Why does a child often get viral infections. What to do if a child often has a cold - how to strengthen immunity

Often sick are children who have acute respiratory infections (ARI) occur 4 times a year or more.

Sometimes a child gets sick not only often, but also for a long time (more than 10-14 days, one acute respiratory disease). Long-term ill children can also be classified as frequently ill.

Outwardly, acute respiratory infections can be manifested by a runny nose, cough, reddening of the throat, general weakness, and a rise in temperature. Frequently ill children may have one but long-term symptom, such as a persistent cough or cough, persistent nasal discharge, and the temperature may be normal. If the child has a fever all the time, but there are no symptoms of acute respiratory infections, this is often a sign of a chronic infection and requires a detailed medical examination.

List of reasons

If a child is sick often or for a long time, this means that his immunity is weakened. Consider the main factors leading to a weakening of the immune system.

The functions of the immune system begin to form in utero, so intrauterine infection, prematurity or morphofunctional immaturity of the baby can lead to the fact that he will subsequently become sick often.

Another important factor for the formation of immunity is mother's milk, so children who are breastfed rarely get acute respiratory infections, and vice versa, an early transition to artificial mixtures can lead to the fact that already in the first year of life the child will begin to suffer from colds.

In the first year of life or at an older age, as a result of various adverse factors, the baby may develop background conditions that weaken the immune system (intestinal dysbacteriosis, hypovitaminosis, rickets).

A pronounced weakening of the immune system often occurs after serious illnesses or surgical interventions. If a child has been ill with dysentery, salmonellosis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, his immunity is weakened. Viruses greatly weaken the functions of the immune system. After suffering the flu, measles, and other viral diseases, the child has an increased sensitivity to infections and can often become ill.

The immune system is weakened by long-term use of certain drugs, including, for example, immunosuppressants, some anticancer drugs, oral steroid hormones, and most antibiotics.

In the event that the use of these drugs is necessary, it is advisable to take preventive measures to maintain the normal functioning of the immune system.

The presence of chronic diseases in a child also contributes to the weakening of protective mechanisms and can cause frequent illnesses. Such diseases can be chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis, adenoids, sluggish and atypical infections caused by pathogens such as mycoplasma, pneumocystis, chlamydia, yersinia, trichomonads. Often the cause of weakened immunity are worms and Giardia, which are quite difficult to diagnose by feces.

There are congenital immunodeficiency states, including isolated immunodeficiencies, when a child has a disorder in one part of the immune system. Children with such immunodeficiencies can often suffer from some kind of recurrent, that is, recurring, diseases. If a child constantly suffers from the same type of diseases, he should be examined for the existence of congenital immunopathology.

Finally, a proper balanced diet and regimen are of great importance for the normal functioning of the immune system. A child can often and for a long time get sick if his diet lacks vitamins or, for example, there are no animal products or food contains a lot of carbohydrates, but few proteins and fats. If a child is rarely outdoors, leads a sedentary lifestyle, inhales tobacco smoke from smoking adults, this can lead to a weakening of his immunity.

break the circle

Frequently ill children are a social and medical problem. Such children, as a rule, have a broken schedule of preventive vaccinations, they cannot attend preschool institutions, and at school age they are forced to skip classes. Parents have to periodically stay at home with a sick child, and this is detrimental to their work.

In a frequently ill child, a vicious circle is formed: against the background of a weakened immune system, he falls ill with acute respiratory infections, which, in turn, further weaken the immune system. As a result of increased sensitivity of the body to various infectious agents and a decrease in protective mechanisms, there is a high probability of developing chronic, sluggish infectious and non-infectious diseases (gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, bronchial asthma, chronic sinusitis, frontal sinusitis ...). The presence of chronic infections can lead to a lag in physical development, allergization.

Frequently ill children may develop various psychological problems and complexes. First of all, it is an inferiority complex, a feeling of self-doubt.

Action algorithm

If the child is often sick, it is necessary to start general strengthening preventive measures: vitamin therapy, balanced nutrition ... It is important to cure chronic diseases, especially the pathology of the ENT organs: chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis), adenoids.

Parents of frequently ill children should consult a doctor (pediatrician, gastroenterologist, immunologist). You can first take tests that will help determine the cause of weakened immunity: feces for dysbacteriosis, blood for immune and interferon status. Depending on the clinical picture of frequently recurring acute respiratory infections, special tests can be taken: tests for the detection of pulmonary forms of chlamydia, mycoplasma and pneumocysts with persistent cough, a throat swab for chronic tonsillitis ...

For the treatment of frequently ill children, medications of non-specific effects (vitamins, adaptogens, biogenic stimulants ...) can be used, as well as therapy with specific drugs aimed at certain parts of the immune system - immunocorrection (immunoglobulins, interferons, thymus preparations).

Advice from Dr. Komarovsky

Frequently ill child. Who is to blame and what to do?

No matter how much the author urges parents to treat childhood illnesses calmly and philosophically, not as tragedies, but as temporary minor troubles, not everyone succeeds and not always. In the end, it is not at all uncommon for a mother to simply not be able to say how many times a year a child has had acute respiratory infections - these acute respiratory infections simply do not end. Some snot flows smoothly into others, a stuffy nose passes into a sore ear, a reddened throat turns pale, but the voice is hoarse, the cough is moistened, but the temperature rises again ...

✔ WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?

Previously, they said: “What to do, this was born” and added: “Be patient, it will outgrow.”

Now they say: "Bad immunity" and, as a rule, add: "We need to treat."

Let's try to figure out what you still need to do - endure or treat?

Parents should know that congenital immunity disorders - the so-called. primary immunodeficiencies are rare. They are manifested not just by frequent SARS, but by very severe SARS with the most dangerous bacterial complications that are difficult to treat. Congenital immunodeficiency is a deadly condition and it has nothing to do with a two-month runny nose.

