A baby has the flu, what to do and how to treat? Features of the treatment of influenza in children under one year old Can a newborn get the flu

Influenza virus infection is a seasonal disease with mass epidemics spreading in late autumn, winter and early spring. These periods are characterized by minimal consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, lack of sunlight, short walks through the streets and parks. There is a weakening of the immune system, and the virus easily infects the body. A family with a newborn child does everything possible not to bring the infection home, but not everything is always successful. Most often, a baby gets sick with the flu, becoming infected from a close environment.

Can a baby get the flu?

Having been born, the child receives everything necessary for a healthy existence with mother's milk, which contains complexes of vitamins, enzymes, minerals and microelements. Babies up to six months have good protection against viral and bacterial infections. However, a baby can still catch the flu virus, especially when fed with artificial mixtures. With all the enrichment with microelements and vitamins, any mixtures will not replace the qualities of mother's milk. Any contact with a virus carrier can provoke the disease.

The danger of the flu virus for young children

The main danger of a viral disease for infants is:

underdevelopment of the immune system in children under one year old. Weak immunity provokes a secondary bacterial infection, the development of which is fraught with serious complications. This is especially dangerous for artificial babies who are not protected by a natural barrier in the form of mother's milk;
a blurry picture of symptoms that does not allow parents to recognize the disease in time and take measures for treatment. The baby is deprived of the opportunity to describe signs of headache and muscle pain, general malaise. The development of catarrhal symptoms (cough, sore throat) in babies may be absent altogether, and a jump in temperature may appear on the second day. Only noticing some lethargy and lack of appetite, with a rise in temperature to 38 0 C, parents begin to worry.

The probability of death from influenza infection in newborns is 2-3 times higher than in older children. Young parents, even with minor signs of the disease, should call a doctor.

Causes of the disease

The causative agents of the infection are varieties of influenza viruses "A", "B", "C". Penetrating and integrating into the cellular system of a small organism, the pathogen violates its functionality and begins to actively multiply.

The main causes and possible ways of infection of the newborn are:

close contact with a sick person and the penetration of the virus through the air;
contact with toys and household items touched by the virus carrier;
infection inside the womb.

Often the baby picks up the virus from a close environment, his immunity is too weak to resist the infection. In the case of congenital influenza in infants, a viral infection occurred in the mother during pregnancy.

flu symptoms in babies

The disease develops quite quickly. Parents should be alert for the following flu symptoms in infants:

an increase in cases of capriciousness and tearfulness of the baby. A rare form of the flu passes without joint and headaches, so the child screams and kicks his legs;
loss of appetite or its complete absence. The baby cannot eat, drink, due to damage to the mucous membranes and swelling of the throat, it just hurts him to swallow;
breathing with an open mouth. Influenza viruses cause nasal congestion, making it difficult for a child to breathe;
blanching of the skin, with a slight blue around the nose. Edema of the respiratory tract causes a lack of oxygen and intoxication of the child's body;
restless, interrupted sleep. By the end of the day there is an exacerbation of all painful processes, mucus clogs the respiratory tract, and pain intensifies.
frequent bouts of colic. Viral inflammation spreads throughout the body and can cause increased gas production with bloating and sharp pains in the abdomen.

All flu symptoms are accompanied by a serious fever.

What to do if the child is sick?

At the first symptoms of a viral infection, a pediatrician should be called to the house. Only a specialist can prescribe a course of treatment and make the correct diagnosis. The aim of therapy is to alleviate the symptoms of influenza and minimize the risk of complications.

Mode

In order to avoid hospitalization, a sick infant should be provided with a special regimen: increase sleep time and reduce active pastime. The kid needs to be strong.

During the illness of the baby, the mother should not stop breastfeeding. In addition to balanced complexes of vitamins and minerals, it contains a high concentration of antibodies that help strengthen the protection of the child's body. The doctor will give the most stringent recommendations on the nutrition of a nursing mother. She will have to temporarily eliminate heavy, fatty, sugary foods, red meat dishes and any foods that cause stomach upset in the baby, so as not to suppress his weak immune system.

Caring for a flu child

Providing comfortable conditions for the baby during illness is the main responsibility of parents. Appropriate care will help to bring closer and speed up recovery:

carrying out daily wet cleaning with mopping and dust removal;
regular airing of the children's room;
providing the baby with clean bedding and underwear, preferably from natural fabric;
drinking enough fluids. Toxic products of cellular decay are excreted with sweat and urine; to prevent dehydration, the baby should be given plenty of clean water to drink.

