Features of walking with a newborn
To be precise, infancy lasts exactly 28 days for a baby, after which it is automatically considered not a newborn. At this time, the mother’s immune defense is still present in the child’s body and therefore the child will not be able to get sick. But this, as they say, is ideal, but in fact, colds in newborns are not so uncommon. In this case, there is no need to panic; a timely visit to a doctor will help to correctly diagnose the cause of a runny nose and a treatment plan.
After all possible measures have been taken and the baby’s temperature (with possible increases) has returned to normal, the child is quite ready for walks. Previously, pediatricians advised starting to get acquainted with the street after about a week for a few minutes a day, gradually increasing the time to the standard two hours. Now the approach is more loyal; long walks with the baby right from birth are not prohibited, provided the weather conditions are quite comfortable.
If a newborn has a runny nose, walks are even recommended, since it is in outdoor conditions that it is easier to preserve the natural background of the nasal sinuses. In a dry or dusty room, a runny nose will last longer, so regular ventilation and moisturizing will be useful. To do this, you can buy a special device that controls the level of comfortable air humidity, or you can use “grandmother’s” means by hanging wet towels on radiators or installing containers with water. You can read the link by following the link. You may also be wondering, .
How can you measure it?
- An ordinary mercury thermometer
Plus: gives the most accurate readings
Minus: firstly, the baby may not be able to withstand the long wait for the result, and secondly, it is very fragile, and there is a dangerous liquid inside.
Plus: the measurement takes only a few seconds
Disadvantage: As a rule, there is an error of about 1 degree in the measurement.
- Infrared ear thermometer
Plus: measures quite accurately and quickly
Cons: high price.
Important. The child's temperature should be measured when he is at rest. If he had been crying or moving actively before, his temperature would rise. It also increases with feeding. Keep this in mind.
Walking with a baby
For children under one year old, walks not only help strengthen the immune system, but also contribute to their psychomotor development. A grown-up baby eagerly explores the world, so a walk is an ideal opportunity to direct his energy in the right direction. If the weather outside is comfortable and the child does not have a high temperature of 37.5º C or more, walks will only bring benefits. In case of a contagious disease, you can temporarily limit contact with other children, so it is better to take a car, stroller, crayons, a ball and other toys for playing outdoors.
Often, at the first signs of the disease, children's activity drops sharply, and the child complains of weakness. In this case, you should not forcefully drag the baby “to get some fresh air.” It is better to ensure a flow of oxygen into the room, and after the condition improves, the baby himself will drag you outside.
Walking with a sick child: Komarovsky’s opinion
Known for his radical views on the upbringing and treatment of children, Evgeniy Komarovsky also convinces of the benefits of being in the fresh air, even with a sick child. According to him, fresh air will help defeat the disease faster, and providing opportunities for physical activity will strengthen the child’s immune system.
The video explains whether it is possible to walk with a child with a runny nose:
A walk “along Komarovsky” is, first of all, ensuring the baby’s motor activity. You cannot wrap your child head over heels in warm clothes and demand that he just sit on a bench. An ideal walk when the child is actively moving in comfortable clothes. You should choose it based on the calculation: one layer less than your mother’s. The child will not have time to freeze in such a short time, and clothes that do not hinder movement will help to get the maximum benefit from such a pastime.
For infants and toddlers who do not yet move much, a walk is still very important. Ideally, this should be a quiet place, away from industrial areas and busy roads. If you have a park or square nearby, you are very lucky. If there are no such places, you can sit with your baby in the yard or even just go out onto the balcony.
Depending on the cause of a runny nose, which may be a manifestation of an allergy, it is necessary to direct efforts to eliminate the factors causing such a reaction in the body. The child needs help in creating conditions suitable for recovery, in which a walk is an important event.
Is it possible/should you take a walk with your child if you have a runny nose? Of course! Given fairly comfortable weather conditions and the absence of high fever and weakness, a walk in the fresh air will help quickly defeat the disease and contribute to the normal functioning of the entire body in general and the respiratory system in particular.
The famous pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky is also convinced of the advisability of walking, especially with a sick baby. Infancy and infancy are also not a hindrance, the main thing is to choose the right weather. Regular walks with children of any age will help strengthen the immune system and cope with any diseases faster. You can read how to rinse your nose with salt.
With the onset of cold weather, most parents, especially inexperienced ones, have many questions regarding walks. How to dress so as not to freeze and sweat? Is it possible to walk with a runny nose, cough or fever? Should you leave the house in the cold? Let's figure it out together with a pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences and popular TV presenter Evgeniy Komarovsky.
How to dress a child? This is the first thing parents think about when studying the weather forecast every morning. After all, the main thing is to choose clothes so that the baby does not freeze, but also does not overheat.
As for infants, who mostly lie in a stroller and sleep, it is almost impossible to overheat them: the baby will still spend excess heat on heating the inhaled cold air, says Evgeny Komarovsky. - So you can easily dress it the way you think is right. It is clear that for the first time you will most likely wrap him up too warmly, simply because the fear of cold is ingrained in the minds of most mothers and grandmothers. If you return from a walk, undress your baby and see that he is red and sweaty, next time put less clothes on him.
Choose quality clothes
Another thing is a child who walks actively: runs, jumps, slides and rolls in the snow.
In children, metabolism proceeds faster than in adults, and where the mother is cool, the child is normal, and where the adult is normal, the baby is warm, emphasizes Dr. Komarovsky. - Therefore, wear one less layer of clothing on him than on yourself. Moreover, now you can find ideal winter sets for children on sale - at the same time warm and not restricting movement. By the way, a high-quality cream that protects your hands and face from wind and frost will also not be superfluous.
Can a balcony replace the street?
Definitely yes, Evgeniy Komarovsky is sure. Dress your baby in street clothes, put him in the stroller cradle and take him out onto the balcony. The sooner you accustom your baby to such “walks,” the greater the chance that he will accept them calmly.
A balcony is convenient,” says Evgeniy Olegovich. — While the baby is sleeping, you can sleep yourself, cook dinner, read or clean the apartment. Although, of course, it is worth remembering the safety of the child - close the windows so that there is no wind, and the neighbor’s cigarette butt does not fly onto the balcony.
In general, when it comes to newborns, you can walk with them in winter from the 10th day of life, and the balcony is best suited for this.
The first time, sit with your child on the balcony for 15-20 minutes, the next day - twice for half an hour, and then gradually increase the frequency and duration of the “walks,” explains Dr. Komarovsky. — By the age of one month, it is quite possible to make sure that the child spends the whole day on the balcony in breaks between feedings and communication with parents. If he is properly dressed and protected from the wind, a healthy baby feels quite well even at sub-zero temperatures.
What if the child is sick?
It all depends on the condition and well-being of the baby, as well as on what exactly the child is sick with:
- If his temperature is above 37.5°C, it is better not to go outside, especially if the temperature outside is below zero. The reason is that cold air causes spasm of skin blood vessels, reduces heat loss and increases the temperature of internal organs.
- If the doctor has prescribed strict bed rest (for example, for diphtheria), you should also not go for a walk.
- If the disease is contagious (say, the flu or another acute respiratory viral infection), and the child’s condition is normal, you can go for a walk, but so as not to transmit the virus to other children.
- If a child has a cold caused by hypothermia, when microbes living in the body begin to actively multiply due to weakening of the body, walks can and should be resumed immediately after the temperature subsides. This will be a strength test for the developed antibodies and one of the hardening options.
- If your baby is recovering from a respiratory illness (pneumonia, bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis), going for a walk is a must.
Important!
Is your child coughing? This means that the sputum in the bronchi has been moistened and now needs to be coughed out. Don't go home right away - wait until all the mucus comes out.
The vast majority of parents want to hear specific instructions regarding walks from their pediatrician. But there can be no universal recommendations. The main factor is not the weather, not health, but the educational system adopted from infancy.
Evgeny Komarovsky: | |
An elementary example. If socks and hats are a prerequisite for a child’s lifestyle, then exposure to cold on the legs and head will quickly lead to a cold. But if from an early age a child runs barefoot - at least around the apartment - and at 3 years old climbs into a November puddle, then there is nothing dangerous to health in this. But this same puddle can pose a real threat if, again from an early age, a crowd of child-loving relatives ran after the baby with socks and slippers in their hands. |
Meanwhile
Let's walk all day
If the child is healthy and well dressed, there are no restrictions on the time of walking in winter. Ideally, you can go out after breakfast, go in for lunch, and go out again before dinner.
A scarf won't help!
Tying a baby’s mouth and nose with a scarf in the cold is absolutely pointless, Evgeniy Komarovsky is sure. Not a single scarf can compare with the mucous membranes and sinuses of the nose in its ability to warm the inhaled air.
Find out more about how to walk with your child in the cold season on the official website of Evgeny Komarovsky komarovskiy.net in the “Books” sections (text
How can walking be dangerous? The biggest trouble is overheating or hypothermia of the body while walking. In infants, thermoregulation is still poorly developed, and the body’s energy reserves are also depleted quite quickly, because of this, children (more often than adults) experience malfunctions leading to overheating or hypothermia. What should you pay attention to to prevent such cases? Of course, for a child. Any change has a basis that does not occur abruptly. For example, if you suspect possible overheating, and the child does not ask for water, then there is probably no reason to worry.
As a rule, the disease does not occur suddenly. The mother should simply pay attention to the child’s well-being at home and on the street, note changes, and take preventive measures if necessary.
Temperature in a baby: normal by month, Komarovsky, how to treat – Home doctor
When a child appears in the house, parents pay special attention to his health and carefully monitor his body temperature.
What is the normal temperature for a baby?
During the neonatal period and in a child until he reaches the age of one year, body temperature can normally reach 37.4 degrees when measured in the armpits. This is due to imperfect thermoregulation of the child’s body, which is established during the first year of life. Therefore, often an infant’s temperature is slightly higher than the usual 36.6.