Thus, frequent acute respiratory infections - in the vast majority of cases, a consequence of secondary immunodeficiency - that is, the child was born normal, but under the influence of certain external factors, his immunity either does not develop, or is somehow oppressed.

✔ Main conclusion:

if a child normal from birth does not get out of illness, then he has a conflict with the environment. And there are two options for helping: try to reconcile the child with the environment with the help of medicines, or try to change the environment so that it suits the child.

The formation and functioning of the immune system is primarily due to external influences. All that is perfectly familiar to everyone, all that we put into the concept of "lifestyle": food, drink, air, clothing, physical activity, rest, treatment of diseases.

Parents of a child who often suffers from acute respiratory infections should first of all understand that it is not the child who is to blame, but the adults around him, who cannot figure out the answers to questions about good and bad. It is very difficult to admit to ourselves that we are doing something wrong - we feed us wrong, we don’t dress like that, we rest in the wrong way, we don’t help with illnesses in the wrong way.

And the saddest thing is that no one can help such parents and such a child.

Judge for yourself. The child is often sick. Where can a mother go for advice?

Let's start with grandma. And what will we hear: he doesn’t eat well with you, he’s also my mother, he’s not able to feed the child; who dresses a child like that - a completely naked neck; it opens at night, so you need to sleep in warm socks, etc. We will feed you with songs and dances. Wrap tightly with a very warm scarf. Let's wear socks. The frequency of acute respiratory infections will not decrease from all this, but it is easier for the grandmother.

We turn to friends, acquaintances, colleagues for help. The main advice (wise and safe) is to be patient. But we will definitely hear a story about how “one woman’s child was sick all the time, but she spared no expense and bought him a special and very biologically active vitamin complex with the addition of crushed horns of a high-mountainous Tibetan goat, after which everything went away - ARI stopped, the adenoids resolved, and the famous professor said that he was shocked, and bought the complex for his grandson. By the way, Claudia Petrovna still has the last package of these vitamins, but we must hurry - the goat hunting season is over, new supplies will be only in a year.

We hurried. Bought. We started saving the child. Ah, how easy it has become! It is easy for us, parents - after all, we do not regret anything for the child, we, parents, are correct. ORZ continue? Well, this is such a child.

Can we still turn to serious doctors?

Doctor, we have 10 acute respiratory infections in a year. We have already eaten 3 kg of vitamins, 2 kg of cough medicine and 1 kg of antibiotics this year. Help! Our frivolous pediatrician Anna Nikolaevna is of no use - she demands to temper the child, but how can we temper him so "immune"! We must have some kind of terrible disease wound up ...

Well, let's explore. We will look for viruses, bacteria, worms, determine the state of immunity.

Examined. They found herpes, cytomegalovirus, giardia, and staphylococcus aureus in the intestines. A blood test with the clever name "immunogram" showed numerous abnormalities.

Now everything is clear! It's not our fault! We, parents, are good, attentive, caring. Hooray!!! We are normal! Poor Lenochka, how much everything fell on her at once - both staphylococcus, and viruses, horror! Well, nothing! We have already been told about special medicines that will surely wipe out all this muck ...

And what’s also nice, you can demonstrate these tests to your grandmother, she probably didn’t even hear such a word - “cytomegalovirus”! But stop criticizing...

And we will definitely show the tests to Anna Nikolaevna. Let her realize her delusions, it’s good that we didn’t listen to her and didn’t become tempered with such a terrible immunogram.

The saddest thing is that Anna Nikolaevna does not want to admit delusions! Claims that staphylococcus is a completely normal inhabitant of the intestines in most people. He says that it is impossible to live in the city and not have antibodies to Giardia, herpes and cytomegalovirus. Persist! Insists that all this is nonsense, and refuses to treat! Again and again he is trying to convince us that it is not staphylococci-herpes that are to blame for everything, but we - the parents !!!

The author is aware that you can get very upset and even close this book. But Anna Nikolaevna is absolutely right with the highest possible degree of probability - it is really you, the parents, who are to blame! Not out of malice, not out of spite. Out of ignorance, out of misunderstanding, out of laziness, out of gullibility, but you are to blame.

If a child often suffers from acute respiratory infections, it is impossible to solve this problem with any pills. Eliminate conflict with the environment. Change your lifestyle. Do not look for the guilty - this is a dead end. Your and your child's chances to break out of the vicious circle of eternal snot are quite real.

I repeat once again: there are no magic pills “for poor immunity”. But there is an effective algorithm for real practical actions. We will not talk about everything in detail - many pages are already devoted to answers to questions about how it should be, both in this and in other books of the author.

Nevertheless, we will now list and emphasize the most fundamental points. In fact, this will be the answers to questions about what is good and what is bad. I fix attention - these are not explanations, but ready-made answers: there have already been so many explanations that if they did not help, then nothing can be done, although Lena is very sorry ...

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AIR

Clean, cool, wet. Avoid anything that smells - varnishes, paints, deodorants, detergents.

At the slightest opportunity, organize a personal children's room for the child. There are no dust accumulators in the children's room, everything is subject to wet cleaning (plain water without disinfectants). Heating regulator. Humidifier. Vacuum cleaner with water filter. Toys in a box. Glass books. Folding everything scattered + washing the floor + dusting are standard actions before bedtime. There is a thermometer and a hygrometer on the wall in the room. At night, they should show a temperature of 18 ° C and a humidity of 50-70%. Regular airing, obligatory and intensive - in the morning after sleep.

In a cool damp room. Optionally - in warm pajamas, under a warm blanket. White linen washed with baby powder and thoroughly rinsed.

