Keeping your baby safe during summer

A child's body cannot adjust well to changes in temperature. As compared to adults, babies and children sweat less and produce more heat when exercising. This reduces their bodies ability to cool down. During hot weather, babies and young children should be watched carefully as they can become ill due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and sunburn. Due to the heat, your child can get red spots or blisters on the skin called heat rash or prickly heat.

Try the following tips for keeping your child healthy in the hot weather:2

  • During summer, children should be kept out of the sun as much as possible, particularly between 11 am and 3 pm.

  • Dress your child in light, loose clothing.

  • Apply a sunscreen to your child's skin regularly. Make sure the product has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, and it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.  

  • Whenever your child steps out in the sun, make sure they are wearing a broad-brimmed hat to protect their head and neck from the sun.

  • Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Eating plenty of fruit and salad also helps to keep their fluid levels up.

  • Never leave your child in the car.

Keeping your baby healthy during monsoons

Monsoons bring a host of diseases and infections which are either spread by vectors like mosquitoes or are airborne or spread by infected water and food. Children are more vulnerable to these diseases and infections because their immune system is still developing.

Most common diseases are:4

  • Simple cold and cough [flu]

  • Malaria

  • Dengue

  • Typhoid 

  • Diarrhoea/Gastroenteritis 

  • Food poisoning

  • Cholera 

  • Jaundice

  • Leptospirosis

  • Conjunctivitis

  • Skin infections-bacterial/fungal 

  • Allergic rashes due to insects' bite

Follow these precautionary measures to keep your child healthy during the monsoon season:

  • Use mosquito nets and mosquito repellents to avoid mosquito bites

  • Don't allow water to stagnate or collect anywhere in and around the house

  • Ensure that your child drinks boiled/filtered water

  • If your child goes to playschool/nursery provide them with their own bottle of water

  • Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and keep the food covered at all times

  • Avoid giving outside food to your child

  • Get your child vaccinated if they are not already

  • Keep your child away from people who are infected

  • Ensure that your child washes their hands and feet thoroughly once home from outdoors

  • Ensure your home is well- ventilated at all times

  • Ensure that your child washes hand before eating food .

Keeping your baby warm in winter

Colds, flu and other respiratory illnesses are more common in colder months.

It may seem like your child has one cold after another all winter. Young children get cold very often because their immune system is not fully developed yet. You could follow the following precautionary measures to keep your child warm and healthy:

  • Dress your child in warm clothes

  • Keep your child away from people with a cold.

  • Wash your own hands and your child's hands after wiping your child's nose.

  • Avoid sharing toys that young children place in their mouths until the toys have been sterilized

  • Teach your child that they should

    • Cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when they sneeze

    • Discard tissues immediately in the dustbins

    • Washing their hands regularly

Do not hesitate to contact your paediatrician in case you feel your child is unwell.

References:

  1. NSW Government. Babies and children in hot weather [Internet] [Updated Dec 19,2019]. Available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/beattheheat/Pages/babies-child.... Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  2. National Health Service. How can I keep my baby safe during hot weather? [Internet]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/how-can-i-ke.... Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  3. Raising Children Network (Australia). Heat Rash [Internet]. Available at: https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/heat-rash. Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  4. Medanta. Monsoon Illnesses in India – All you need to know [Internet]. Available at: https://www.medanta.org/patient-education-blog/monsoon-illnesses-in-indi.... Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  5. Medical Section TIFR. Are you ready for monsoon? [Internet]. Available at: https://www.tifr.res.in/~medical/articles/AreYouReadyForMonsoon.pdf. Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  6. Apollo Hospitals. Monsoon safety [Internet]. Available at: https://www.apollohospitals.com/patient-care/health-and-lifestyle/our-do.... Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  7. John Hopkins Medicine. Winter Illness Guide [Internet]. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/winter-il.... Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.
  8. Colds in children. Paediatrics & Child Health. 2005 Oct;10(8):493–5.
  9. Cleveland Clinic. Parents: 15 Simple Winter Safety Tips for Kids [Internet]. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/parents-know-these-winter-safety-tips/. Accessed on Mar 5, 2020.