Nasal congestion makes it difficult to feed, it is difficult for a child to suck milk from the mother's breast. It must be expressed and poured into a bottle. It does not hurt to free the nose from mucous accumulations more often.

What and how to treat?

The use of any antiviral or antipyretic drug for infants is possible only as directed by a pediatrician.

Antiviral

Most often, pediatricians use antiviral drugs - interferon inducers - drugs that help alleviate the condition, have no side effects and shorten the duration of inflammatory processes. Appointed:

"Anaferon" in tablets for resorption. For babies, they are bred in boiled water for drinking, the dosage is no more than 2 tablets per day;
"Aflubin" in the form of drops, 1 drop in the nose once a day;
"Viferon" in the form of rectal suppositories, a particularly convenient form in the treatment of children up to a year. The maximum dose is 3 suppositories per day.

The use of drugs is justified in case of complicated, accompanied by high temperatures and intoxication, influenza.

Restorative

In order to strengthen and correct the general condition of the child, the use of the following drugs is recommended:

to support immunity - "Immunoflazid", a preparation in the form of a syrup containing plant components. Dose for infants - 1 ml per day, divided into 2 doses;
to relieve dry cough - "Pectusin", "Tusuprex", "Libexin", in dosages appropriate for age and prescribed by a doctor;
to relieve swelling of the mucosa and nasal congestion - "Mili-nose".

Antipyretic

High temperatures in a newborn must be brought down to prevent disturbances in metabolic processes and the development of convulsive syndrome. To begin with, you can try to physiologically cool the baby: strip naked and wipe the body with cool water (18-20 0 C). If this method is ineffective, antipyretic suppositories with Paracetamol are used. If there are any contraindications, Ibuprofen can be used. The drugs are highly effective and safe enough for infants.

registrants

In cases with high fever, accompanied by diarrhea and signs of vomiting, the baby is shown drinking water diluted with Regidron. The drug restores the water-salt balance and protects the baby's body from dehydration.

Folk recipes for concomitant symptoms

The use of folk recipes in the concomitant treatment of influenza can give a good effect and will help in a quick recovery. The folk recipe has been tested by time, but it must be used carefully.

runny nose

Onion and garlic will help relieve congestion in the nasal passages. It is necessary to prepare a gruel from chopped heads of vegetables (can be mixed or used separately) and put on plates in the room where the sick child is located. Also, to get rid of a runny nose, you can use gauze bags. Over time, the "stuffing" must be replaced with fresh. Aromatherapy procedures contribute to the destruction of viruses and facilitate the breathing of the baby.

Cough

The occurrence of wheezing and some "cyanosis" of the skin indicates the spread of infection through the respiratory tract. There is a cough, swelling of the larynx is possible. To prevent this phenomenon, you can use inhalation:

with mineral water and soda. Bring the alkaline “mineral water” to a boil and add soda (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water). Mom needs to leave the vessel on low heat, close the room and, taking the child in her arms, breathe with him the resulting vapors;
with pine buds. You need to boil 1 liter of water and put 3-4 tbsp. spoons of raw materials. The procedure is similar to the previous option.

Temperatures

To reduce temperature fluctuations, you can not immediately use medications, but try your grandmother's recipe with vinegar water. In warm water (250 ml), dilute 9% or apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon). Quickly wipe the naked baby with a sponge moistened in the solution, immediately wrap it in a diaper and cover it with a blanket.

You can soak a whole diaper in vinegar water and, after squeezing it well, swaddle the baby, covering it with a warm blanket on top. You need to wait about an hour and a half and check the temperature, if necessary, you can repeat. If there is no result from the procedures (temperature above 38 0 C), it is necessary to use an antipyretic agent.

Possible Complications

Very often, young children, due to a viral infection, require additional medical help due to complications that have developed. The most severe consequences are observed in children up to one and a half years. A child with a congenital chronic disease (asthma, diabetes, CNS disorders) is at particular risk. Possible complications include:

development of inflammation of the respiratory system - pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchitis, purulent pleurisy, sinusitis and otitis media;
CNS lesions and pathologies in the cardiovascular and renal systems;
the development of inflammation of the brain - meningitis, encephalitis;
damage to the muscular system with the likelihood of complete immobilization;
the development of respiratory distress syndrome - stopping the respiratory process, is typical for the smallest.

Complications can be avoided with proper care and strict adherence to all the recommendations of the attending physician.

How not to infect the baby if the mother is sick?