Never, under any circumstances, force a child to eat. It is ideal to feed not when you agree to eat, but when you beg for food. Stop feeding between feedings. Do not abuse overseas products. Do not get carried away with a variety of food. Prefer natural sweets (honey, raisins, dried apricots, etc.) to artificial ones (based on sucrose). Make sure that there are no food residues in the mouth, especially sweets.

At will, but the child should always have the opportunity to quench his thirst. I draw your attention: do not enjoy a sweet carbonated drink, namely, to quench your thirst! Optimal drinking: non-carbonated, non-boiled mineral water, compotes, fruit drinks, fruit teas. Drinks are at room temperature. If everything was heated before, gradually reduce the intensity of heating.

Sufficient minimum. Remember that sweating causes illness more often than hypothermia. The child should not have more items of clothing than his parents. The decrease is gradual.

The most careful way to monitor the quality, especially if the child takes them in his mouth. Any hint that this toy smells or gets dirty - refuse to buy. Any Stuffed Toys- accumulators of dust, allergens and microorganisms. Prefer washable toys. Washable toys to wash.

WALKS

Daily active. Through the parental “tired - I can’t - I don’t want to”. Very desirable before bedtime.

HARDENING

Ideal for outdoor activities. Any sports that involve active communication with other children in a confined space are not desirable. Swimming in public pools is inappropriate for a frequently ill child.

ADDITIONAL CLASSES

Good at the place of permanent residence, when the state of health does not allow you to leave the house. First you need to stop being sick often and only then start attending a choir, foreign language courses, a fine arts studio, etc.

SUMMER REST

The child should take a break from contacts with many people, from city air, from chlorinated water and household chemicals. In the vast majority of cases, rest "on the seas" has nothing to do with the recovery of an often ill child, since most of the harmful factors remain, plus catering is added and, as a rule, worse living conditions than at home.

The ideal vacation for an often ill child looks like this (every word is important): summer in the countryside; inflatable pool with well water, next to a pile of sand; dress code - shorts, barefoot; restriction on the use of soap; feed only when she screams: "Mom, I'll eat you!". A dirty naked child who jumps from water to sand, begs for food, breathes fresh air and does not contact many people in 3-4 weeks restores the immunity damaged by city life.

PREVENTION OF ARI

It is extremely unlikely that a frequently ill child constantly hypothermia or eat ice cream in kilograms. Thus, frequent illnesses are not colds, they are SARS. If Petya is finally healthy on Friday, and on Sunday he has a stuffy nose again, this means that Petya found a new virus in the Friday-Sunday interval. And his relatives are clearly to blame for this, in particular, his grandfather, who took advantage of an unexpected recovery in order to urgently take his grandson to the circus.

The main task of parents is to fully implement the recommendations detailed in Chapter 12.2 - "Prevention of SARS". Avoid unnecessary contact with people in every possible way, wash your hands, maintain local immunity, vaccinate all family members against influenza.

If a child is often sick with SARS, it means that he is often infected.

The child cannot be to blame. This is the behavior of his family. So, it is necessary to change the model, and not treat the child.

SARS TREATMENT

Treating SARS does not mean giving medicines. This means creating conditions for the child's body to cope with the virus as quickly as possible and with minimal loss of health. To treat SARS means to ensure optimal parameters of temperature and air humidity, to dress warmly, not to feed until she asks, to actively drink. Salt drops in the nose and paracetamol at high body temperature - a completely sufficient list of drugs. Any active treatment prevents the formation of immunity. If a child is often sick, then any drug should be used only when it is clearly impossible to do without it. This is especially true of antibiotic therapy, which in most cases is carried out without real reason - out of fear, from fear of responsibility, from doubts about the diagnosis.

ACTIONS AFTER RECOVERY

It is very important to remember that an improvement in the condition and normalization of temperature does not at all indicate that immunity has been restored. But after all, very often a child goes to a children's team literally the next day after the condition improves. And even earlier, before the children's team, he goes to the clinic, where he is examined by a doctor who says that the child is healthy.

In line to the doctor and the next day at school or in kindergarten the child will definitely meet with a new virus. A child with immunity that has not yet strengthened after an illness! A new disease will begin in a weakened organism. It will be harder than the previous one, with a greater likelihood of complications, and will require the use of drugs.

But this disease will also end. And you will go to the clinic, and then to the kindergarten ... And then you will talk about a frequently ill child who “was born like that”!

It has become better - it means you need to start living normally. Normal life is not a trip to the circus, not a school, and even more so not a children's clinic. Normal life is jumping-jumping in the fresh air, "working up" appetite, healthy sleep, restoration of mucous membranes.

With an active lifestyle and the maximum possible restriction of contact with people, complete recovery usually requires no more than a week. Now you can go to the circus!

We must not forget that contacts with people are risky, especially indoors. Outdoor play with children is generally safe (as long as there is no spitting or kissing). Hence, a completely acceptable algorithm for visiting a kindergarten immediately after recovery is to go there when the children go for a walk. We took a walk, everyone went to the room for lunch, and we went home. It is clear that it is far from always possible to realize this (mother works, the teacher does not agree, the kindergarten is far from home), but this option can at least be kept in mind.

And in conclusion, we note the obvious: the algorithm of “actions after recovery” applies to all children, and not just to those who are often ill. This is in fact one of the most important rules that helps a normal child not become often ill.

Well, as soon as we started talking about "all children", we note that when going after an illness to a children's team, one must think not only about oneself, but also about other children. In the end, SARS can be mild when the body temperature remains normal. Snot ran, you stayed at home for a couple of days, and then went to kindergarten, while remaining contagious!

Antibodies to the virus are produced no earlier than the fifth day of illness. Therefore, it is possible to resume visiting the children's team no earlier than the sixth day from the onset of SARS, regardless of its severity, but in any case, at least three days must pass from the moment the body temperature returns to normal.

