Incorporate these germ-fighting strategies into your daily routine to fight off colds. These tips may help your baby and the whole family stay healthier.
According to Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, many common winter viruses are airborne, so if your baby takes a breath within, say, 4 to 6 feet of someone who’s sick, he can easily catch the bug himself. Most people stricken by winter viruses are contagious before they develop symptoms. So pulling your baby away from a sniffling, coughing, or sneezing pal doesn’t guarantee that he won’t come down with similar symptoms himself.
Neither will bundling him up: Studies have shown that exposure to cold or damp weather doesn’t increase a child’s likelihood of catching a cold, says Offit.
Wash your baby’s hands frequently, too — especially before eating (once he’s eating solids) and when he comes home from daycare or an outing.
Also be diligent about hand washing for siblings, especially if they’re sick as well. No need to pay extra for fancy antibacterial soaps — any soap will remove germs from the skin’s surface.
Make sure all of your baby’s caregivers are vigilant about hand washing, too. If your baby’s in daycare, ask what the official hand-washing policy is. If it’s less than satisfactory, don’t be shy about requesting a change and reminding caregivers that this protects their health as well.
Another tip is to keep your babies furniture and toys’ including his wooden baby rattles sanitized. Wipe them as often as necessary.
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