However, each child is individual and the normal temperature for each baby may be different. If the child is active, healthy, eats well and does not experience any discomfort, but the parents measure his temperature and see 37 degrees, then there is no reason to worry.
Just like a slight decrease in temperature (for example, to 35.7 degrees) may indicate the developmental characteristics of a particular baby.
However, it is important not to measure body temperature once, but to carry out these manipulations over several days to determine the average temperature for your own child.
How to measure a baby's temperature?
Currently, there is a huge variety of thermometers, but mercury thermometers provide the greatest accuracy. But it should be remembered that their use requires compliance with safety measures, since if it is damaged, mercury vapor can negatively affect the child’s body.
The safest are electronic thermometers, which allow you to determine the current level of baby’s body temperature in a matter of seconds. Therefore, they are especially easy to use for measuring body temperature in an infant.
The rectal temperature of a baby can also be measured using an electronic thermometer.
Since it has a soft tip and the measurement time is a few seconds, this method of obtaining information about the child’s temperature allows you to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
The baby has a high temperature
In the presence of almost any disease, a child most often experiences an increase in body temperature. It can also be the result of overheating, teething, as a reaction to vaccination, and also if the baby’s body is dehydrated.
If the child's temperature rises to 38.5 degrees. But at the same time he feels well, eats and is active, then his condition can be alleviated by wrapping him in a wet diaper rather than resorting to the use of medications.
If over time there is an increase in temperature and a general deterioration in the baby’s condition, then you can give him some kind of antipyretic for children (for example, Panadol, Nurofen, Viferon suppositories). Parents should remember that under no circumstances should a small child be given aspirin or analgin, as taking them can lead to serious neurological complications.
The baby has a low temperature
If an infant has a low body temperature (below 36.6 degrees), but this decrease is insignificant (for example, 35 degrees), and the child is quite active, has a good appetite and is in a good mood, then there is no cause for concern. Perhaps this is just an individual characteristic of the baby.
A small child is just beginning to adapt to environmental conditions and temperature may be a reaction to such adaptation to external conditions.
You should not immediately run to the doctor or call an ambulance if your baby’s temperature slightly deviates from the standard 36.6.
It is necessary to monitor his condition for some time and, if the baby’s well-being worsens, seek medical help.
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Normal temperature in a baby - what to do if you have a fever?
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In the first months of life, the baby’s body actively adapts to new living conditions. All vital systems have not yet been adjusted and are in the process of formation. The normal temperature of a baby is not the usual figure of 36.6: it can fluctuate throughout the day and have different characteristics in individual parts of the body.
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What is considered normal?
What is the normal body temperature of a newborn baby, and how to determine it? Each baby develops individually and reacts differently to changes in external conditions. Body temperature can change at different times of the day and have the following indicators:
- under the arms: 36.3 - 37.4°C;
- in the rectum: 36.9 - 37.5°C;
- in the mouth: 36.6 - 37.3°C.
This is the normal temperature of infants in a calm state, that is, without:
- tears and crying;
- digestion of food;
- overheating in the room;
- too warm clothes.
When the baby actively moves his limbs, body temperature may rise above normal. With active breast sucking, crying and hysteria, it also increases sharply. Especially in the first month of life. When the baby enters the third month, the body temperature will gradually begin to normalize, but will only be fully formed by the age of one.
Thermometer for measuring temperature
What thermometer measures a baby's body temperature? For these purposes the following is used:
- mercury thermometer;
- Digital Thermometer;
- pacifier thermometer;
- temperature indicator.
The temperature in the butt (rectal) and armpit can be measured using a mercury thermometer. The normal rectal temperature is always several tenths of a degree higher than in the axillary part of the body.
Oral body temperature is measured using a special pacifier-shaped thermometer.
There is also an electronic thermometer that can record temperature changes in the rectum or mouth. It is of little use for the axillary part of the body: it gives distorted results.
The electronic thermometer has the most accurate readings of body temperature; it is used for oral and rectal contact.
To do this, the thermometer is pressed tightly against the baby’s body. Manufacturers have also released electronic thermometers to record the temperature behind the ear and under the arm; the device notifies you of the end of the procedure with a sound signal.
A temperature indicator (in the form of a strip) is applied to the baby’s forehead for 15-17 seconds, the norm is up to 37.5°C. A reading of more than 37.5 is considered a deviation from the norm.
Temperature rise indicator
Before establishing a fever in your baby, you need to know exactly what temperature should be normal. To do this, take measurements every day at different times and record the result. Symptoms of fever:
- tearfulness;
- restless state;
- rapid pulse;
- flaming cheeks;
- signs of chills;
- sparkle of eyes.
If the baby is a month old, he will not be able to complain about his condition.
Thermometer readings can be misleading, but there is a reliable old way to determine infant fever. The mother touches the baby’s forehead with her lips (or cheek): a hot forehead is no longer the norm for a child.
The fever can also be determined by the general condition of the baby. His lips and tongue will be dry, the baby will drink water greedily, and his breathing will become rapid. Feverish shine in the eyes and red cheeks will also tell you that the temperature is not normal.
