Monsoon has bid adieu and winter is approaching. Winters are fun but before it sets in, the season changing period makes us vulnerable to a lot of germs and diseases. Cough and cold is just one of the many things that become common during this time of the year. This is also the time when one needs to take preventive measures to avoid viral infections and other ailments. Mothers certainly remain more concerned during this time given that children are more prone to illness. Orissa POST speaks to a few mothers to know about the preventive steps they take to keep their children safe from all kinds of infections and virus attacks.
Balasore-based banker Subhadra Rath says, “Being a working lady and a mother, I find it difficult to take care of my child. I have to depend on my mother who looks after my son. During this time of season change, I avoid taking my child outdoors much. Playgrounds, market places and shopping malls are places from where you contact maximum viral infections. It is very difficult to make children understand. I continuously keep telling my son not to share his drinks or allow his friends to sip from his bottle. It’s a myth that you catch cold during winters but it actually happens during the change of season when the viruses become more active.”
Subhadra says that schools are another place where children catch the viruses. “Viruses spread easily when children are in classrooms and in close contact with each other. This happens through respiratory droplets in the air and on hands. This is why I make sure that my son always washes his hand to avoid germs,” she says.
Sumitra Das Palai, a homemaker from Bhadrak, says, “Although we should instil habits like washing hands, most parents forget to do so. Hands serve as germs’ gateway to children’s bodies, so the cleaner they are, the less likely your child is to catch infection”, she says.
“It’s challenging for a mother to safeguard children from viruses during this time of the year. Processed food with additives, refined white flour and food high on sugar are not healthy for children especially during winter. Processed food reduces a child’s appetite for healthier immune-boosting fruits and vegetables. Moreover, they also invite cold and cough during winter as they are kept in refrigerator. I don’t allow my daughter Pihu to have processed food during winter. Besides, I make sure she drinks plenty of water to keep herself hydrated as dehydration also leads to many diseases,” she adds.
Bangalore-based Banita Palia, a HR personnel, says, “I believe in the power of massage. Giving massage to your child is highly recommended by doctors. And during the winters, it is a must for newborns to keep them warm. My son Golu is six months old and I give him a massage every day. During winter, I will do it twice a day with hot garlic pods dipped in mustard oil. Massage stimulates the blood flow, which indirectly boosts a child’s immunity.”
Soumya Mishra, a homemaker from Puri, says, “Children are easily susceptible to things like flu, common cough and cold, dysentery, ear infection and bronchitis during winter. Low humidity levels and cold air allow viruses that cause disorders like flu to thrive during the winters. So, mothers need to teach some basic things to their wards like covering their mouth while sneezing or coughing because it helps in preventing germs from spreading. I give a warm bathe to my son because the room temperature of the water remains low during the winter months and any child can catch a cold. Besides, I encourage my son to drink more water during the winter months. This is because we feel less thirsty in cold weather and as a result tend to drink less. Drinking less water causes the body fluid levels to drop which can result in dehydration and fatigue.”
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP
