Children are particularly susceptible to the flu because their immune systems have yet to develop. It is almost always possible to treat this disease at home by resting and ensuring the child is as comfortable as possible while his or her body is fighting to defeat it. However, if home care doesn't solve the problem, it's important to see your pediatrician to make sure some more serious ailment doesn't develop.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Using Natural Remedies
Step 1. Keep the baby hydrated
When children are sick, they easily forget to drink enough fluids; in addition, they dehydrate more quickly than usual when the body produces mucus or if a fever develops. Therefore, you need to provide him with plenty of fluids often and encourage him to drink even if he is not thirsty.
- Water, juices, clear broth or hot water with lemon are perfect solutions. Juices, broths and lemon water also provide important electrolytes.
- Check that the baby is not dehydrated, pay attention if he does little pee, does not produce tears when he cries, experiences drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, headache, dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes, is irritable, produces dark or cloudy urine.
- Providing them with enough fluids also helps keep their fever under control.
Step 2. Let him sleep a lot
It consumes a lot of energy when fighting the flu, so it is very important that you sleep more than usual. Allow him to rest as long as possible. By this we also mean naps during the day. The hours of sleep they need depend a lot on the age and specific needs of the little one. Generally speaking, healthy babies need to sleep:
- Infants: 11 - 18 hours;
- From 4 to 11 months: 9 - 12 hours;
- From 1 to 2 years: 11 - 14 hours;
- From 3 to 5 years: 11 - 13 hours;
- From 6 to 13 years: 9 - 11 hours;
- During adolescence: 8 - 10 hours.
Step 3. Keep it warm
If he has a fever, he will likely complain of chills and start shaking. This occurs when the body's temperature rises relative to that of the air. If you see your child starting to shiver, take his fever and keep him warm.
- Normal body temperature is 37 ° C. Most pediatricians believe that it is a fever when it is 38 ° C or higher.
- Put the baby to bed and add more blankets. If it is a newborn, wrap it in a blanket and hold it in your arms, to also transmit the warmth of your body.
- If the fever starts to go down, he will suddenly be very hot and want to take off the covers; allow him to independently adjust the temperature, according to his needs. Remove any excess blankets if you notice that it is very hot.
Step 4. Help him breathe by using a humidifier
Get one cold to keep the room damp when sleeping at night. This accessory facilitates breathing, soothes coughs and helps the baby fall asleep faster.
- Cold humidifier is safer for babies than hot humidifier. This is because if the baby were to hit him at night, there is no risk of getting burned.
- If you don't have this accessory available, you can make your own by placing a pot of water on your child's bedroom radiator. When the heating is on, the water begins to evaporate constantly, humidifying the air.
Step 5. Make chicken soup
This is a great way to help the body fight infections. Liquid removes the risk of dehydration, while salt and other nutrients replenish electrolytes lost through sweating.
- When the baby begins to feel better, you can add some vegetables, noodles or pieces of chicken to the broth, to make it more substantial.
- When he is better, the baby also regains his appetite.
Step 6. Give him comfort
Providing him with emotional support helps him relax, sleep and fight illness. When he is not well, he probably tends to cry more and is more irritable; find ways to distract him from the discomfort. For example, you can:
- Give him his favorite book or read it until he falls asleep for a nap;
- Play music or an audio book while relaxing in bed;
- Let him watch television or a movie.
Part 2 of 3: Using Drugs
Step 1. Reduce pain and fever with medication
Those on sale are effective for lowering the temperature and providing relief from headaches, sore throats and joint pains. Children and adolescents should never take medications that contain acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin), as it can cause Reye's syndrome.
- Paracetamol (Tachipirina) or ibuprofen (Brufen) are safe alternatives. Check with your pediatrician to make sure you give your baby the right medicine for him.
- If you don't know how to treat it, see your doctor. Always read and strictly follow the instructions on the leaflet regarding the dosage. Never give children a higher dosage than recommended. Many over-the-counter medications are unsuitable for young children.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers or analgesics can interact with other medications, including prescription medications, herbal remedies, and even supplements.
Step 2. Always seek advice from your pediatrician before giving your child cough syrup
It can suppress the symptom, but it doesn't actually fight the infection. Since coughing eliminates foreign substances present in the lungs, limiting this physiological reaction slows down the healing process. The advantage of this medicine is that the baby can sleep better at night thanks to the absence of cough. If you are unable to sleep due to this annoying symptom, ask your doctor for advice.
- Cough syrup should never be given to children under the age of 4. For larger ones, be sure to follow the instructions on the package.
