Flu season? 5 tips to protect your baby
Whether it's a rainy season or because a family member or friend is with a tremendous virus, we know it is important that you want to protect your baby at all costs from the flu. This is why in LatinAmerican Post we compile several tips to ensure that your baby is saved from a flu season.
Baby lying sleeping with brown blanket. / Reference image / Pixabay
LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
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1. Learn to identify the symptoms
If you are a first-time mom, you can alert yourself to any abnormality your baby presents, it is understandable. But so is learning to identify the symptoms of the flu. If your baby has chills, dry cough, runny nose, excessive tiredness, vomiting, lack of appetite and fever (although in some cases it does not occur) it has probably been infected and it is time to treat it.
2. Flu vaccine
If your baby is under six months old, you still cannot vaccinate him, but his family environment can do it. Make sure that both mom, dad, grandparents, uncles and anyone who has frequent contact with the baby are vaccinated against the flu.
On the other hand, if your baby is older than six months do not forget to vaccinate him, to avoid contracting the flu virus.
Read also: Do not believe in myths and other 7 tips for new moms
3. Hygiene above all
Prevent an infected person from spending time or approaching your baby. Take care that the utensils that the baby uses are exclusive for him. It is very important that those who have contact with the baby wash their hands frequently.
In addition, it is worth remembering that if someone coughs or sneezes, do so by covering their mouth to prevent the virus from spreading. On the other hand, try to ventilate the baby's room allowing air to enter. Remember that flu germs can survive a little more than three hours on a surface, so disinfecting most things will be indispensable.
4. Dress them correctly
Sometimes we tend to think that the more layers of clothes we put on the baby, the better it will do for him, but the truth is that it is not so. By adding more clothing, we prevent body temperature from being regulated with room temperature, in addition to preventing perspiration mechanisms from functioning properly.
Avoid woolen clothing, as well as being heavy, they can cause allergies, and therefore, can contribute to nasal congestion. Cotton, in addition to being fresh, can help warm your baby. Do not forget to cover both the nose and the mouth.
5. Good food
It is essential that your little one is fed the right way. If little by little you have been introducing new foods in his diet, take the opportunity to incorporate foods rich in vitamins such as cereals or vegetables (provide Vitamin A): fruits rich in vitamin C, such as orange or kiwi. Do not forget to keep him hydrated by means of water, juices, milk, broths or purees.
However, if your baby is still breastfeeding, don't worry! Breastfeeding will help boost your toddler's immune system and help him fight multiple infections.
If after following these tips your baby still has symptoms, such as fever for more than 24 hours or continues with a cough after a week, do not hesitate to contact your doctor.