How can you tell if your heart rate has increased? The normal heart rate is up to 160 beats per minute when awake. During crying, the frequency reaches 200 beats per minute. This indicator can be considered a deviation from the norm.
Some babies do not outwardly react to fever. Therefore, it is important to know in advance what the baby’s temperature is normal.
Causes of fever in a child
Fever (fever) in a baby is not always an indicator of a cold. When the baby is only a month old, the fever may be:
- due to wrapping or too warm clothes;
- when exposed to direct sunlight;
- with a lack of water;
- due to excessive physical activity;
- with prolonged crying/screaming;
- due to constipation.
Also, a fever may appear due to the structural features of the baby’s body, its adaptability to new living conditions (if the baby is only a month old). When symptoms of fever appear in a child, it is necessary to immediately find out and eliminate the cause.
If he overheats due to wrapping, remove excess clothing and give him some water. For constipation, use an enema and a gas tube. When screaming, find the cause and eliminate it, calm the baby.
Important! You should not walk your baby in direct sunlight. Always keep it in the shade.
What kind of fever should alert a mother if the baby is one month old? An increase in temperature to 38°C or higher is an alarming indicator.
This may be a symptom of infectious childhood diseases. In this condition, you need to call an ambulance.
When to call a doctor?
If you determine that your baby’s fever is not due to overheating by clothes or poor drinking habits, you should call a doctor. Before you call, set the thermometer again and make sure that the fever has not subsided. You should call a doctor if:
- convulsions appeared;
- the cervix became tense;
- breathing became noisy and rapid;
- the child refuses to eat;
- the baby developed diarrhea and vomiting;
- urine color has changed;
- a rash appeared on the skin.
If you decide to give an antipyretic, be sure to tell your doctor about it when you visit. A thermometer reading above 38.5 is a dangerous condition for a baby who is one month old.
Methods to fight fever
What to do if the baby has a non-infectious fever? First of all, ventilate your child's room well. But at the same time, the baby must be taken out of the room!
Make sure that the room is always 18-22°C (during night sleep - a couple of degrees lower). Remember that heaters dry the air, so central heating is preferable.
A baby with a fever should not be wrapped in a blanket to provide additional insulation. It is better to refrain from walking. You shouldn’t stop bathing in the bathroom, but the water should be at least 37°C. The drinking regime should be normal: during this period it is better for the baby to drink more than to eat a lot. If the child does not want to eat, do not force feed.
Sleep during this period is healing. Provide peace and quiet for your baby. You can't wake him up to eat on a schedule!
How can I help my baby?
Non-drug measures to combat fever are proven folk methods:
- wiping the body with a sponge and water;
- drinking plenty of water;
- frequent change of linen.
Rubbing your child with warm water will help alleviate his condition. When water evaporates from the body, cooling occurs. You should wipe from the face and neck, then move on to the arms and legs, and finally wipe the body.
Important! Rubbing with cold water or alcohol is unacceptable!
Drinking frequently is one way to help your month-old baby cope with a feverish condition. Don’t force them to drink, just offer sweet tea or juice more often. If there is excessive sweating, do not keep the child in wet clothes - change them as they get wet.
If the child has a chill, it is necessary to cover him with a blanket. No need to wrap it up - just cover it up.
Source:
What body temperature is considered normal for a baby: indicators by month up to a year
- New parents often begin to panic when they see a reading above 36.6 on their baby’s thermometer.
- Pediatricians have developed standards regulating indicators at different life stages of baby development.
- In order not to panic prematurely, parents are advised to familiarize themselves with these standards.
- Depending on the measurement method, the indicators will vary: rectal temperature and armpit thermometer indicators will be different.
- Recommendations from pediatricians, as well as the opinion of a famous doctor, will help mom monitor the numbers on the thermometer.
Normal body temperature in infants by month up to one year
- It is worth noting that the body temperature of infants changes according to age.
- Premature babies are often exposed to changes in ambient temperature - this is affected by low metabolic activity, low body weight and imperfect thermoregulation.
- Doctors also note that indicators may vary at certain times of the day.
- In the early morning, the thermometer will show lower numbers than when measured at lunchtime.
Consider the normal temperature for children under one year of age:
- After leaving the womb, the indicators will be equal to the parameters of the mother’s body.
- In the first hours, the readings drop slightly by 1.5-2 degrees, and after 6 hours stabilization is observed - from 36.5 to 36.8 degrees.
- To avoid creating unnecessary anxiety, pediatricians spent a lot of time monitoring the babies.
They concluded that a reading between 36.4 and 37.4 is considered normal. This temperature persists from 1 month until the age of 2 years. - Sometimes parameters may increase in infants. At 2 months this is associated with colic, and in older children - with the eruption of the first teeth.
If in the 3rd month the thermometer readings exceeded 38 degrees, but there is no disease, the reason lies in overheating, a reaction to the vaccine, as well as allergies.