- Keep in mind that some of these syrups contain the same active ingredients as over-the-counter medications. Check the ingredients listed on the package to make sure you are not giving your baby more than one medicine with the same active substance, otherwise you could cause him to inadvertently overdose.
Step 3. Ask your pediatrician about antivirals
If your child's illness is caused by the flu virus, these medicines may be recommended to you in certain situations, for example if the young patient under the age of two has asthma or other medical conditions. Antivirals reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, while also limiting the risk of passing the flu to other people.
- These drugs are most effective if they are taken within two days of the disease developing; the cure usually lasts at least five days.
- Antivirals are available by prescription only and can be in liquid, tablet, or inhaled form. Your pediatrician may prescribe some such as: oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®).
Step 4. Relieve nasal congestion with saline drops
You can use a dropper and gently spray a few drops of saline into each baby's nostril. Salt helps loosen mucus and help you breathe better. A simple salt and water solution is safe for children. Check the list of ingredients on the package to make sure there are no added preservatives.
- Some preservatives, such as benzalkonium chloride, can damage nasal tissues.
- You can make a nasal spray yourself by boiling a solution of water and salt and letting it cool to room temperature.
- Do not give decongestants sprays or drops to children, as they can cause inflammation of the nasal tissues and aggravate symptoms.
Step 5. Take the baby to the pediatrician if he is very ill
As already mentioned, the immune system of patients of this age group is not yet as developed as that of adults; this means they are more prone to complications. The child should be seen by the doctor when he has:
- Less than two years and a fever for over 24 hours;
- More than two years and a fever for over three days;
- Less than three months and a fever of 37.8 ° C or more;
- Fever at 40 ° C;
- Moments of prolonged crying. This is especially important for very young children who are unable to tell you what is bad for them;
- Difficulty in breathing;
- A cough that doesn't stop after a week is either very common or gets worse
- Dehydration;
- More than one or two episodes of vomiting
- Nuchal stiffness;
- Abdominal pain
- Severe headache;
- Otalgia;
- Extreme sleepiness.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing the Flu
Step 1. Vaccinate your baby against the flu if he is over six months old
An annual flu vaccine is by far the best way to protect him from the disease. It usually protects against three or four common strains of influenza viruses. Since the virus is constantly mutating, you should have your baby vaccinated every season - the previous season's injection does not guarantee immunity for the current one.
- You should also get vaccinated along with all other family members.
- Children between 6 months and 8 years old may need two doses to be given within 28 days of each other if this is their first time getting the flu shot. Ask your doctor if two doses are needed for your child.
Step 2. Teach the child to wash his hands
This simple habit helps reduce the frequency with which he gets the flu, as well as teaches him that by doing so he avoids passing the disease on to other people. Explain the importance of washing your hands before eating, after going to the bathroom, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Teach him to follow these steps when washing them:
- Rub your hands under water;
- Lather the soap and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds. Also remind him to clean well between his fingers and under his nails;
- Rinse off the soap and dirt under running water.
Step 3. Have her use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
To be effective, it should contain at least 60% alcohol; it is typically used when in areas where there is no sink and soap or when traveling.
- Pour a few drops into the palm of his hand. Then teach them to rub their hands together until the sanitizer spreads all over their skin. Tell him to keep scrubbing them until the substance dries.
- Also remind him that he should not touch his nose, eyes or mouth if his hands are not clean. These are parts of the body through which viruses can enter and infect the whole organism.
Step 4. Tell him to cover his mouth when he coughs or sneezes
This is an important behavior to teach children so they don't spread the flu when they are sick. Explain to him that he should:
- Sneeze or cough into a paper towel to throw in the trash.
- Sneezing or coughing in the crook of the elbow and not on the hands. Doing so reduces the chances of spreading the virus to other people through contaminated hands.
- Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing.
Step 5. Keep it at home when it shows signs of illness
If he has a fever or is showing flu symptoms, you should avoid taking him to kindergarten or school so he doesn't spread the virus to other children. It can be contagious as early as the day before the onset of the disease and remain contagious for up to 5-7 days later or even longer if it still has symptoms. Keeping him at home when he is sick prevents the risk of spreading the virus.
For the same reason, you should also avoid sharing your child's cups and cutlery when he is sick
Warnings
- Consult your pediatrician before giving your baby any medications, supplements, or herbal remedies.
- Always read the drug leaflet and strictly follow the directions.
- Over-the-counter medicines can also interact. Never give more than one at a time. Also remember that taking multiple drugs with the same active ingredient at the same time can result in an overdose.