When a nursing mother falls ill with the flu, the question arises very sharply: how not to infect a baby? First of all - you can not stop breastfeeding and do not try to boil the expressed milk. The child needs to receive antibodies in order to fight the infection and build up his immunity, especially for the baby it will be a lot of stress. Here are some rules to follow:

for a young mother and everyone in contact with the baby, put on and wear, without removing, gauze bandages, regularly changing them every 3 hours;
you can’t put the child in your bed, he must sleep in his own crib;
be sure to sterilize the bottle for drinking and the nipple;
do not use your dishes to pour liquid into a baby bottle;
drink more fluids to eliminate the risk of "burning out" of milk, since elevated temperature contributes to the loss of water in the body and the production of breast milk decreases;
observe good personal hygiene, often wash your face and wash your hands with soapy water and wash your breasts before each feeding;
be sure to undergo a course of treatment prescribed by a doctor.

If possible, install an aroma lamp filled with coniferous concentrate or a quartz lamp for regular ultraviolet treatment of the room.

How to protect your baby from the flu

The tiny age of the baby is not an obstacle to strengthening the protective functions of his body, and the following activities will help protect the baby from the flu:

regular massage therapy will increase blood circulation and increase the supply of cellular tissue with oxygen;
hardening procedures with dousing the baby's legs alternately with warm and slightly cool water will stimulate the processes of regeneration and metabolism.

To prevent a viral disease, parents of infants need to follow certain precautions:

avoid contact with a sick person. A sick relative should be isolated in a separate room, regular ventilation and wet cleaning should be carried out;
during periods of seasonal epidemics, do not walk with the child in crowded places. If possible - do not ride in transport, do not visit clinics and pharmacies;
Wash your hands thoroughly after outdoor activities. Undress the baby only after the hygiene procedure;
should not be weaned during the autumn-winter cold season. The content of antibodies in milk will support the immune system of the baby.

The main protection of the crumbs from a pathogenic infection can be a vaccination that a sane mother should do during pregnancy. This crucial step will help protect the baby of the first months of life from a very dangerous disease.

Influenza in infants adversely affects the vital organs and systems of the body. The disease in a newborn child harms the nervous system and is fraught with a lot of complications if it is not cured in time.

The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets or through the use of shared personal hygiene items. If the family has an infected adult or older child, a baby under one year old will definitely get sick if it has close contact with a sick person.

During a conversation, coughing or sneezing from a sick person, a large-scale release of a virus of strong concentration occurs, which tends to quickly settle on the mucous membranes of a healthy baby, whose immunity is not yet able to defend itself against the pathogen. Influenza in infants after infection begins to appear after 7 days. Babies are more susceptible to contracting the virus for the following reasons:

prematurity or weak activity of the immune system;
lack of breastfeeding, which helps to resist infections that affect the child's body;
propensity to colds and viral diseases due to poor heredity.

Moms take note! Influenza in a newborn child or baby up to a year leads to deplorable complications: it affects the nervous, cardiovascular system, and has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

How the virus manifests itself in children: symptoms of infection

Often the disease proceeds unexpressed, in the early days resembling a banal cold. A week after infection, infants appear:

chills (against the background of high body temperature - 39-40 degrees);
dry cough resembling an allergic one;
the appearance of a runny nose and nasal congestion;
the chest and newborn baby becomes lethargic, capricious;
loss of appetite;
possible sore throat and pain in the lungs;
the skin becomes pale or marbled;
the occurrence of arrhythmia and shortness of breath.

Influenza in infants and newborns is manifested by severe intoxication, nausea and vomiting occur, and the consistency of the stool is often disturbed. At the peak of the fever, infants develop convulsions, a tremor of the chin and lower lip is noticed.

The kids are talking! My son angered me with something, I sit angry, shouting at him. He tells me:
- Mom, come, I'll cure you.
I'm coming. He hugs me tightly and kisses me. Naturally, I immediately smile and soften, and this naughty:
- You see what a good medicine I have!
And since then every time, and most importantly - it really helps!

Medical diagnosis of the disease in infants and newborns

The task of the pediatrician and infectious disease specialist in the case of infant influenza is to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe urgent treatment. This approach will help reduce the risk of complications. The specialist conducts a differential diagnosis of the body and detects the presence of other viral pathologies that have affected the respiratory system of the crumbs up to a year. Blood and urine tests are taken from children, in which the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes is determined - they are used to judge the presence of an infectious process and the presence of the influenza virus. Be sure to take a swab from the oral cavity to determine the concentration of the pathogen.

In addition, studies are carried out to determine the associated bacterial infection: pneumonia, bronchitis.

