If your child catches a cold or flu because of the variability of weather, don’t blame yourself; it is a natural phenomenon. While children are at home or in the nursery, they need to be observed so that they can recover quickly.
Common autumn diseases include cough, runny nose, flu and allergies of all kinds. So how can we strengthen our child’s immunity and reduce the possibility of catching diseases in the colder months of the year?
- Nutrition is a very important factor as vitamins and minerals are vital to strengthen immunity and protect your child against cold.
Luckily, the citrus season starts in autumn, thus make sure your child eats orange, mandarin and other fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and Vitamin C on a daily basis. - Drinking enough water is also essential. It does not only help your child to stay hydrated, but it also helps regulate body temperature.
- Besides the issue of nutrition, parents face a problem of choosing their child’s clothing in autumn and its frequent climatic variations.
Perhaps the rule here is: “No fixed rule in autumn”, which means that we should wear clothes according to our observation of the weather. To explain this, morning clothes may not suit at night, and nursery clothes may not fit for staying at home. Therefore, make sure your child wears their clothes, preferably cotton, in layers. This will make it easier to dress-down or dress-up during the day according to the weather conditions. - Don’t forget to put a jacket in his/her bag in case the weather becomes colder. Don’t exaggerate with headcovers and thick socks except in extremely cold conditions but do remember that children need an additional layer compared with adults.
- Additionally, maintaining good hygiene also reduces the chance of catching a seasonal disease from someone else. Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick as much as possible.
- Wash your hands often in soap and water, especially before eating and after contact with a sick person.
- Within a household, it is important to avoid sharing personal items, such as cups, cutlery, towels, and toothbrushes.