Show winter bugs the door

Yes, you can get through winter without succumbing to the dreaded flu and colds. Just follow our simple guide to keeping the whole family healthy.

Sniffs, sneezes and coughs are the bane of the winter season, and with your little ones off to daycare, crèche or even the park, home come all sorts of nasty bugs. These nasty bugs don’t have to make a home with your family though, and here’s why.

A STRONG SYSTEM

If you want to survive cold and flu season, the best place to start is with a healthy immune system. There are several ways to do this.

EXERCISE It might seem impossible to find time in your day to exercise, but it’s worth trying. Studies have shown that regular moderate exercise (like 30 minutes walking a day) can help your immune system fight off infection.

EAT WELL A sound nutritional regime goes a long way to boosting your immune system, advises registered homeopath Dr Cornelia Botha. Most adults don’t eat nearly the recommended daily amount of fresh fruit and vitamins, so make it a goal to eat your daily five. Choose fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins C and E, beta carotene and zinc.

SLEEP It figures that the one thing that most eludes parents of young children would be one of the things that helps boost your immune system, but nevertheless, getting a good night’s sleep is considered key to good health. It’s worth hitting that pillow early whenever you can manage it or calling in some help once in a while if you’re still in the throes of newborn madness.

IMMUNE BOOSTERS

”A good multivitamin benefits anyone, no matter how good your diet is,” advises Dr Botha, but she cautions against shopping for the cheapest option available. ”Always look for a premium product,” she recommends.

Probiotics are a great addition to the whole family’s diet, recommends Dr Botha. Although there are many products on the market boasting nine or more strains, she says that here, simpler is sometimes better. ”Look for a probiotic that is kept in the fridge and has lactobacillus and bifidobacterium on the label,” she says. For other immune-system boosters, Dr Botha recommends olive leaf extract and echinacea.

HYGIENE HITLIST

Yes, it’s one of those things your mother told you that turns out to be both true and eminently sensible – washing your hands is a key defence in avoiding colds and flu. Cold and flu germs like to transfer from people’s hands onto things like door handles, light switches, countertops, fridge handles, remote controls and bathroom taps – and they can survive for up to eight hours there. Regular hand washing – several times a day – lessens the chance of you transferring germs from a contaminated surface to yourself. The trick is to use soap and water and to wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. It’s also especially important to wash your hands and make everyone else do the same when you have a small baby – they are particularly susceptible to germs. Also, carry waterless hand sanitiser in your handbag, and use it as often as you can remember to, especially when you’ve been out to the shops.

CONGESTION COMFORT

No parent enjoys seeing their baby suffering from a miserable cold, particularly when a blocked, congested nose adds to their misery, but there are simple steps you can take to ease their discomfort. Keep on breastfeeding

– your baby needs liquids to avoid dehydration, and breastmilk also offers extra protection from the germs that cause colds. Remember if you are sick and your baby isn’t, keep on breastfeeding regardless, as your milk is giving your baby invaluable immunity. If your baby is battling with congestion, saline nose drops can help to loosen the mucous in the nasal passages, and they’re widely available. However, advises midwife Mary-Ann Alves, a drop or two of breastmilk in the nose can be even more effective than saline. There are many handy mucous-sucking devices on the market these days. One of our favourites is the nose cleaner from Pigeon. It’s completely safe to use and very easy too. It really provides amazing relief for the little ones. Remember to clean and sterilise it well after use.

A humidifier in the baby’s room is also a great idea, as it helps to keep the mucous membranes moist and avoid infection. ”Only do this for a few hours a day to get a bit of moisture in the air. Then, switch it off and turn it back on later,” advises Mary-Ann. ”I also recommend keeping the air in the house moving – open the windows, and get some fresh air in during the day, and close them at night.”

CAUTION REQUIRED

Be extremely wary of over-the-counter cold and flu medications. Many of them are unsafe for use in infants and small children. For instance, using two medications with an antihistamine, decongestant or pain reliever may cause an unintended, accidental overdose. Never give aspirin to a child under 18 years, because it has been associated with Reyes syndrome, which is rare but potentially fatal. If you’re concerned about your child’s symptoms, rather consult your GP.

So how do you know when to be concerned, as babies are pretty congested at the best of times? ”Monitor the colour and thickness of your baby’s mucous. If it’s clear and runny, you can keep watching it, but it shouldn’t last a long time. If it’s green and yellow, it may be an indicator of an infection, and you should get it checked out before it causes infection or goes to the chest. A cough is also a sign of mucous in the throat,” Mary-Ann says. ”Fever is always an indicator that something’s wrong, and with a small baby, you should get it checked quite quickly.”

Also try to avoid giving any overthe-counter cough medicines to young children without first seeking the advice of

HOME REMEDIES

Home remedies are certainly useful for short-term relief and are certainly worth an initial try if your tot is showing signs of discomfort but is not obviously ill just yet. Dr Botha recommends this treatment at the onset of any kind of earache: Crush a clove of garlic, and steep it in a tot measure of olive or sunflower oil. Heat the oil and garlic mixture gently

– you don’t want to colour the garlic, you just want to release all the garlic compounds into the oil. Let it cool to room temperature, and then at bedtime put one drop into the affected ear. Now soak a small piece of cotton wool (small enough to fit comfortably in the ear) in the oil and put it into the ear. For small children who don’t want their ears fiddled with, you can do this while they’re asleep – put a towel on their pillow. This home remedy can relieve earache overnight. It works, Dr Botha explains, because of garlic’s recognised antibiotic and antiinflammatory properties.

Dr Botha also recommends using a vapour rub for relief of congestion. She advises rubbing it all around the lymph nodes in the neck – down the sides and front of the neck, under the chin, on the chest and back, as well as on the feet. ”Karvol and Vicks are suitable for older children but not newborns and smaller babies, so follow the instructions on the packaging,” advises Mary-Ann. Larraine Mey, a registered nurse in Johannesburg, recommends that for a child older than a year, two teaspoons of honey a day is a good immune-system booster, but remember honey should never be given to babies under a year old.

If any home remedies don’t offer relief, and you see your baby or toddler getting worse, or they develop a temperature, it’s visable to take them to see you doctor.

Colds can rapidly turn pretty nasty in babies and you want to rule out bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Discuss with your general practitioner or paediatrician a strategy for when your child does start get well. Remember, always be cautious when it comes to children, who are usually unable to communicate exactly how they are feeling to you.

GET YOUR SHOTS

There’s always a lively debate around the efficacy of the flu vaccine and whether it’s worthwhile to get the jab, or to subject your children to it.

”It's really a must, because your worst germ carriers are your two to 10-year-olds. They are infectious for much longer than adults," Larraine advises.

”For children who are in crèche and at school, it’s a no-brainer.”

Larraine advises that the vaccine is suitable for children from six months old, pregnant women who are past the first trimester and everyone else in the family. ”If you have a child who’s prone to chest infections or where their chests are compromised at all, it’s highly recommended,” she explains. Children under seven who are getting the flu vaccine for the first time require two doses four to six weeks apart, so act sooner rather than later to ensure that it has time to take effect before flu season kicks off, Larraine says. Children under three get two halfdoses. ”It’s a really safe vaccine,” she advises. ”Despite what some people think, it does not give you flu, it does not make you sick.”

Mary-Ann agrees. ”Parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles should all get the flu vaccine and make sure that all their vaccinations are up to date, because if they’re sick, then Baby will get sick too.” ●