How to protect my child from winter illnesses

Against winter illnesses, I prolong breastfeeding

Numerous studies show it: breast milk, rich in proteins, fats, sugars and anti-infectious antibodies, has positive effects on the health of the young.

It protects in particular against ENT infections: ear infections, bronchiolitis and other rhinos. Thus, exclusively breastfed babies would have a rate of ear infections at least twice as low as those who are not.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months, then partial breastfeeding associated with a diversified diet at least until the age of 2 years.

Side immune defenses, I never smoke in his presence

Watch out for passive smoking! “Even at very low doses, tobacco smoke tends to weaken the immune system and cause congestion of the respiratory tract,” warns Dr. Pierre Popowski, homeopathic pediatrician, author of “For their health, leave it to itself. salir ”(Leduc ed.).

We therefore avoid toasting a cigarette in the car just before bringing the children in, and even more so in their presence.

Against pollutants, I ventilate his room every day

Between work, transport, sports clubs, shopping and home, we spend on average 80% of our time in closed places. And contrary to what one might think, the air we breathe there is not necessarily of better quality than outside! Blame it on the presence of all kinds of pollutants:

cleaning products, paints, mold, dust mites, tobacco …

To limit the risk of allergies, asthma or irritation of the respiratory tract, it is therefore essential to ventilate your home for at least 10 minutes a day, even in the middle of winter, to renew the indoor air.

To take baby out in the cold, I adapt his outfit

In winter, we often fear that our toddlers are not sufficiently covered. This concern is all the more legitimate with infants who are not yet able to regulate their body temperature or express their feeling of hot or cold. So how do you protect it from the elements?

Our advice : You cover your child as you would for yourself. And we add extra thickness for babies under six months. Above all, don’t forget to protect your extremities – head, hands and feet – which are more sensitive to the cold. Last piece of advice: think about discovering it when you enter a warmer place, even for a short time. Otherwise, it may overheat inside and shiver when you return outside.

To protect his respiratory tract, I avoid overheating the house

When the thermometer outside drops, we are often tempted to turn up the heat in the house to prevent all of us from getting sick. Warning ! Toddlers are so sensitive to changes in temperature that they can cause thermal shock. In addition, an atmosphere that is too hot and too dry risks weakening their respiratory mucous membranes and making them more vulnerable to attack by viruses.

The ideal ? Set the temperature between 18 and 20 ° C. Even if it means adding a little waistcoat to them if they are not warm enough!

To fight against dust mites, I freeze his soft toys

Children with allergic conditions are more prone to recurring colds during the winter. To preserve them, we keep them as far away from animals as possible and we hunt mites in the house. Carpet, rugs, drapes, and other feather pillows are removed, vacuumed and ragged carefully, and all bedding washed regularly. Without forgetting the soft toys!

Alternative that works well : we put the fluff in a plastic freezer bag, then hop in the freezer, and after 3 hours, we vacuum them delicately, and voila!

To avoid virus contamination, I teach him to wash his hands

It cannot be repeated enough: washing your hands for thirty seconds with soap is the easiest and most effective way to prevent the transmission of bacteria or viruses. It is therefore in our interest to comply with this ritual at least when coming home, when leaving the toilet, before going to the table or after blowing your nose … We take the opportunity to teach children the right ways to wash themselves. hands (to see in this video) from an early age, taking the time to explain to them why they are important. And we show the example. Otherwise, they won’t apply them!

To protect it from germs, I keep it away from crowded places

“The more time children spend in confined spaces with a high population density, the more they are at risk of catching a virus,” warns Dr Popowski. Real cultural broths, buses, subways, supermarkets are therefore clearly to be avoided with them.

To strengthen its immune defenses, I rely on homeopathy

“Homeopathy makes it possible to strengthen the immune defenses of the child and to prevent winter infections”, underlines Dr. Popowski. For optimum efficiency, several treatments with complementary effects.

Nux vomica which acts on the ENT and digestive spheres, Chelidonium majus and Carduus marianus which are used to stimulate the liver and maintain a good general condition.