Today, many mothers are asking questions about why a child often gets sick, what to do to improve his health. All parents try to protect their baby from infections. However, no matter how hard they try, they still get sick. Children are most susceptible to frequent viral infections at preschool age. Why is this happening? Let's figure it out.

Frequently ill child at 1 year

Children under the age of two often get sick, because their immune system has not yet been strengthened as it should be. Any infection in their body gets much more often and faster than to an adult baby. If a small child is often sick, what should I do? 1 year is the age when many drugs are contraindicated.

Immunity is weak and decreases even more if antibiotics are given to the child. To begin with, parents should note what lifestyle their baby leads. Perhaps he lacks fresh air, hardening, proper nutrition. Some parents believe that if the weather is bad outside: snow, frost or drizzle, you should not go out for a walk.

Mom should try to breastfeed her baby for as long as possible. After all, it is not in vain that they say that in this case the child is less susceptible to infections. All year round, the baby will not hurt to brew chamomile, juice and other herbs for drinking, which strengthen the immune system. You can give them instead of compote or tea.

Frequently ill child at 2 years old

Parents of older children also have similar concerns. If a child (2 years old) is often sick, what to do in this case? In theory, his immunity is already stronger. This is an erroneous opinion. A 2-year-old child still requires special attention. But you can already buy medicines that will help in the treatment of the baby. However, it is worth remembering that their excessive use reduces immunity, especially antibiotics.

Antiviral medications that will help to cope with the disease will not interfere with the child. Vitamins, proteins, lean meat in the child's diet should be present daily. Very often, children get sick at the age of 2 during the period when they start attending kindergarten. This is due to the meager dining room menu.

Why do children who attend kindergarten often get sick, and what to do about it?

Children who go to preschool institutions get sick more often by 10-15% than those at home. Why is it so? At home, parents protect their babies from any infection. During quarantine, they try not to take children to crowded places, avoid contact with the sick. When the baby begins to go to kindergarten, he receives a different infection from his peers. It is very often observed that parents bring children with viral infections to the team, and they infect healthy ones.

The child often gets sick in the kindergarten, what should I do? This question worries many parents. Of course, it will not be possible to completely avoid diseases, since the body must fight, but it is possible to minimize them.

To begin with, the child must be provided healthy lifestyle life. His bedroom, where he sleeps, must be clean, well ventilated daily. On the street or at home, he should be dressed in the same way as his parents. It is desirable to accustom the child to sports as early as possible. It is better to give him non-carbonated water, compotes, juices, herbal teas to drink. All this will help to strengthen the immune system.

In the summer, the child should spend as much time as possible outdoors. River, sea, warm sand - all this increases immunity. After an illness, there is no need to rush to kindergarten, let him stay at home for 5-7 days to strengthen the body.

If the baby brings the infection next time, it may take much longer to recover. Important! With the baby it is necessary to undergo a full course of treatment, if it is interrupted, complications are possible.

Frequent illnesses in kindergarten are normal. According to doctors, the ideal age for a child to visit public places is 3-3.5 years. By this age, the immune system is ready to fight viral infections.

Frequently ill children at 5 years of age

Even after the child has gone through full adaptation in kindergarten He continues to get sick frequently. Why does this happen and what to do in this case? This is usually due to the fact that the child's immunity is still weakened, as the child has taken certain medications for a long period or has suffered a serious illness.

The child often gets sick, what should I do? 5 years is the age when the baby can be explained that hands must be washed with soap and water after a walk. Also, before the quarantine time has come, it is advisable to get vaccinated against infectious diseases. It is very good during this period to take various immunomodulators that will support the body in a difficult period. Of course, we must not forget about hardening. If you follow all the rules, children will not stop getting sick at all, but some infections can be avoided.

Angina and its treatment

Angina is an infection of the tonsils. It is accompanied by high fever and sore throat. If a child often has a sore throat, what should I do in this case? First you need to understand the reason.

To do this, you need to pass all the tests as prescribed by the doctor and turn to Laura. Frequent angina is possible if one of the parents has a chronic disease of the upper respiratory tract.

Often sick child: what to do? Visiting a children's team or crowded places can provoke a sore throat. If the child is very small, then it is better to put sparing compresses from cabbage leaves or cottage cheese, spray the throat, be sure to give warm milk to drink with a piece of butter. The main thing is that you need to treat in a complex.

A child from 3 years old can gargle. Therefore, you need to dilute it in a glass of warm boiled water 0.5 tsp. soda. It is impossible to warm up the throat with various folk remedies in the form of lamps and salt! The disease will only get worse. Frequent drinking will help the child reduce the temperature. It is undesirable to shoot it down to the mark of 38.5.

With frequent tonsillitis, many doctors recommend an operation to remove the tonsils. This is an unpleasant procedure. The throat hurts after the operation for another month. Therefore, it is better to try to avoid this unpleasant surgical intervention. So that the sore throat does not become chronic, it is better to gradually harden the child with a contrast shower, strengthen his immune system with vitamins, vegetables, fruits, and in the summer it is advisable to take him to the sea (for at least 14 days). Then the baby will be less sick.

What to do with frequent ARVI diseases

If children often get sick with viral infections, this means one thing - reduced immunity. In this case, you cannot leave your kids without the supervision of a doctor. Complications may arise, and then parents will not understand what caused this.

SARS is a disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets. In order to understand what kind of infection the child has, all the necessary tests prescribed by the doctor are taken. ARVI is treated at home, but under the supervision of a doctor. In this case, there is a change in temperature, respiratory tract and nasopharynx. If a child is often sick with ARVI, what should be done in this case to avoid relapses? A comprehensive treatment approach should be carried out. The diet must include fruits and vegetables.