Source: https://xn—-itbgcxc0ak.xn--p1ai/lekarstva/temperatura-u-grudnichka-norma-po-mesyatsam-komarovskij-chem-lechit.html
Is it possible to walk if you have a cough or runny nose?
The question that concerns most fathers and mothers is: is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose, especially in winter? The answer is clear: yes, you can. The inflamed nasal mucosa needs a comfortable environment for successful work - fresh air. Humidity should be high and temperatures moderately low. It is problematic to create such conditions at home, but there is no shortage of them outside in cool summers, spring, and autumn.
Cool air has a beneficial effect on the bronchi and promotes the separation of sputum, this is especially noticeable with a dry type of cough. The wet type of cough also receives relief in the fresh air: the bronchial lumen expands, breathing becomes freer and the removal of sputum accelerates.
After an illness, an infant should be taken outside every day. It is the humid air of the street that will contribute to the rapid restoration of the body's protective resources. Doctors say that if you stay at home with your child all the time, then the snot will torment the baby for a week, but with festivities it will go away in 3 days.
A newborn suffering from a runny nose and even a cough should take a walk. A sick child needs moist fresh air even more than his healthy friends. However, there are some cases in which having a runny nose and walking are incompatible.
Is temperature a reason to stay at home?
Walking is contraindicated if the child’s runny nose and cough are associated with the development of ARVI in the acute stage (we recommend reading:). The following symptoms are typical:
- temperature above 38 °C;
- severe malaise;
- poor appetite;
- chills, fever;
- headache.
The causative agent of ARVI is a group of viruses. It is better to wait out a viral runny nose in the acute stage at home and only after this acute period has passed to go outside.
Such symptoms in a baby will not allow any parent to take their child out of the house. How much time should you spend at home during illness? The serious condition usually goes away after 2-3 days, then the child notices a drop in temperature, his appetite appears and his health improves significantly. The child may cough and suffer from snot for another 5 days or even more, but walks during this period are no longer canceled (we recommend reading:).
It’s a completely different matter if a child is allergic to flowers and pollen, and it’s the height of flowering outside. In this case, walking will only worsen the child’s condition, increase sneezing and aggravate allergic rhinitis. Children are susceptible to ARVI much more often than to allergic rhinitis. Having identified that the child is allergic to plants and trees, you can go for a walk, providing the baby with a cotton-gauze bandage.
As a rule, allergies to pollen and flowers are observed in older children, but infants can also be susceptible to it. In this case, going outside without respiratory protection should be temporarily canceled
The above can easily be applied to adults. Walking is contraindicated for adults only during acute acute respiratory viral infections. An aggravated allergic rhinitis should not prevent you from going for a walk - you should arm yourself with a gauze bandage or Nazaval spray.
Conclusion: if the thermometer shows a normal temperature, but the baby is coughing and snot is flowing, you are allowed to go for a walk. The presence of an elevated temperature says a firm “no” to walking.
Increased body temperature
An increase in body temperature in a child is typical for ARVI, but also for any viral disease. An increase in temperature ensures stimulation of the body, as well as the production of elements that can effectively fight the pathogen.
Children's perception of temperature rise varies. Some people are not bothered at 39°C, while others faint at 37.5°C. This determines the lack of clear recommendations regarding actions to save a child when his body temperature reaches a certain value.
Other reasons for an increase in a child’s body temperature include teething, stress or nervous shock, excessive hypothermia, or overheating in the sun.
Doctor Komarovsky's opinion
Let us explain why you should not walk when you have a fever or during acute periods of a cold. Cold air can cause vasospasm in the skin, which will reduce heat loss and increase body temperature. A temperature above 37.5 °C is indicative to refuse walks - this will be the answer to the question of whether it is possible to walk with a child with a fever. It takes a lot of energy to defeat the virus, and while on the street the body will spend considerable energy maintaining body temperature, wasting valuable resources on unnecessary physical activity in this case.
There is only a small list of diseases that strictly prohibit walking:
- infectious diseases in the acute phase with characteristic symptoms: high fever, headaches, weakness;
- an illness requiring strict bed rest - for example, diphtheria.
How to lower a high temperature using the Komarovsky method
The pediatrician recommends that if a child’s body temperature rises, delay the moment of drug intervention as much as possible, giving the child’s immune system the opportunity to overcome the disease on its own.
Dr. Komarovsky recommends:
- Ventilate the room, create a temperature in the room of 18 degrees.
- Give your child more water.
- Do not use alcohol tinctures to rub your body.
- Avoid cold showers and ice-cold heating pads.
- Dress your baby the same way you dress yourself. Let the excess heat come out through sweat.
If all conditions have been created for the baby’s comfort, but the body temperature has not returned to normal, you should call a doctor at home. Antipyretics are used if the reading is above 38.5 degrees.
Give medications according to the rules:
- Follow your daily dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen.
- Reduce the temperature no more than once every 4 hours.
- The antipyretic effect occurs 40 minutes after taking the syrup or inserting a suppository.
Monitor your baby's behavior. Children perceive increases and decreases in temperature differently.