From 6 years old, I learn to use essential oils

Essential oils are the concentrated aromatic compounds of plants. Extremely powerful, they are contraindicated in children under 6 years old. Beyond that, we will favor glycerine macerates, preparations obtained from buds macerated with water, alcohol and glycerin.

Most recommended for children ? The radiated eucalyptus, which decongests the airways and stops the proliferation of bacteria in the body, the ravintsara, which prevents the development of viruses and supports immunity. As a precaution, it is always better to seek the advice of an aromatherapist doctor before use.

To protect the child from bacteria, I take care of his dental hygiene

After each meal, a thin film made up of food debris, saliva and bacteria forms on the surface of the teeth: this is called dental plaque. If it is not removed, it hardens to form a yellow or brown deposit: tartar.

Hence the importance of teaching him to brush his teeth well at least twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Otherwise, the bacteria in the plaque can cause cavities or even migrate from the mouth to the lungs and cause or worsen an existing lung infection.

So that my child can move and get oxygen well, I take him out into the fresh air

It is not because the cold is setting in that we should no longer put our noses outside. Even in winter, children need to see daylight and breathe deeply in order to oxygenate their bodies. Unless the temperatures are really freezing or if our child is not in good shape, we do not especially refrain from taking him for a walk in the fresh air. As long as you cover it properly!

To protect him from diseases, I check his vaccines

Vaccination remains a sure way to protect babies from certain diseases. Since January 1, 2018, 8 new vaccines have become mandatory for children under 2 years old (measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae bacteria, pneumococcus, meningococcus C), in addition to the three that were already (diphtheria, tetanus, polio).

So that the child can attend the community (nursery, school, etc.), it is necessary to justify that the injections were indeed carried out by presenting the health record or a certificate of the health professional.

So that he can breathe well, I unclog his nasal cavities

Baby has a gout in the nose? So that it does not turn into bronchitis, we expel the mucus using a nasal bulb.

On the other hand, we avoid washing his nose every day with a saline solution. It could irritate his mucous membranes, but especially send the mucus in his back throat and thus spread the infection in the bronchi.

Mom’s testimony

“With auriculotherapy, goodbye to repeated bronchitis!” “

“When I was little, my son had severe asthma. From autumn until spring, he had bronchitis after bronchitis. To the point that he was hospitalized regularly to put him on oxygen. To relieve him, I first took him to a magnetizer, but it didn’t work. So I turned to auriculotherapy, a technique that involves implanting small needles or injecting liquid nitrogen into the pinna of the ear in order to act on the brain. From the first session, I noticed a better. So we continued at the rate of one session per month for three months, then one session every two months and after six months, the result was miraculous. Admittedly, it is quite expensive, a session costs 90 €. But it’s worth it. Today, Aaron has not had an asthma attack for three years. “

How do you know if it’s the Covid, or another disease?

Interview with Prof. Christophe Delacourt, head of the pediatric pulmonology department at Necker hospital, and president of the French Pediatric Society

How do you know if it’s the Covid, or another disease?

Pr Delacourt : The new coronavirus Sars cov 2 is a respiratory virus which, overall, affects children less than adults. And when it does, it gives minor symptoms that closely resemble those of other winter illnesses: fever, cough, rhinitis, digestive disorders, asthma attack … It is therefore almost impossible to distinguish it from a common cold, flu or bronchiolitis. However, there is no need to run and test your child as soon as he has a runny nose. Virological tests known as PCR, which are currently carried out by an unpleasant sample from the nasopharynx, are only indicated for children with very marked symptoms (fever, respiratory discomfort, digestive disorders, etc.), for children who have been in contact with an adult contaminated, and for those who live with people at risk.

Do barrier gestures and the mask protect against other winter diseases?

Pr Delacourt : Most respiratory viruses are spread by droplets, including sputum or deposits on surfaces that can be touched with the hand. In children under 6, for whom the mask is not recommended in a community setting, it is therefore mainly the washing of hands and surfaces that makes it possible to limit contamination. For toddlers in nurseries, wearing a mask is not even recommended: they risk constantly putting their hands in their mouths, but in addition they can have difficulty breathing.

 Interview by Elodie Chermann