialist.
6. Tie a small gauze bag with finely chopped garlic to the crib. Aromatic oils fight viruses well. For example, tea tree and eucalyptus oils are good antiseptics.

How to protect your child from colds? Are you taking anything for prevention? In our kindergarten

Answers:

I

If we are talking about a kindergarten, you can hang a plastic egg (from a kinder) for a child there, make holes in it and put garlic there. This is for prevention. That's how they do it everywhere.
Children, even with minimal manifestations of a cold, are not allowed! If he coughs a little - it does not mean that he is "slightly" sick! This means that he is a carrier of the virus, but the owner of good immunity - and this virus does not affect him so much, but if he gets to another - weaker child - he can cause a serious illness.
And tablets - it is better to give as little as possible - they weaken the body and its natural forces. If you really give it, then general strengthening vitamins, or barrier methods of protection - for example, a nasal ointment that protects the nasal cavity and kills microbes when ingested even before they get inside the body!

Igor Savchik

Temper... We had the same problem...

Daniela

to raise immunity, I give Argo Detox syrup until I get sick, although I usually get sick often. In general, there is no need to be silent - let the parents treat the child - after all, this is a vicious circle - they will get sick like that.

naughty girl

I also think that it is necessary to inform the nurse in the garden .. what is the meaning of the kindergarten then? get an additional infection

Ivan Ivanov

Snot is your child's immune defense for adaptation in an environment unknown to him yet. In order for the child to endure adaptation more easily, it is, of course, necessary to temper it (only gradually, starting from 28-30 degrees and decreasing by a degree per week, bring it to a temperature normally tolerated by the child), plus you can drink a complex of vitamins. Eat more fruits containing vitamins A and C. And spiritual joy - it is an indispensable medicine for any sick baby and even an adult :))

Cherry

I sprinkled IRS 19 into the spout. I gave vitamins. And there's no point... 2 weeks went to the garden and got sick. Here, on sick leave from today. And the kids are really many with snot in the garden ...

Alyona

200 g of honey, juice of 1 lemon, squeeze a few cloves of garlic, give on an empty stomach for 1 hour. l. - great immunity booster!

Natalia Maksimova

for prevention, you can LICOPID in a children's dosage, it is an immunomodulatory

GALLA

we have Karovaev's balm on the table in the kindergarten, and before taking the child to the group, I lubricate the baby's nose - the result has not been sick since February, and before that there were constant colds.

*

Bronchomunal. Course: 10 days reception - 20 break. And so three times in a row. It is better to start in early autumn, so that immunity develops by winter.

Liechka

The educator of such sick children should be sent home. They do not have the right to take a sick child into the group. But since such a situation has occurred, then take all possible measures. Vodichka with lemon, pancakes with raspberry jam, vitamins.
In our group, the windows were changed, it was +15 in the morning in the room, how the children will be there all day, I can’t imagine. I'm already expecting a cold. The teacher herself came with a terrible cough, and the nanny with snot. What to do, such is life. We do our best.

WITH

It helps us: every day before the kindergarten I put oxolinic ointment into the nose, and then when I come from the kindergarten, wash my nose well and again a little ointment.
And arbidol, anaferon and even immunal did not help us at all.
Even for prevention, you can rinse the neck with chamomile or calendula 2 times a week.
It will not be worse.
In general, the first year all children get sick. Until the adaptation is over. We got sick every month. Much better now.
Good luck. Do not be ill.

Natalia Titova

And now we have started taking "Immunal", they say it supports the child's body quite well.

NasTYusha

I smear the child's nose with "viferon ointment", or you can instill it with "interfiron", they are emunomodulating and protect against the penetration of a cold into the body.

aleksey shubin (messenger)

aflubin. for the treatment and prevention of influenza and colds.

Svetlana

children's vitamins Lifepack Junior http://www.vipgroup.net/

Personal Account Deleted

You can try "Anaferon for children" 1 tab. per day for prevention. If the child is already sick - 3-4 tab. in a day. These are homeopathic remedies, soft, sparing for the child. Doctors do not advise giving Immunal to children, as this is an interference with the immune system. I also do this at night: I take aromatic oil (eucalyptus, pine), pour it into the enamel. dishes with hot water, drip 4 drops of oil and leave for 2 hours to disinfect the room. Health!

tatyana galkina

it’s not only in your kindergarten, I’m a teacher and I’ve seen a lot in the garden, in order for healthy children to remain healthy, all the sick need to be planted at home, especially in the gardens it’s cold now