Some guys tolerate a fever of 38.5 degrees well - then you can delay taking the medicine, others are lethargic already at 37.5.
If your child is feeling unwell, you can take ibuprofen as a pain reliever.
The younger the child, the sooner call the pediatrician. Self-medication at home can end in disaster.
Useful video
- If you are going on a trip with a child, take an electronic thermometer with you.
- When walking or traveling with your toddler, take him several sets of clothes. These should be light and warm kits in case the weather changes.
- Do not sunbathe with your baby on the beach; open sun is harmful for delicate baby skin.
According to the doctor, a temperature of 39°C is considered critical and parents should be extremely attentive to the baby’s well-being. Further increase in heat can cause serious harm to the child's body.
But if there are signs of an infectious disease, then how to bring down a child’s temperature of 39? Komarovsky believes that it is possible to help a child both without medications and with their help. However, there are a number of cases when medications are given without delay:
- The child does not tolerate heat well
- Having difficulty breathing
- There is vomiting or diarrhea
- Once the child already had convulsions due to fever
- There are serious diseases of the nervous system, for example, cerebral palsy or epilepsy
- Temperature rose above 39°C
If the baby feels normal - he does not have delirium, inappropriate behavior, or difficulty breathing, then you can wait to take medications. The main thing is to create special conditions that will help the baby cope with the fever. To do this you need:
- Put the child to bed, exclude any physical activity
- Do not force feed your baby. If the child asks to eat, then warm food is given - hot food is completely excluded
- Give your child plenty of water - warm compote with sugar would be an ideal option. For children under one year old, the doctor recommends raisin decoction
- Maintain the temperature in the nursery at 18-20°C
- Fill the room with clean and humid air
- Avoid freezing or overheating your child - pajamas made from natural fabrics and a blanket will help
- Wipe with warm water 34-35°C
Cool air and plenty of fluids are the main allies in the fight against high fever.
Cooling occurs through breathing and sweating. Tea with raspberries, honey or linden blossom is given only after the child drinks more than a liter of regular compote. Otherwise, the baby will have nothing to sweat with and the temperature will rise even more.
Rubbing with cold water is also not beneficial. They provoke vasospasm. The skin cools down, and the internal organs, on the contrary, overheat even more. If the child’s condition worsens, then it is necessary to move on to the next stage - taking medications.
According to Komarovsky, parents can only give their children paracetamol or ibuprofen in the dosages prescribed in the instructions.
At high temperatures, suppositories do not have the desired effect, but liquid products are absorbed quickly. However, there are times when even syrup cannot cope with intense heat due to spasm of the mucous vessels. The only way out is an injection of an antipyretic drug, which will be given by a doctor.
Paracetamol is given at intervals of 4 hours, ibuprofen - 6 hours, but no more than 4 times a day. Medicines are compatible with each other. When paracetamol does not work, you can give your child ibuprofen 40 minutes after paracetamol. If the temperature does not subside within 30-40 minutes after taking antipyretics, you should call a doctor.
Fresh air is the path to health
Fresh air is a faithful assistant on the path to recovery. This is especially true for diseases associated with the respiratory tract (tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia). Of course, parents must take other facts into account. Let’s take for example a child suffering from pneumonia: the exacerbation stage has passed, the temperature has subsided and health has improved significantly. In this case, it is recommended to walk, but without excessive activity, i.e. the child only needs fresh air instead of a dusty apartment. Dr. Komarovsky advises dressing warmly and not running, avoiding active movements. It is not always possible to restrain the activity of children, so in such cases, take the baby to the balcony for a “walk”.
Attention! Cool and even cold air increases blood saturation of the bronchial mucosa, moisturizes phlegm, and the secretory glands begin to work more actively. If, with a dry cough, the child has the first urge to cough, this is an excellent sign that indicates that the baby is beginning to cough up the accumulated phlegm in the lungs.
Parents or grandmothers sometimes understand this completely differently. They associate coughing on the street with an even worse development of the disease and the child is immediately sent home (see also:). You should not do this, because the mucus moistened as a result of the walk will increase in size and it will become harder for the child to breathe. Difficulty breathing after a walk will make parents “believe” that the walk was harmful. Don’t make mistakes - continue therapeutic walks until complete recovery.
October 4, 2013, 11:46 pm
Walking
No matter how wonderful the children's room is, the baby still needs fresh air, and the more, the better, because it is completely natural for him.
You should always strive to ensure that the child is allocated (found) a place where he will walk. In principle, a balcony is ideal if you live in the city, or a certain place in the yard if you have your own home. The most difficult situation is when there is neither one nor the other: any walk requires the constant presence of adults near the child, who also have other things to do (washing, cleaning, sleeping, cooking, etc.).
First, let's look at the most standard, and therefore the most common, situation.
So, the child lives with his parents in an ordinary apartment in a multi-storey residential building. Even before arriving from the maternity hospital, the balcony should be prepared for the festivities - cleared of rubbish, it would be nice if it was glazed, but this is not at all necessary. We will put a stroller on the balcony, and the child will sleep in it.