Flu treatment: a technique for infants and newborns

The younger the baby, the more difficult it is to find effective therapy for treating flu symptoms, so it is important to avoid contact with sick people. But, if the child is attacked by viruses, you should choose a way to eliminate the pathogen.

Note! During therapy, it is important to continue breastfeeding. It will help speed up the fight against the virus, as breast milk contains antibodies.

If a mother practices breastfeeding, it is important to give up heavy foods, meat, fish and fatty foods. It is ideal to eat vegetable broths or chicken or turkey soups.

In the treatment, antiviral drugs are used: Viferon suppositories (rectal suppositories are placed twice a day at a dosage of 150,000 mg), Grippferon nose drops are instilled for five days three times a day.

For the treatment of coughing attacks, drugs are used: Sinekod, Stodal, Avbroxol in suspensions. To lower the temperature, you will need pharmaceutical preparations Ibuprofen, Paracetamol (in syrup or suppositories), Nurofen (allowed only from three months). For infants who have reached the age of 6 months, treatment includes preparations containing vitamin C, which helps strengthen immunity.

Body temperature is measured daily in the treatment of influenza in infants

In addition to taking medications for a child, a mother must follow some more rules:

regularly change the baby's underwear and bed linen;
ventilate the room frequently (twice a day);
provide the patient with plenty of fluids, walks in the fresh air.

Advice! If the baby does not quench profuse vomiting and there are signs of dehydration (pallor of the skin, dry mucous membranes of the nose and mouth), be sure to add Regidron to boiled drinking water.

An indispensable and effective procedure for flu in infants, accompanied by a cough, is massage. It should be performed only by a professional children's masseur in a hospital setting.

Smile! The youngest son is standing on the threshold of the kitchen, two minutes already, silent. I ask:
- And what are we standing? Come on, come on.
- I can not. I'm on red.

Prescribed if, during bouts of coughing, a whistle is heard in the respiratory tract of a newborn and an infant. For the procedure, Borjomi alkaline mineral water, saline and Ambrobene are used.

How dangerous is children's flu?

The virus carries a lot of consequences for a small organism. If you do not seek help in a timely manner or self-medicate, you may encounter the following problems:

damage to the nervous system;
dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
general intoxication of the body;
development, which begins to progress sharply with an increase in temperature.

Prevention of influenza virus in infants under one year old

To prevent the baby from becoming infected with a dangerous virus, it is necessary to adhere to preventive measures. A newborn should not be allowed to come into contact with people who have signs of SARS, influenza and other diseases. During epidemics, it is better to refuse to visit polyclinics, and if necessary, it is better to call a doctor at home for a routine examination.

Breastfeeding should be continued, as milk contains components that help strengthen the immune system for many years. It is worth practicing hardening procedures. It is also best to get a flu shot if possible.

Note! It is impossible to treat an infant child with folk remedies for influenza - so as not to harm.

Schoolchildren and even older preschoolers may well tell their parents what hurts and how. Babies and young children do not have such opportunities, and therefore parents can not always recognize the flu in them and take the right measures. In this article we will tell you how to determine the flu in an infant and a child under 3 years old, as well as how to treat an infant.

What it is

Influenza is caused by specific influenza viruses, so this disease is very conditionally related to SARS. The disease is an acute respiratory disease that is caused by the penetration of the virus into the upper respiratory tract. The influenza virus is very aggressive, it constantly mutates, and therefore it is quite difficult to cope with it, besides, the virus is extremely contagious.

A feature of the disease in early childhood is the selectivity of the viral attack. According to the observations of doctors, a newborn is much less likely to get the flu than a baby at 2-3 years old. This is due to the fact that during the first six months the child has passive (innate) immunity, which he inherited from his mother - a certain amount of antibodies to common viruses is passed on to the child by the mother during his intrauterine development with blood. A lot of antiviral antibodies are also found in breast milk, and therefore a baby who is breastfed is better protected in the face of a viral threat than an artificial baby.

The presence of innate immunity, however, does not guarantee that a child cannot catch the flu in the very first months of life. If the strain “walking” in the season has mutated, then, quite possibly, the mother’s immunity has not yet managed to develop antibodies to it, and therefore the baby did not get them either.

The influenza virus is transmitted by airborne droplets. The source of infection is a sick person, even if the disease is mild and he carries it, as they say, “on his feet”. For young children, influenza is considered one of the most dangerous illnesses, because their immunity is not yet fully formed, it has much less ability to give a decent immune response to the invasion of the virus.

Influenza at an early age is dangerous for its formidable and severe complications, which can lead to death or irreversible pathological processes in the body of the crumbs.

