9 Tips On How To Protect Children From Cold This Winter

As the winter approaches, school-going children become more susceptible to infection. In children, the immune system is developing until they are 7 to 8 years of age, which is why they catch respiratory infections early. Taking precautions from the beginning can protect your children from cold.

How to keep your children healthy during winter?

1. Vaccinations: Flu vaccination is an effective way to improve child immunity against different viruses. The influenza virus evolves constantly, and every year composition of the flu vaccine is modified as per new strains.

2. Diet: The deficiency of a nutrient can impact the body’s immune system negatively. Zinc, selenium, iron, folic acid, Vitamin A, B6, C, D and E, and copper are important nutrients to keep immunity strong and intact. Children with poor nourishment fall ill more often.

Include a variety of fruits, vegetable in the kid’s diet. Incorporate food rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which support immunity through their anti-inflammatory properties. Fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and flaxseed are good sources of Omega 3 fatty acid

Winter superfoods – Amla, carrot, radish, jaggery, sesame seeds, dates, ginger, garlic, ghee.

3. Hydration: Our immune system gets nutrients from the bloodstream which is mainly composed of water. It is crucial to stay hydrated for the proper functioning of the Immune system.

In the winter season, parents tend to neglect water consumption in kids. A child’s thirst mechanism is underdeveloped, so inadequate water consumption can lead to dehydration. Make sure children will drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day.

4. Exercise regularly: Staying active is important, include any form of exercise in your child’s daily routine. Encourage them to play indoors to avoid exposure to wind and dropping temperatures.
5. Sound sleep: Lack of sleep causes loss of energy and makes kids catch infections like the common cold. While resting, the body heals and prepares to fight infection. It produces infection-fighting molecules.

Children should sleep at least 8 hours to feel fresh and parents should maintain sleep conducive environment for better sleep.

6. Stress management: In today’s fast-paced world, children feel stress which affects their health. When stressed, the capacity of the immune system to fight infection lowers down.

To cope with stress, parents should teach children relaxing techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation. Breathing techniques also help to improve lung capacity and combat respiratory infection.

7. Skincare: Winter and woollen garments make the skin dry and cracked. Use moisturiser to prevent skin damage in children. Along with cream parents should also include sunscreen lotion in winter care skin routine.

8. Winter outdoor safety tips for kids: Children should cover the neck, fingers toes, ears, and nose. Take a break from cold weather and allow the body to warm up. Add different layers while dressing up children. Use soft thermal wear inside woollen sweaters to protect the skin from dryness and irritation. Motivate children to play indoors to keep cold exposure to a minimum.
9. Tips for school-going children: Children should maintain adequate hand hygiene which is the main source of infection spread.

• Ask children to hold a bent elbow while sneezing or coughing, it will help to control contact transmission.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water. Wear masks in classrooms.
• Children with active infection – running nose, fever should take a break from school.

These are some precautions to protect your children from cold this winter season.

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