Two main factors need to be distinguished: the immaturity of the immune system of young children and the ease of transmission of microbes in a closed environment. Here's what to do for recurring infections and how to prevent them from reoccurring.
Quite often, children who attend kindergarten are faced with numerous colds, which can alternate with otitis media or viral gastroenteritis.
Fortunately, in most cases, there is nothing serious about this. “It is important to reassure the parents,” stresses pediatrician Antonella Brunelli, director of the Rubicone-Cesena District of Health and a member of the Cultural Association of Italian Pediatricians. “We are talking about infections, usually trivial, that do not affect overall health, so the child can play and walk calmly, even if he has a temperature of 39.5 °,” she says.
Why does a child get sick all the time?
Infections are the norm. In addition, enclosed spaces, which are often overheated and where many children play, provide an ideal environment for the spread of viruses responsible for infections in the first years of life. Thus, their transmission is further facilitated by the fact that children constantly exchange toys even after holding them in their mouths. And therefore, germs are easily transmitted from one child to another.
On the other hand, "one should also take into account," Brunelli emphasizes, "that the immune system of children in the first few years of life is not fully mature." He still needs to learn how to protect himself from infections, and as a result, children get sick more often. With a positive connotation: "Through contact with viruses and bacteria, immunological learning processes are activated and the immune system is strengthened, as a result of which, over time, children become less and less susceptible to infections."
In other words, as soon as it comes into contact with a microorganism, the immune system develops immune memory, which allows it to react faster in the future in the event of a new contact with the pathogen.
What to do
Just because a child is still a small person, until a certain age his immune system does not develop one hundred percent, he gets sick more, but you do not need to arrange dramas. Even if working parents constantly have to reorganize the family and work schedule every time a child gets sick.
“Even if it can be difficult, it is advisable to keep it at home for a few days until the baby has fully recovered: not only so as not to infect other children, but also to avoid exposing him when he is still a little weak and therefore more vulnerable to new germs.”Better to wait until all ailments are completely gone.
Viral diseases such as colds, otitis media, and gastroenteritis usually have a fairly short course, and there are no medications to shorten their duration. “At best, you can resort to pain relievers or antipyretics to make the kids feel better waiting for things to go away,” Brunelli explains, or in case of coughs and colds, remedies such as nasal drops or a classic cup of hot milk with honey, which, of course, do not cure, but in some cases can provide temporary relief.
It is very important to avoid inaccurate use of antibiotics. "In the case of viral infections, they are useless because they are specific to bacteria," Brunelli explains, "and furthermore, their misuse risks rendering them ineffective when needed to be taken to fight a bacterial infection."
How to prevent persistent illness? Some simple strategies can help:
- Good hand hygiene: Frequent and accurate washing can prevent the spread of the virus. It is important to do this at home and in kindergarten, where, among other things, it would be advisable to clean and disinfect toys that can be oiled with saliva and to ensure that the wipes are not reused.
- Living outdoors: It is important to be outdoors often, even in winter. Ventilate well.
- Nasal lavages: Although many serious scientific studies have not been conducted on this topic, many pediatricians believe that rinsing the nose with saline can help prevent respiratory infections by preventing viruses and bacteria from colonizing the nasopharynx.
- Immunostimulants: these are substances that should contribute to a more effective immune defense. According to some studies, they can alleviate the problem by decreasing the number and intensity of recurrent infections. However, the available data is still uncertain (other studies do not support these benefits), so not all doctors recommend their use.
- Vaccinations: In addition to protecting children from various specific diseases, some reduce the risk of common diseases. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in the first year of life, for example, reduce the risk of otitis media.