It is better to offer a drink to a baby in the form of juices, fruit drinks, milk with honey or compotes. If the child does not have a temperature, then you can put mustard plasters. The medicine must be given according to the doctor's prescription. Only complex treatment will help the child to cure for a long time. After an illness, it is better to try not to visit places where there are a lot of people, the body needs to get stronger. The most important thing is to protect the child from all kinds of drafts. This is the first friend of the disease.

What to do with frequent bronchitis?

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi. The first symptom of this disease is a cough of any form (wet or dry). Bronchitis is treated exclusively under medical supervision. If it is not treated properly or self-medicated, this will lead to pneumonia, etc.

Many parents are afraid of such consequences and ask the question: “The child often gets sick with bronchitis: what should I do?”. First of all, you need to carry out daily inhalations with the baby, give warm milk with honey to drink, and medicines as prescribed by the doctor. If a child has bronchitis more than four times a year, they are diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. If this disease is mild, then you can take the drugs orally, with a severe form, only injections are prescribed.

The child often suffers from bronchitis: what to do? Any doctor will advise him to temper and walk more in the fresh air, and make the child's lifestyle as comfortable as possible. With frequent bronchitis in the baby's room, daily wet cleaning should be carried out, so it will be easier for him to breathe. It is advisable to remove the entire dust container (in the form of soft toys, carpets, etc.).

Causes of common childhood illnesses

Very often the child gets sick if the environment is unfavorable for him. It can be low-quality products, the wrong daily routine, polluted air. Because of all these unpleasant factors, the child's immunity decreases, as a result of which he increasingly begins to get sick. As a rule, after contact with children, a baby can get new infections, with which it will be increasingly difficult for his body to cope.

Sometimes it is impossible to do without drugs, but only in acute and advanced forms. Often the child is sick, what to do in this case? At the initial stage of the disease, you can give the child tablets or syrups to maintain immunity, vitamins C and D. Also shown is a warm drink, mustard plasters, honey. When coughing, compresses made from cottage cheese or potato cakes effectively help.

With a runny nose, it is advisable to do mustard baths, but only if there is no temperature. If the child is breastfeeding, the most effective remedy will be washing and instillation of the nose with mother's milk. With sore throat, gargle every half an hour. For children, you need to make a weak solution. Do not take antibiotics or other medicines right away. From them, the immune system weakens, which leads to frequent colds.

What Komarovsky says about frequently ill children

According to Dr. Komarovsky, it is quite normal for a child who attends a children's group to get sick 6-10 times a year. He says that if in childhood they often fight various colds and overcome them, then these children very rarely take infections on their bodies when they become adults.

The child often gets sick, what should I do? Komarovsky advises bed rest for the first 5 days, since the virus in the human body can no longer live only if it is not treated at all. During illness, you don’t need to move much, as there is a risk of a long recovery and infection of those around you. When the temperature rises, it is necessary to give an antipyretic, but tablets, especially immunomodulators, are not necessary.

The child often gets sick, what should I do? Komarovsky believes that it is quite possible to cure a baby with the help of natural vitamins and drinking plenty of water. Often getting sick with ARVI is completely normal and, according to the doctor, is not scary. The main task of parents is to cure the child without antibiotics and drugs.

In the fresh air, viruses are transmitted less frequently than indoors, so you can even go outside with a sick baby, just avoid places where there are people. Daily airing of the room is necessary even when the baby is sleeping, leave the window open for 2-3 hours, and cover him himself.

Prevention, according to Dr. Komarovsky, is indicated for the entire period of the disease and 2 weeks after it, you can not communicate with people. A weakened body can take on another infection, which can be a complication with a sharp recurrence of the disease. As doctor Komarovsky advises mothers, it is necessary to learn to be treated without pharmacies, they must be protected in case of emergency. With viral infections, the first thing that is given to the child is liquid (milk, compote, herbs).

How to strengthen the immunity of the child so that he gets sick less often?

To strengthen the immune system, it is not necessary to rush to give the medicine. First you need to create a comfortable lifestyle for the baby. Let him learn to observe hygiene, wash his hands not only after the street, but also after the toilet. Mom can offer the whole family to wash toys in soapy water every day. During quarantine, try not to go shopping with the baby, do not ride in transport. If it is possible not to attend kindergarten, then it is better to stay at home during the spread of viruses.

The presence of fish, meat, cereals, dairy products is mandatory in the child's menu. Try to give sweets as little as possible (buns, sweets, sugar, etc.). Gradually, you can accustom the child to hardening. A contrast shower is very useful to use daily. If you create all the conditions, then the child will get sick less often.

In order for the child to get sick as little as possible, it is necessary to take care of him before his birth. Parents should live in an ecologically clean area and be tested for all possible diseases. The main thing is that they are not transmitted to the child. Mom during pregnancy must be limited from stress and from communicating with a sick person.

When a baby is born, he needs breast-feeding as long as possible. It is not necessary to take a child under three years old to the kindergarten, since the body is still weakened. He gets stronger closer to four years, then communication in the team will not hurt him. If the child began to get sick often, and this is 10 times a year or more, then you need to be examined by such doctors: an endocrinologist, an immunologist, an allergist and a pediatrician. Pass all relevant tests prescribed by doctors. After the doctor has written a prescription, the baby must be treated in a complex and in no case should it be interrupted so that there are no unpleasant consequences. There is no need to self-medicate, as you can harm him even more.

Conclusion

Help your baby be healthy. This is a lot of work for parents. Nothing is impossible, and it is quite possible to do without antibiotics and injections. Create comfortable living conditions for your child, temper him. You will be surprised that your child will start to get sick less, while without medication.

All children get sick, and all parents are very worried about this. Adults almost do not pay attention to their diseases, but the diseases of children immediately become a cause of increased anxiety. In fact, this is normal, because we do not live in sterile conditions, and the body reacts to the environment in this way. But what if the child is often sick? The answer lies not on the surface, but in the very depths - in the reason for such a frequent incidence.