Symptoms and signs

From the moment of infection with the virus until the first symptoms appear in the baby, it can take from several hours to 1-2 days. The incubation period of influenza in children up to 2.5–3 years is always much shorter than in older children. The virus primarily infects the cells of the ciliated epithelium in the upper respiratory tract. And only when the dying epithelial cells begin to exfoliate, the virus enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body, causing all the familiar classic symptoms - aches, fever, headaches and muscle pain.

The child's immunity will gradually form antibodies, this process takes him about 3-5 days, after which the flu symptoms begin to disappear, because the viral particles are destroyed by immune cells.

If a baby is sick, it can be very difficult to determine the flu, because the baby cannot complain of a headache or muscle pain, cannot tell his mother that he has a sore throat. The following signs may indicate the onset of a flu infection:

the child has a high temperature - the fever can reach values of 38-40 degrees;
the baby is naughty, he is lethargic and sleeps restlessly;
nasal congestion may be indicated by anxiety while eating - the baby takes the breast, but almost immediately throws it and starts to cry;
the baby has watery eyes.

Even at the very initial stage, a child under the age of 6 months can become very pale, a high temperature can lead to impaired consciousness of the baby, short-term loss of consciousness, convulsions. Starting from six months, quite frequent accompanying symptoms of intoxication caused by the entry of the virus into the blood are vomiting and diarrhea. For children aged 10-12 months and older, the flu is characterized by a dry cough.

The baby's nose with the flu almost always remains dry, no liquid snot is released, but this does not mean that there is no stuffiness and itching in the nose. The baby may often sneeze, while a child from a year old will try to scratch his nose, not realizing that the sensation comes from within.

Certain age categories of babies have their own symptomatic patterns of influenza infection. So, in babies from birth to six months, all the symptoms look somewhat erased, it is very difficult to recognize them. The onset of influenza infection in them is not as abrupt and acute as in older children.

Regardless of age, most often the first signs of the flu appear at night. The child wakes up and the mother discovers that he has a high temperature, shortness of breath, impaired nasal breathing. In children under the age of 3, the flu is always more severe than in other children. Quite often, severe, toxic and hypertoxic forms of the disease are recorded.

Treatment

You can’t even think about any self-treatment for flu in a baby, a one-year-old baby or a three-year-old child. Given the weakness of the immune system, the likelihood of complications is too high and, alas, too real. When the first signs of influenza appear, parents should immediately call an ambulance. Not a doctor from a clinic, not a doctor friend who lives next door, but an ambulance, because severe and toxic forms of the flu can lead to the rapid death of a child.

It is customary to treat influenza in children under 3 years of age in a hospital setting. The reason is the same - the probability of complications is so high that no sane doctor will take responsibility for the life of a child who has remained at home. Only round-the-clock monitoring in a hospital will help protect the child from the development of extremely negative consequences.

The child's treatment regimen includes detoxification therapy, symptomatic treatment, as well as a rehabilitation period.

Antibiotics are prescribed to the child only if complications begin. Some doctors try to be proactive and prescribe antibiotics right away, afraid of not recognizing complications in time. Such a position only increases the likelihood of negative consequences.

Complications

The influenza virus itself cannot harm the child, but one should be afraid of the complications that the influenza infection causes. Reduced immunity, besides being pretty “shabby” with the flu, is fertile ground for the addition of a secondary bacterial infection, fungal infections. Most often, babies have complications in the respiratory system - bronchitis, pneumonia, a 1.5-2-year-old child is more likely to develop croup and associated acute respiratory failure.

In children from birth to 3 years old who have the flu, there is a high probability of complications in the ears (otitis media, acoustic neuritis, hearing loss), conjunctivitis, bacterial rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngeal abscess, meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

In the acute stage of the disease, a certain danger is febrile convulsions that develop against a background of high temperature, asphyxia as a result of vomit entering the respiratory tract, if the child vomits in a dream. Often, babies develop hemorrhagic syndrome - a violation of the integrity of the vascular walls with the appearance of microbleeds.

The birth of a baby is a great joy for parents. But at the same time, from now on, it makes no sense to count on peace. Every second, moment, adults think about the health of the child and a lot of worries are caused by the flu in the baby.

The timely detection and treatment of influenza in infants must be approached with particular responsibility.