The situation is completely irrational when, in the presence of a balcony, heroic efforts are made to pull the stroller out onto the street and then drag it back.
The mother’s walks, which consist of rolling the stroller from one street to another, are not necessary for the child. I understand perfectly well that you really want to show your neighbors and friends a newfangled house on wheels, but a baby cannot understand this. Mom always has a lot of things to do, and there will be nothing good if you walk around to your heart's content, and dad, who comes home from work, will scour the kitchen in search of something to eat. In addition, it is not at all necessary for passers-by to sneeze on the child and for dirt to fly from under the wheels.
Any driving through the streets should be driven by necessity: there are no helpers, but you need to visit a store or a dairy kitchen, it’s time to visit the clinic, in the evening you want to take a walk with your husband and take a break from the hustle and bustle of home, there is no balcony, after all.
The sooner you start teaching your child to be outdoors, the better. Already on the tenth day of life, you can sit with him on the balcony for 15–20 minutes. The next day - twice for half an hour and, gradually increasing the frequency and duration of the festivities, by the age of one month, make sure that the child spends the whole day on the balcony.
Woke up, fed and went for a walk. They brought him in, fed him, took him for a walk, and so on. On the balcony, the child always sleeps better and eats with more appetite afterwards. And it’s completely incomprehensible why you need to go for a walk once or twice a day.
A special issue is weather conditions. With normal clothing and protection of the child from the wind, a healthy baby feels quite well even at sub-zero temperatures. Here's a rule that's easy to remember: for every month of life - minus 5 °C, but not lower than 15 °C. I translate: at the age of 1–2 months the temperature should not be below minus 5 °C, at 2–3 months - below minus 10 °C, etc.
All the given figures and terms are very, very conditional. With adequate clothing, the temperature range is extremely wide, and the time is simply unlimited.
By and large, cold creates noticeably fewer problems with walking compared to warmth (remember, back in the chapter “Pregnancy” we advocated for the baby to be born in the fall). In the summer, in the heat, especially if the balcony is on the sunny side, it is generally impossible to walk and you should look for the coolest place in the house or in the yard.
Parents are always concerned about how to dress their baby when going for a walk. This question can only be answered after you return. If your baby is sweaty and red, be sure to reduce the amount of clothing next time. Each child reacts differently to partying, and it is almost impossible to give universal recommendations. It would be understandable if you went overboard with your clothes the first time. The main thing is that you then draw the right conclusions. Usually, if a child is hot, he becomes capricious and quickly has to be brought into the house. It gets cold extremely rarely - adults are so intimidated by the cold that they never allow it to happen. At least I have never encountered a frozen child. But I saw children who surprisingly resembled boiled crayfish many times.
On the balcony, the child usually sleeps on his side. It is important to position the stroller in such a way that you can see his face through the window glass without jumping out onto the balcony.
Not only the child, but also his parents are interested in the described festivities. You will never have such “golden” time again. For the first 3–4 months of life, the baby sleeps peacefully on the balcony most of the day, allowing the mother to rest normally and put the children’s things, the apartment and herself in order.
It goes without saying that as the child grows, partying will become more of a problem, requiring time and attention.
But the main principles of the festivities
will remain for life:
● matching clothing and temperature;
● It’s easier for a child to stay warm by moving rather than getting dressed!
● if he says it’s hot, believe him and help.
Many mothers are often interested in the following question: “Is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose?” The excitement of young mothers is understandable, because they worry about their children. In their opinion, a child’s weakened immune system is not able to fully cope with the numerous viruses and infections that await a child on the street. But we shouldn’t forget that street walks are extremely important for a child and you shouldn’t put him under “house arrest.” Let's take a closer look at all the pros and cons of children's outdoor trips!
The benefits of walking for babies in the first year of life
Many experienced specialists in the field of pediatrics unanimously claim that air baths will only benefit the baby. Should I take my child for a walk if he has a runny nose or rhinitis? Of course yes! Fresh air in itself has an extremely beneficial effect on the child’s body. A double effect can be achieved when walks take place in a park area, forest belt, etc. Air baths have a hardening effect on the baby’s body and teach them ways to deal with changes in ambient temperature, wind or cold. All this forms and strengthens the child’s immune system.
In addition, under the influence of fresh air, blood circulation significantly improves, all microbes and toxic substances accumulated in the body in the nasal passage are killed. The feeling of dryness in the nasopharynx disappears, since all respiratory tracts are perfectly moistened by fresh air. Sometimes only on the street does the baby have the opportunity to fully clear his throat. This effect of air baths on the respiratory system has a positive effect on blood circulation, which in turn leads to an increase in the performance of all the baby’s organs and improves his well-being.
Fresh air is an absolutely free medicine, so it is necessary to regularly ventilate the entire house, and especially the children's bedroom. By killing germs and toxins, fresh air will help the patient recover and strengthen the immune system of a healthy child. Make it a rule to ventilate the room while you and your baby are walking outside.
When should you lower your temperature?
