Cold season: find out here how to protect your child

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Here we present you some tips to prevent illnesses like the flu during winter

With the arrival of cold, there is an increase in illnesses in children and young people that mainly affect the respiratory tract, such as the flu, bronchitis, pharyngitis or even pneumonia. In addition, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of asthma is increasing and it is expected that in the next 20 years 100 million people will develop this disease.

Leer en español: Temporada de frío: descubre cómo proteger a tu niño

According to the WHO, this season there is an increase close to 20 percent of patients with allergic reactions in the nasal mucosa that lead to the development of asthma.

"Low temperatures can also cause skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis," explained María Rosa Albañil Ballesteros, a pediatrician and member of the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPap), to El País.

Since children do not have a sufficiently mature immune system and do not have the same defensive capacity as adults, they are especially vulnerable to cold and are more prone to diseases, especially if they are in contact with other children.

Find here some practical tips to prevent your child from suffering the typical winter diseases:

1. Cover them up correctly: according to the health portal Faros, although you must cover up your child before exposing him to sudden changes in temperature, covering him too much can be counterproductive. This is because the excess fabric will prevent them from regulating their body temperature with that of the environment and ensuring adequate transpiration mechanisms.

The type of material is also important. Wool, for example, can accumulate dust, irritate the respiratory tract and cause allergies, so the most appropriate material for children is cotton. Also, remember to cover your kid nose and mouth well.

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2. Maintain the house warm: Bebés y Más recommends not using the heating high but allowing the organism to use its own regulating mechanisms of adaptation to the cold.

3. Correct hygiene: as much as possible avoid your child from approaching other children or sick people or sharing utensils such as cutlery, plates, glasses, and towels. In addition, washing your hands before eating or when you go home reduces the chances of acute respiratory disease by almost 30%.

4. Follow a varied and healthy diet: food plays a vital role in preventing diseases and colds. If you still breastfeed your baby, breastfeeding will stimulate your immune system; if he already takes solids, it is important to include fruits, vegetables, fish and milk.

5. Avoid environments with cigarette smoke, sudden changes in temperature and ventilate at least 10 minutes per room.

LatinAmerican Post | Luisa Fernanda Báez

Translated from "Temporada de frío: descubre cómo proteger a tu niño"