The oldest type of the disease is one of the most common types. Every year, at least 2-3 times, another surge of the epidemic occurs, in which almost everyone “catch” the disease, regardless of gender, age. As we know, the influenza virus enters us through the air, when a sick person coughs or breathes. Affecting the mucous membrane, pathogenic particles penetrate the epithelium of cells and travel through the body through the bloodstream. Intoxication occurs with accompanying symptoms that bring excruciating discomfort. Adults are looking forward to when relief comes, because few people are pleased to feel such signs as:

headache;
sore throat;
nasal congestion;
myalgia - muscle pain;
joint pain;
high temperature, etc.

Influenza in an infant: symptoms and treatment

Can a baby get the flu

Nature is so arranged that every individual on the planet gets a chance for a healthy life. The same goes for babies. After birth, they receive all the enzymes, vitamins, minerals and trace elements necessary for the body with mother's milk. Thanks to this factor, up to about 6 months, babies are practically protected from viruses and bacterial infections. But still, can a newborn get the flu? Yes, this unfortunately happens. Especially the problem is associated with children on artificial feeding. No matter how fortified and enriched the mixture is, it cannot reach the quality of mother's milk. Therefore, it makes sense to prevent influenza in infants, the purpose of which is to prevent infection.

Signs of the flu in the baby

The development of influenza in a baby can be assumed by a number of symptoms.

Common flu symptoms in a baby

Loss of appetite. The child is not only able to eat, but is not even able to drink. The fact indicates damage to the mucous membrane, swelling of the larynx, in which it is painful to swallow, perspiration in the throat, excessive dryness causes coughing, and difficulty breathing.
Open mouth. SARS causes nasal congestion, which makes breathing difficult. For this reason, the child takes in air through the mouth.
Paleness of the skin, cyanosis around the nasolabial triangle. Swelling of the respiratory channels and intoxication are accompanied by a lack of oxygen, poisoning of the body.
A common symptom of influenza in infants is capriciousness, tearfulness. The advanced form of SARS in rare cases occurs without myalgia, joint pain, headache, etc. Because of this, a beloved child often cries, twitches his arms and legs, grabs his head.
Bad dream. By the evening, as you know, painful processes are always exacerbated. There is a stagnation of mucus, the respiratory channels are laid, pain in the body and head intensifies. A baby, no matter how tired he is during the day, will sleep intermittently, wake up often and cry.
Colic. Inflammatory processes spread throughout the body. Influenza in newborns can provoke the formation of gases in the intestines, which causes bloating, acute cramps. The symptom is determined by strong crying and pulling the legs to the body, sharp twitches.

Treatment of influenza in newborns

In the first years of life, the immune system is only being formed and there are no forces that can withstand the attack of viruses with great power. The disease develops rapidly, and intoxication can cause irreversible processes. A bacterial infection joins a viral infection - meningococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, staphylococcus, etc. There is a high risk of developing meningitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, tracheitis, otitis media, sinusitis, etc. Therefore, the flu and a newborn baby are very incompatible things.

Important: if a rash appears on the baby’s body in the form of small red dots, convulsions, nausea, vomiting, urgently call an ambulance. In this case, the iron argument works - the delay of death is similar. The account of the life of a beloved child goes for minutes.

Influenza in a baby: treatment

If the baby is sick, continue breastfeeding. For a child, this is the main medicine that nourishes the body with substances that enhance immunity.

What should a mother do with flu in a baby. Separately, it must be said about the diet of the nurse. You will have to give up meat dishes, heavy, fatty, sweet foods, foods that cause indigestion in an infant, which suppresses his weak immune system.

How to Treat Your Newborn for Colds and Flu

In therapy, drugs that have a symptomatic effect are used.

Viferon, Kipferon, Kagocel. These funds have the ability to stimulate the body's production of cellular proteins that form the immune system. They are shown both as a treatment, even if a month-old baby has the flu, and as a prevention of SARS. Before use, it is necessary to consult a doctor, study the instructions, indications and contraindications.
Treatment of infants requires a decrease in temperature. Ibuprofen and its derivatives are used, it is categorically not allowed to take Aspirin, which causes Reye's syndrome - heavy bleeding of the mucosa.

Important: until the temperature has risen beyond 38.5, it is not necessary to bring down the indicators.

Preparations containing vitamin C, in particular Amizon. It can be used for treatment from the age of 6 months of the baby.

Important: influenza medicines for newborns, especially painkillers, are prescribed only by a pediatrician who knows how to treat the disease. Self-medication is strictly prohibited.

Check with your doctor before giving any medication to your baby.