Moreover, since it is problematic for babies to take medications in tablets, it is necessary to have them in the form of suppositories and syrup.
Important. It is better to ignore grandmother’s advice about rubbing your child with alcohol. Alcohol is absorbed into the body, and this, in turn, can cause poisoning. You can rub your baby with a damp cloth moistened with water at room temperature.
Previously, Aspirin was widely used as an antipyretic drug, but as pediatrician Marina Besedina from Moscow says: “Scientific research data have revealed a relationship between taking Aspirin for viral diseases in children and the development of Reye’s syndrome - severe damage to the brain and liver.
Be careful! Don’t listen to other people’s advice, don’t rely on your own experience or the actions someone else has seen in a similar situation. Only the attending pediatrician can prescribe adequate treatment.
Advice. Despite everything, emergency doctors often use Analgin as a means of providing emergency care to infants. Trust doctors, but check. Be interested in what and why the doctor gives your child.
In any case, if your child’s temperature is 38 degrees or higher, and especially when it is accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, call a doctor. Any suspicious syndrome cannot be ignored. Before the doctor arrives, you can take essential non-medicinal measures.
The famous doctor emphasizes that all children are individual, and therefore tolerate fever differently. There are kids who don’t mind playing at 39 degrees, and there are kids who feel very bad even at 37.5. That is why Komarovsky emphasizes that there is no universal recommendation at what levels of fever an antipyretic should be given.
Basic rules for walking
Despite the obvious benefits of walking in the fresh air, parents should know and follow certain rules:
- Don't wrap your baby up too much. Increased activity of children during walks begins from a very young age. Many mothers go outside in winter with their babies, who are wrapped in countless clothes. With this option, the baby has a huge risk of sweating and catching a cold from a gust of wind within seconds.
- No need to walk in windy and rainy weather. The destructive combination of cold wind and wet clothes and shoes will not contribute to the baby’s recovery, but will only worsen his well-being.
- Before a walk, be sure to let your child blow his nose or clean his nasal passages yourself. Proper breathing through the nose is the basic rule of walking. Even with rhinitis, the baby must breathe through the nose to avoid a cold in the throat.
- Be sure to respect the timing of your walk with your child. In warm weather, you can walk for 40-60 minutes, and in windy weather this time is reduced to 20 minutes. This time will be enough to allow the baby to get enough fresh air and avoid worsening his condition.
In what cases should you avoid walking with your child if you have a runny nose?
There are a number of regulations according to which keeping a child outside will not bring any benefit. Parents need to closely monitor their children and be sensitive to any changes in their well-being. Should I take my child for a walk if he has a runny nose or cough? It's up to you to decide! Parents know better the condition of the baby at the moment, better than leading specialists. If you observe only a slight runny nose in your baby, then feel free to hit the road.
But if the following signs occur, it is better to stay home:
- General weakness of the child. As a result of the fight against the disease, the baby experiences a loss of strength, lethargy and decreased energy.
- High body temperature of the baby. If the temperature is above 37.5°C, you should postpone your walk.
- Adverse weather conditions. There is no need to drag your child outside in severe frost, rain or wind. Wait for weather that is more conducive to walking.
- The presence of allergic reactions to certain irritants that you may encounter with your baby on the street. For example, it could be an allergy to pollen from flowering plants. In this case, during a walk the baby will have an allergic runny nose in addition to the usual runny nose. Is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose if he is susceptible to such allergies? Can! All you have to do is put a cotton-gauze bandage on him, shorten the walking time and try to avoid having a large amount of irritant nearby.
Try not to take a child with a runny nose to playgrounds. This poses a two-pronged danger to your baby and the children on the playground. It is better to take a walk in the park, away from busy highways.
This is what this famous children's specialist answers to the question: “Is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose?” Dr. Komarovsky is convinced that a child of any age needs walks, regardless of the presence of a runny nose or cough. He also focuses the attention of parents on creating favorable conditions at home that will contribute to the rapid recovery of the baby. In order to prevent the nasal mucosa from drying out, it is necessary to maintain the required temperature and humidity in the room where the child is.
“Children simply need fresh street air!” says Dr. Komarovsky. He also says that doubly clean air is beneficial for babies who have problems with the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Naturally, it is necessary to wait out the acute period of illness at home, but be sure to provide the child with the necessary humidity and temperature in the room. When the baby begins to recover, you can safely go for a walk!
Can you walk with your child if you have a runny nose or cough in severe frost? In extreme weather conditions, Komarovsky asks parents not to perform heroic deeds. Don't turn walks with children into polar expeditions! During such short periods of severe frost, it is better to stay at home. Even a week of constantly keeping your baby at home will cause him less harm than walking at a temperature of -30°C. Besides, a child definitely needs healthy parents!
The doctor calls mandatory nasal breathing another fundamentally important rule for walking. Before going out into fresh, clean air, it is necessary to ensure that the nasal airways are open, which can warm the cold street air to the required temperature. Mouth breathing is fundamentally wrong for walking and will lead to illness in the child.