The UAE experiences winter from the month of November to March. December to February are pretty cool. The change of climate brings about changes in health, especially for the children.
As the temperature lowers in winter, it brings along its share of troubles and infections.
Below we will give you some easy tips to stay away from these troubles & illness and take care of your younger ones. A healthy balanced diet that includes required amount of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods.
- Children need to have a balanced diet that has the required amount of fiber
- A healthy balanced diet includes required amounts of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Child needs to have a balanced diet that has the required amount of fibers, proteins, and essential nutrients
- Keep the children well hydrated even in winter with a lot of fluids to keep them healthy.
- Check children from time to time to make sure are they are warm and dry.
- Regular exercises and play to keep them fit with good immunity to help in combating common winter infections like common cold and flu.
- Proper and sound sleep is necessary to stay healthy. Do not compromise on sleep. For children, it is highly recommended to have 9 to 11 hours of sleep.
- Regular bath with lukewarm water with reduced bath time and apply moisturizer after his bath. Application of oil like coconut oil and massaging before bath will help in maintaining a healthy skin in winter.
- Always apply sunscreen lotion on the skin of the child when children go out to play to protect from harmful UV rays of the sun.
- Should be dressed in layers so as the temperature varies in a day, easy for children to makeover.
- For small babies, breast milk is the best milk as it boosts immunity and gives protection from common infections, and recover more quickly from illnesses in the first year of her life.
- Frequent hand washing is the simplest and most effective way of preventing the spread of cold and flu germs.
- As most infections in winter spread by coughing, sneezing and direct contact, so it’s always safe to stay away from sick people and avoiding crowded places.
- Ensure that the child’s vaccinations are up to date to protect them from some serious diseases. Seasonal flu vaccine will protect baby from most common strains of the flu virus in circulation that year.
- Avoid smoking & shisha at home as those babies who live with smokers have more coughs, colds and other viral infections than babies who aren’t exposed to smoke.
- Finally ensure that the kid is getting the required amount of workout daily. Winters do not mean that you need to spend the entire day under the blanket. Put on the winter gear and go out for the regular exercises and the afternoon game sessions. Enhanced fitness will ensure that the kid develops the desired immunity to fight off the winter infections like common cold and flu.
Specialist Pediatrician
Aster Clinic, Al Khail