What to do if the baby is sick

Given the high risk of complications, consult a doctor immediately. Responsible parents do not need to be reminded of this, they already visit the pediatrician every month and take precautions. And:

Change baby's bedding and underwear regularly.
It is necessary to ventilate the child's room. Stagnant air is a very favorable atmosphere for the reproduction of bacteria. There is a lack of oxygen, as a result of which the disease worsens.
In case of illness, a runny nose, stuffy nose interfere with the normal absorption of mother's milk by the baby. To help him, you need to express your breast and feed your pet from a bottle.
If a child has a whistle in the airways and pallor of the skin, there is a lack of oxygen due to edema. The infection has gone too far. At home, you can do alkaline inhalation: pour a teaspoon of baking soda into a boiling mineral water. Breathe for no more than 10 minutes, while taking precautions.
Plentiful drink. Water promotes sweating, decay products from viruses and cells are excreted through sweat and urine. It is also necessary to moisturize the mucous membrane to alleviate cough, runny nose, in which only liquid can contribute: warm milk, water, fruit drink, compote. In the case of a tiny baby, you need to drink only clean water, herbal decoctions and other liquids can cause an allergic reaction. Water with the addition of Regidron will perfectly cope with dehydration and hydration.

How to treat flu in an infant with a temperature

The fever is manifested due to intoxication and violations of thermoregulation, heat transfer. To maintain a reserve of internal strength, bed rest is recommended. But in the case of fidgets, the option, of course, is a losing one in advance. Then just take the child with interesting games, reading, watching cartoons.
What to do if the temperature rises? Do not cover the baby with a blanket that is too warm, which stimulates an even greater rise in the indicator on the thermometer.
Do not force feed. With SARS, the body will have to save energy, and excessive nutrition can expend energy. Feed only when the baby himself shows interest in food. It is better to drink juices, water, fruit drinks.
Meals don't have to be heavy. Include light soups, chicken broth, liquid cereals, purees in the diet.
The baby has the flu and accompanies the cough - you can give the children's syrups of Dr. Thais, Mom. Rubbing the chest with oil, special ointments will clear the airways of mucus and open access to free breathing. But each drug must be prescribed by the attending physician.

Important: at a high temperature, before the ambulance arrives, apply a wet cloth soaked in cool water to the wrist, ankles and places where large vessels pass.

Mucus in the nose of the child prevents free breathing. To cleanse, in no case do not need to use breast milk. Apply sea salt solution - drip 1 drop into each nostril three times a day.

The temperature of the baby must be closely monitored

Influenza Prevention in Infants: Adult Behavior

The task of parents is to exclude all factors that can lead to infection of the baby with the influenza virus. The source of infection can be both they and their friends and acquaintances.

Important: Adults (except breastfeeding mothers) need to be immunized. Thanks to the vaccine, the virus will not be able to attack the body, which means that the risk of infection is excluded.

Also in this case it is necessary:

limit contact with patients;
when going to work, study - wear a cotton-gauze bandage;
limit visits to guests during epidemics;
regularly ventilate the house, apartment.
strengthen the immune system with a course of vitamins, a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits.
tie a gauze bag with chopped garlic to the child's crib. The method allows to destroy viruses flying in the air.
also provides for the prevention of drugs such as Viferon. Rectal suppositories are used to protect the child from the attacks of viruses and have no contraindications.

Prevention of influenza in newborns

Despite the young age, there are ways to strengthen the protective functions of the child. The following methods will help with this:

Massage. A course of massage therapy enhances blood circulation, nourishes small vessels and cells with oxygen.
hardening. Pouring feet, then ankles, shins with cool, then warm water stimulates blood flow, cell regeneration, and metabolic processes.

At the first suspicion of the flu, the baby should be shown to the doctor

Based on the foregoing, one thing is clear - prevention is necessary even before the first signs of a respiratory disease appear in the baby. A vaccination given by a responsible mother in the second or third trimester of pregnancy will help protect the small body from pathogens. Thanks to a responsible step, in the first months of life, you can not worry that the child will fall ill with a very dangerous disease.

With the birth of a child, joy comes to the house - the long-awaited baby is finally there! The wait lasted a long nine months, and the baby is now next to you. But at the same time, mothers and fathers begin to worry about the health of the child. The baby is in wait for viruses and colds, and during epidemics - flu. How to treat influenza in children under one year old is a rather relevant topic. It is best not to engage in self-treatment of the baby, but immediately call a doctor at home. After all, the disease in infants is not at all the same as in an adult. In addition, the consequences and complications due to improper or delayed treatment can be much more serious than the disease itself.