As already mentioned, all children get sick. The only question is how often and where is the line between normal seasonal reactivity of the organism and pathological morbidity.

It is generally accepted among pediatricians that the normal incidence of children under 12 months is no more than 4 times a year. At the age of three to six years, it ranges from 3 to 6 diseases per year. In school-age children - 2-3 times. This is due to the presence of the child in a close team. In a kindergarten, in its real conditions, the teacher is unable to make sure that everyone is well dressed, they do not pick up anything from the floor.

Just like modern parents, they do not always have the opportunity to stay at home with sick children and send them, with a cold, to kindergartens and schools, where they infect other children. This is especially noticeable in kindergarten teams. If one child gets sick, everyone gets sick in a couple of days. Thus, if a child preschool age sick more than six times a year, and a school-age child more than three or four times is a sign of frequent morbidity and a reason to pay attention to the state of immunity of your baby.

In addition, it is one thing if a child often suffers from simple viral respiratory diseases, and quite another if almost every respiratory infection is complicated, for example, by a sore throat. The difference is that the classic ARVI is caused by a virus and requires intensive antiviral therapy. A sore throat (in medicine - acute tonsillitis) is a complication in which a bacterial infection comes out against the background of a weakened immunity by a virus. And it won't get better without antibiotics.

The main question, if a child often has a sore throat - why? A bacterial infection can "attach" only to severely damaged tonsils, loose and inflamed, with enlarged lacunae - an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Angina is difficult to treat, and often parents stop treatment early, leaving traces of inflammation that make acute angina a chronic process. The most serious cause of frequent sore throats in children is improper treatment of viral infections, bacterial infections and weakened immunity. We will talk about the reasons for weakening the immune system below.

What are the causes of regular diseases?

There can be many reasons why a child can often get colds and sore throats. The main one, as mentioned above, is the presence of a child in a children's team. It is worth noting that many reasons, including this one, should not be eliminated. It is better to influence other factors and significantly reduce the risks of the disease.

Among the reasons why the child is often sick, you need to pay attention to the following.

Absence necessary for the child vaccination . Alas, many parents refuse vaccination deliberately. Word of mouth broadcasts about the danger, and that after vaccination, supposedly children get sick even more. It is not true. A vaccine is a weakened or killed pathogen that causes the formation of antibodies to a specific disease. These antibodies give immunity that protects the child in the future. There are only two ways to form antibodies - vaccination (in which the child will simply have a temperature for a couple of days, but will not get sick) or the disease in full. And it is better to give the child immunity to the same measles, and protect it from the disease itself in the future.

Chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Whatever pharmacists say, any sinusitis is a chronic disease. If a child has been diagnosed with some kind of sinusitis, there is a very high chance that it will occur again. A chronic inflammatory process on the mucous membranes greatly weakens their protective properties. And the more often relapses (repeated diseases) occur, the stronger and more irreversible the defects of the mucous membrane become and the lower the immunity.

Lack of additional strengthening of immunity. All children, without exception, have weaker immunity than any adult. Therefore, it needs to be further strengthened. Old unforgotten methods and modern developments in medicine and pharmaceuticals can significantly reduce the incidence of children even in dangerous periods - autumn and spring.

Tendency to allergies. The first thing to remember is the hereditary nature of any allergy. That is, if one of the parents has a severe allergy in any of its variants, it is very likely that the child will also have it. Children with a tendency to allergic reactions get sick much more often. Therefore, any treatment they should take with the connection of antihistamine (antiallergic) drugs.

Frequent stay in crowded places . This does not mean that it is necessary to limit the communication of the child. But still, it should be borne in mind that visiting such places by children under 10 years of age significantly increases the risk of the disease. It is necessary to carry out prevention.

congenital immunodeficiency . Bad habits of the mother before and during pregnancy, the influence of negative environmental factors, malnutrition of the mother during feeding, nutritional deficiencies, birth defects, prematurity - all this is the cause of congenital immunodeficiency in the child.

Refusal of breastfeeding. Mother's milk is the best immunostimulant; neither man nor nature has yet come up with anything more effective. Breast milk has a completely individual composition, that is, milk from a particular mother ideally satisfies the needs of her child. It contains substances that cannot be artificially recreated and placed in infant formula. That's why breast milk irreplaceable. In addition, studies show that children who receive breast milk all the time they need are 3-4 times less sick and have good health.

As you can see, it is quite possible to take all the causes under control and thereby reduce the risks of the disease.

What to do?

First of all, it is necessary to undergo a complex of examinations to find out the cause, it includes consultations of the following specialists:

All these specialists can and most likely will prescribe a series of analyzes and studies, among them:

• general analysis of blood and urine;
• blood biochemistry;
• coprogram and analysis of feces for helminth eggs;
• immunogram;
• allergen sensitivity tests;
• blood test for HIV / AIDS - you should not ignore it or panic, this is a standard procedure;
• fluorogram;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

When the cause is found out, the doctor will give specific instructions on how to eliminate the causes. On your own, you should do the following, and no matter how often the child gets sick:

If possible, the child should be taken from preschool for the autumn and spring period. You can socialize it on your own, as well as teach important skills. And contact with other children in confined spaces will be significantly reduced. These contacts are acceptable and even desirable in the open air, where there is good ventilation.

hardening . For children, hardening does not mean dousing with cold water and walking in the snow. But playing sports, changing places, swimming in the summer can significantly strengthen the baby's immunity and prevent respiratory diseases.

