In India, rainfalls are almost everywhere, but in some parts of the country, there is heavy rainfall! The rainy season offers cooling relief after summer. Rain also brings flooded roads, mosquitoes, and water-borne diseases, high levels of humidity, and airborne infections making it difficult for infants and toddlers, thus causing more problems for mothers! Rainy season is not a time of rest for the whole family.
It is essential that we take care of our children throughout the year so that your baby is healthy, happy, and safe. However, it is even more important when it rains. It is because the rainy season often carries the risk of various diseases. And if you have a newborn at home, protection from health problems becomes even more critical while the immune system develops.
To help you take care of your baby during the rainy season, Sai Siva children’s Hospital has provided this article with some data that helps keep your child cool and comfortable in hot and humid months.
In the Hot summer, we miss the rains. When it finally starts pouring down, it brings the relief and problems at the same time. Infants and toddlers are most vulnerable to the side effects of the rainy season. The following are the tips that all parents must follow to protect their babies during the rainy season.
Use Proper Rain Protection:
Umbrellas, raincoats and rain boots are the proven luggage you need to look after your little ones all the time of the year. Make sure they are complete with the equipment before leaving home. Climate fluctuations are quite sudden in the rainy season, from hot and humid to unexpected cold weather. Dress your baby in comfortable cotton clothes to fight moisture, but always carry or wear a vest or jacket that you can use when the weather is cold. Make sure baby clothes are completely dry. Clothing tends to retain moisture in the rainy season, which can cause fungal infections.
Say No to Wet Diapers:
Don’t let your child use wet diapers for one minute during the rainy season. Babies pee more than other seasons on cold rainy days, which can cause skin rashes. Even slightly moist diapers can make babies feel cold and cause skin rashes. So, don’t forget to change your baby’s diaper as soon as you realize it’s wet or dirty. If possible, give your little free time for a diaper changing.
Keep the Baby Clean And Dry:
Rainy season requires a lot of attention for the cleanliness of infants and toddlers. Make sure you keep them clean by bathing them (or at least a sponge bath) twice a day. Give special attention to the armpits, neck, genitals, and folds area in the body. Also, make sure the caregiver wears clean clothes and is free from infection.
Do Not Let Baby Get Wet in Rain:
If you have a toddler, it might be difficult for them to resist playing outside in the rain. Let them enjoy the drizzle off, but be careful. Make sure you put on protective clothing such as a raincoat before your child comes out to enjoy the raindrops. Also, don’t let your baby play with water that is stagnant or contaminated because it can cause allergies and skin infections.
Do Not Ignore Symptoms:
As a caring mother, you must become more familiar with the symptoms and preventive measures of monsoon diseases such as colds, coughs, dengue fever, and malaria. Even if you take all the precautions above, your child may have chances of getting viral symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and red eyes. In this case, immediately contact a paediatrician. Don’t Neglect!
Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Child:
Diseases like malaria and dengue are prevalent in the rainy season. Therefore, the baby must be protected from mosquitoes. Wearing long-sleeved clothing, using mosquito coils, and removing stagnant water from your home can be very helpful. You can also use lemongrass oil to clean the house. It is a natural method to protect from mosquitoes.
Stagnant water is home to mosquitoes that cause dengue fever and malaria. Make sure the water cooler and similar locations get emptied or closed to reduce the risk of mosquito formation and thus endanger your children and other family members.
Keep Child Away From Sick People:
Viral infections are prevalent and very contagious during the rainy season. Keep your child away from people who have the flu or other diseases. Ask your family and friends to wash their hands and use disinfectants before touching your baby, because they might contain germs, even if they have no symptoms.
Keep Your Home Clean:
Home cleaning is a significant step to follow to protect children in the rainy season. Make sure all areas of your house are clean, including gardens, balconies, bathrooms, or anywhere water can accumulate and stagnate. Make sure the channel is clean. Check for leaks or moisture in your home to avoid mould or fungus. Clean your floor two to three times a week with a disinfectant to prevent disease.
Keep the environment clean by eliminating standing water, preventing wet walls, closing windows in the rain, etc. It prevents mosquitoes, flies and other insects from spreading disease everywhere.
Provide Clean, Filtered Water For Drinking:
Drinking contaminated water causes illnesses such as cholera, diarrhoea, etc.,which makes children more vulnerable than adults. In such situations, it is essential that you, as a mother, remain standing to give your children and your family clean, filtered, and germ-free water.
Wash Child’s Hands Regularly:
Teach your children to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly with antiseptic soap. Hands must be cleaned every time before eating and when coming from outside, because they contain pathogens that move from the hands to the mouth and then to the stomach, which are the leading causes of disease.
Give your children healthy food and strengthen their immune response through proper nutrition. Give them lots of fruit, vegetables, and fruit juices and avoid street food this season to boost the immune system. In the rainy season, tell children about the harmful effects of eating junk food.
The disease occurs when the body gets exposed to a sudden drop in temperature, which usually occurs when your child is exposed to rain. Bathing after rain helps the body stabilize cold temperatures and return to normal. After bathing, give them something hot to drink, like tea, coffee or vegetable soup.
Vaccination:
Ask a doctor for advice on how to vaccinate your children against common illnesses. The rainy season shows happiness throughout the world. It’s up to you to make your children smile and enjoy this lucky shower. So, be a proactive mother and spread healthy happiness throughout your home.
Prevent The Possibility Of Flu:
Don’t take the baby out of the house for a long time, especially when it rains. Changes in humidity and temperature can make a baby sick because the immune system is not too strong. And when you come out, make sure your baby is wrapped and appropriately cleaned and remains dry.
Check For Allergies:
Some babies are allergic to pollen and specific allergens. Make sure your baby moves away from them when it rains. If you see a rash, redness, or other symptoms, call a doctor immediately and examine it.
Check Before The Rainy Season:
Make it a habit to inspect your home and prepare for the next season. Check doors and windows for leaks, humidity and other problems that might have occurred. Also, check the corners of your house and clean of mould or fungus that can grow there.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, we must be cautious and attentive to our children during the rainy season. Precautions are better than treatment. Therefore, we must be prepared to fight all these unwanted guests. By this, we will give our children a happy and healthy rainy season. Ensuring that your baby is happy and healthy during the rainy season may be a daunting task, but it can be done quickly by remembering these little things.
The above are preventive tips that requires almost no special effort, but also beneficial! For small babies, it’s always better to play safe, so be careful with caution in this rainy season. When everyone is healthy and happy, the rainy season can be a much more pleasant time!
If you have any doubts and if you need regular child’s health checkup and vaccinations contact Sai Siva Children’s Hospital at 040-23037879.