What is the danger of influenza

The danger of influenza in a one-year-old child is that the disease can cause various complications in relation to the central nervous system. The flu can also affect the child's cardiovascular system. Very often, this disease gives a complication to the ears, causing otitis in the baby, which in the most difficult cases can even lead to hearing loss. Influenza in children is severe. It is necessary to immediately call a doctor, follow all his recommendations and continuously monitor the child for 2-3 days from the moment the first symptoms appear.

flu symptoms

Signs of influenza in children under one year old, as a rule, are pronounced:

increase in body temperature;
nasal congestion;
possibly a cough.

In addition, the child begins to act up, refuses to breastfeed. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is best to call a doctor at home immediately.

Influenza in the baby's body immediately affects the upper respiratory tract. There, the infection actively multiplies for the next two days. The virus begins with a sharp rise in temperature. The child has there is difficulty breathing, muscle aches intensify. The kid experiences a headache, weakness, so he is naughty and constantly cries. Already on the second day, catarrhal syndromes appear in the form of cough and runny nose.

Therefore, influenza in children under one year old has its own characteristics. In infants, croup syndrome, an uncharacteristic lesion of the lungs, practically does not occur. The initial symptoms of influenza are mild. Despite this, the disease can quickly become severe, since a bacterial infection often joins the flu, and because of it, various complications of a purulent nature occur. These are otitis media, pneumonia and other serious diseases. Influenza in these cases is often accompanied by damage to the nervous system.

Causes

In infants, viral diseases are not so rare. The thing is that the immunity of the baby has not yet taken shape completely. Therefore, one-year-old children are exposed to germs and bacteria more often than children from three years old. The most important factor in the development of immunity in an infant is breast milk. Children who are on artificial mixtures, under the age of one year, get sick more often than babies who are breastfed.

The most important thing in the treatment of flu in children under one year old is not to stop breastfeeding the baby on demand. No medicines should be given to a child! In extreme and severe cases, a doctor prescribes special preparations for influenza in a one-year-old child.

Prevention

It is very important to take preventive measures to protect against influenza in children under one year old. Treating a baby is much more difficult than following simple rules of prevention. Breast milk is one type of such prevention. It contains all the necessary substances, trace elements, and most importantly, immune complexes and antibodies to various diseases that my mother had. Therefore, you need to strictly monitor the nutrition of the child, this will help him more easily endure the disease.

Another type of prevention is frequent walks in the fresh air. It is also necessary to do wet cleaning more often and ventilate the room. It would seem that all these are elementary hygiene measures, but, unfortunately, not everyone uses them in practice. If possible, at least in the first year of a child's life, avoid visiting public places with large crowds of people.

How to treat flu in children under one year old

Can't Stop breastfeed the baby if he got sick. The difficulty is that babies most often have a stuffy nose with the flu, so they cannot take the breast. When a baby suckles at the breast, he breathes only through his nose. Babies have a very fast metabolism, they can not be without food for a long time. If the baby does not take the breast, then you will have to express and feed him from a cup or pipette. But don't bottle feed your baby. After that, the baby will be lazy to take the breast! In addition, the bottle violates the natural bite of the baby's jaw.

With influenza, a one-year-old child, like an adult, should have plentiful drink. It is best to consult with your doctor about which herbal decoctions you can give your child. It can be rosehip, linden blossom.

Temperatures up to 38 degrees do not need to be brought down. Only if the thermometer creeps higher, start lowering the temperature, otherwise the child's metabolism will be disturbed, and this can cause convulsions. A fever in a child can be reduced with rubdowns and air baths. Don't wrap the baby. No need to cover it with extra diapers or wear woolen socks. It is necessary that moisture evaporates from the child's body and natural cooling occurs. Therefore, it is better if you leave him without clothes and diapers. If in the treatment of influenza in children, such methods did not work, then you can lower the temperature with a rectal suppository or syrup. Use medication only with a doctor's prescription.

With the flu, a one-year-old child develops a cough and runny nose. How to treat influenza in children in this case? It is imperative to instill a solution of sea salt into the nose and help the baby, ridding him of mucus, there are special suctions for mucus with a runny nose in infants. A cough in an infant can be cured if the child is allowed to breathe over the vapors of pine oil. To do this, pour a bath of hot water, drop a few drops of coniferous oil into it, take the child and just be with him in the bathroom for 10-15 minutes.

Complications of influenza in a one-year-old child occur at different times during the course of the disease. Most often it is tracheitis or bronchitis with spasms of the airways. Diagnosis of the disease is quite simple: acute onset of the disease, fever, intoxication of the body, runny nose and cough begin as early as 3-4 days. It is much more difficult to make a diagnosis when, in addition to clinical signs, others are also present. Then laboratory diagnostic methods are used. Rate the article

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