Proper treatment of ARI. The doctor prescribes the treatment not to improve the welfare of the pharmaceutical companies, but to cure the child. If the prescribed treatment turned out to be prohibitively expensive, contact your pediatrician again and ask if there are cheaper analogues or substitutes. In any case, it is important to remember that the treatment of any acute respiratory infection should last at least five days, and all this time the child should not visit children's groups so as not to infect other children and not complicate the course of his illness. Also, do not resort to self-medication and interrupt treatment before recovery.

Prevention . Today, there are a number of drugs that stimulate the production of natural immunity in children. They are divided into interferons of natural origin and artificial. Natural interferons are more effective, as they are fully compatible with the body. Also, it will not be superfluous to periodically drink courses of poly- and monovitamins. For a detailed regimen of taking vitamins, you should contact your pediatrician.

Don't give up vaccinations . If you have concerns about the quality of vaccines, please consult and purchase the vaccines yourself. Try to keep up with the recommended schedule. Also, do not forget about preventive seasonal flu vaccinations. They should be done in the middle and end of summer, so that antibodies have time to develop by the fall.

Correct Mode . The nutrition of the child should be tasty, high-calorie (not synonymous with fat), balanced and fortified. Do not forget that the usual benefits of tea with lemon disappear as soon as you pour hot water over the lemon. The same applies to currant compotes and beets in borscht. Vitamin C breaks down at temperatures above 70 degrees.

You don't have to force your child to eat. The body itself knows when it is hungry. Children's is no exception. It is necessary to include in the diet as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible. To get specific recommendations for your child, mom should contact a nutritionist.

The child should sleep at least 7 hours a day at night. Young children have their own sleep patterns. It is individual and also depends on the needs of each individual baby. The right mattress, pillow, comfortable temperature regime created by the blanket improve the quality of sleep. And warm milk with a little honey will help you fall asleep faster. To avoid overexcitation before going to bed, do not allow children to watch TV, play on the computer in the last 2-3 hours before going to bed. But moderate physical activity, on the contrary, is welcomed.

Water consumption. The child must drink a lot. In this case, portions of the liquid should be limited to one glass of liquid in 2-3 hours. Urination should be regular.

Fresh air . Systematic airing, good room ventilation and regular walks improve lung function. In addition, it is important to observe the correct temperature and water conditions in the room. The ideal temperature for a child's room is 18-22 degrees. The air in the room should be humid and cool. Warm moist air promotes the growth of bacteria, and dry air dries out the mucous membranes, causes a runny nose and a deterioration in the protective abilities of the body.

Timely referral to a specialist . Regardless of the level of trust in medicine, the diseases of children are entirely the responsibility of the parents. Do not be lazy to look for a good pediatrician, you should not neglect the advice of other specialists and postpone treatment. Diseases tend to build up on each other when neglected. It is necessary to achieve high-quality diagnostics and treatment and insist on monitoring the recovery process.

It is hard to watch a child become an easy prey for colds. Sometimes it seems that children get sick all the time, a runny nose flows into a sore throat, later into a cough, and then the “cycle” repeats again.

Why a child often gets sick: reasons

A cold, an acute respiratory disease (ARI) or an acute respiratory viral infection () is familiar to everyone. But not everyone knows that hypothermia, drafts or wet feet by themselves cannot cause illness. Cooling the body simply reduces local immunity, which makes it easier for cold pathogens to enter the body - and the child begins to get sick.

Colds in children develop a little differently than in adults. It is easy to miss the onset of the disease, because the baby cannot always explain what is bothering him. Parents should be alert if the child becomes cranky and restless for no reason, refuses to eat, looks sleepy and apathetic, and does not arouse interest in his favorite toys - all this can signal an impending viral infection.

Even if we try to protect the baby from the disease, vaccinate, make sure that the child is warmly dressed, there are enough reasons to catch ARVI:

• children under the age of 7 are more susceptible to cold and flu viruses as their immune system is just beginning to get used to the effects of the outside world;
• children are more likely to come into contact with contaminated surfaces, and then put their hands in their mouths or rub their eyes, contributing to the entry of microbes into the body;
• the upper respiratory tract develops until the end of primary school age (up to about 13 years);
• attending a kindergarten, preschool or elementary school, increases the risk of contracting SARS or acute respiratory infections;
• Against the background of weak immunity, children are more likely than adults to suffer from allergic rhinitis and asthma, which increases the likelihood of an upper respiratory tract infection.

Normal frequency of colds

As long as the immune system adapts to all living conditions, the frequent incidence of a child is considered the norm. Of course, medicine involves drug treatment for colds for each age period of the child. But some drugs, primarily antibiotics, can negatively affect the baby's immunity, cracking down on both harmful and beneficial bacteria.

Therefore, recurrent cases of colds and viral infections can occur several times a season. In pediatric practice, each age threshold has its own rate of frequency of colds per year.

Why immunity decreases

The health of the child is the concern of every mother, especially in the first years of a baby's life. Therefore, even at the stage of pregnancy planning, both potential parents should understand what factors can affect the decrease in the child's immunity:

