The cold has arrived late this year but still will stay with us a while. With the cold, increase respiratory diseases and children are very exposed. The smaller, more vulnerable, so today we will offer tips to protect your baby from respiratory infections.

Infections of the lower respiratory tract caused by viruses or bacteria are the leading cause of illness and death in children. Within this group, they include pneumonia, which can affect children at any age and bronchiolitis, which is much more common in children under one year, especially between two and six months.

Other respiratory diseases are bronchitis, pneumonia, and influenza, or flu. Among the bacterial respiratory infections, they include whooping cough, tonsillitis, bronchopneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sinusitis.

During the first-year-old baby, it is more susceptible to these infections, because their immune system has not matured yet and increases the chances of infection.

To prevent the spread of these respiratory diseases (and other diseases) is recommended to have good hygiene habits in contacts newborn:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Placing the used tissue in the wastebasket.
• A cough or sneeze into the upper arm or elbow, not your hands, if you do not have a tissue.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water often for at least 40 seconds. This habit is especially important after changing diapers or using the toilet when preparing food … Anyone who will have contact with the baby should have clean hands.
• Use a hand sanitizer Alcohol-based if you do not have soap and water.
• Keep the newborn, as far as possible away from people who have a cold or a cough.
• Properly ventilated home.
• Keep home environment free of smoke and the baby is not with smokers.
• Avoid sharing pacifiers, bottles, toys and other utensils with babies or other family members.

In addition to these hygienic habits, avoid sudden temperature changes, we must ensure that the baby is kept warm, keep up to date immunizations, breastfeeding continues to increase their defenses …

Finally, remember that respiratory infections can be treated but if we miss, we do not give importance and we do not go to the pediatrician, they can cause serious complications in children. We hope these hygiene measures protect the baby from respiratory infections and we finish the winter without shock.