• intrauterine problems. A child in the womb should receive everything necessary for full development. From the beginning of pregnancy to childbirth, it is important to follow the regimen, eat right, give up bad habits, and be observed by your doctor. This will help reduce the risks of acquiring genetic health problems;
• second hand smoke. Even if a person does not smoke himself, but at the same time breathes cigarette smoke, he receives a dose of nicotine. Therefore, passive smoking both during pregnancy and after is unacceptable for either the mother or the baby;
• unbalanced diet and overeating. The child should receive vitamins, trace elements and minerals for the full development and strengthening of immunity. Fast food, heavy food, an excess of sweet and starchy foods will only “oppress” the baby’s body and will not give anything useful. Also, you can not let the baby starve, he must receive all the necessary nutrients on time;
• unfavorable ecological situation. Polluted air can adversely affect a growing organism;
• inadequate sleep. Preschool children need about 12 hours of sleep per night (8 hours at night and a few hours during the day). Lack of sleep for a child, as well as for an adult, is weakness, fatigue, lack of energy and weakened immunity;
• stressful environment. Tension in the family, misunderstandings in kindergarten or school, conflict with peers can emotionally exhaust the child and disrupt his mental health;
• lack of personal hygiene. Hands not washed in time are the first step to direct interaction with microbes and viruses;
• sedentary lifestyle. Some parents allow a lot of time in front of the TV and computer. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of walks in the fresh air can lead to muscle atrophy;
The child needs free time, "lazy" rest and independently chosen hobbies. It happens that parents accustom children to a frantic adult rhythm, defining them in a large number of sections, load with additional classes, ignore needs and desires. As a result - nervous and physical strain. With such a “set”, the child may often start to get sick;
• overprotection. Excessive care of the child can also affect the decrease in immunity. For example, a loving mother is very worried about her child, warmly wraps him up, protects him from the slightest load - the child will not be hardened, and his immunity will not be able to cope with the surprises of the weather.

How to strengthen children's immunity

The cold and rainy season brings parents a lot of worries. A child can catch a cold, catch a cold from other children, get his feet wet, and come down with a fever.

The environment also greatly affects the immunity of the child. If the baby grows in polluted air (city center, near the highway), the defense mechanisms weaken, which makes it easier for viruses and bacteria to enter the body.

Each parent can strengthen the fragile immunity of the child on their own. Here an integrated approach is needed.

1. Order in the house. In order for the child to stop getting sick often, there should be as few "dust collectors" and distributors of allergens as possible in the children's room (carpets, soft toys, upholstered furniture, animals). If there is a pet in the apartment, let the pet spend time in the child's room as little as possible. Wet cleaning is best done with hypoallergenic detergents, or with ordinary water without products. style="font-weight: 300;">
2. Airing., which tends to accumulate in the room and "oppress" the body, should be normal. Especially airing will be useful before going to bed, then it will be more comfortable for the child to fall asleep. style="font-weight: 300;">
3. Not only fresh, but also clean air. Ventilation, although important, is not effective enough for those who live in a big city. Dust, allergens, pollen, microbes, harmful gases, etc. will fly into the room through open windows. To keep the air in the room always fresh and clean, you can install compact ventilation with a cleaning function -. The breather will purify the supply and room air from all the above-mentioned pollutants, ventilate the room even with the windows closed, and heat the incoming air to a comfortable temperature if it is cold outside. No dust, noise and drafts, which is important for a good rest and a speedy recovery of the kids. style="font-weight: 300;">
4. Hygiene. Hands and toys should always be clean. After a walk, to support immunity, you can rinse the nasal cavity with a special children's saline solution to disinfect and reduce the likelihood of microbes getting on the mucous membrane. style="font-weight: 300;">
5. hardening. It is necessary to teach a child from an early age to hardening not by pouring ice water from a bucket, but by a contrast shower. Let the growing body get used to lower temperatures, and then it will be easier for the child to endure a sharp change in weather and rest at sea. style="font-weight: 300;">
6. Food. For a strong immune system, minerals, vitamins and fiber are needed. All this is found in food, vegetables and fruits. During the warm months, vegetables, fruits and berries can be given raw to the child, which the pediatrician will prescribe. style="font-weight: 300;">
7. Clothing. Parents often wrap their children in bad weather, worry if the child walks around the house without socks or takes off his mittens on the street. "Frost resistance" must be brought up in children from an early age. You should not put three sweaters on a child under a warm jacket, because children tend to move a lot. A baby dressed like a cabbage can overheat, and clothes can get wet. In this case, the child may be blown out. style="font-weight: 300;">
8. Daily regime. Children should be well aware that they need to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. A child's night sleep should last at least 8 hours. Therefore, you need to go to bed on time, preferably no later than 10 pm. style="font-weight: 300;">
9. Sunbathing. Walk with your child as much as possible. From birth, make it a rule to be with your baby in the air for at least 4 hours a day. The only exception can be frost (below 15 degrees) and strong wind: these days you can reduce your stay outside to 30–40 minutes, but twice a day. style="font-weight: 300;">

How to treat a cold in children

Frequent colds in children, if not given proper attention, can cause complications. For example:

• bronchitis,
• adenoids (inflammation of the tonsils),
• sinusitis,
• tonsillitis,
• otitis,
• allergic reactions.

A child with cold and flu symptoms, especially during the cold season, should drink warm tea. It can be tea with raspberries, linden, lemon, ginger and honey. Plentiful warm drink during the period of illness contributes to the rapid release of toxins from the body and a natural decrease in body temperature.

Sound sleep, warm drinks and an optimal microclimate are the simplest and most affordable methods for preventing colds.

If a child has a runny nose, inhalation can be done: this will help to cope with viruses in the very early stages of a cold or flu. Every adult remembers how, at the slightest symptom of a cold, our parents sat us down in front of a pot of boiled hot potatoes, covered us with a blanket and forced us to breathe steam.

Among modern parents inhalations with essential oils are popular. Add a few drops of bactericidal essential oil (cloves, lavender, calendula) to a pot of hot water. Children are seated under a blanket and allowed to breathe in fragrant healthy steam. Instead of essential oils, you can use the “asterisk” balm (“lump” no larger than a match head) or infusions from medicinal plants (chamomile, lavender, oregano, lemon balm, etc.).

Another point that is really able to maintain immunity and quickly cope with the disease is not to self-medicate, but to follow all the instructions of the attending physician.

If the child is often sick, hurry up to strengthen his immunity and consult a specialist in time. During therapy, always consider all possible contraindications, carry out all procedures strictly on the recommendation of a doctor, and then the treatment of a cold in a child will lead to a positive result.