Contents:
- Medical Video: BABIES AND KIDS DON'T WANT DADDY TO GO TO WORK | Babies And Dad Video Compilation
- Overview of the immune system in infants
- Diseases that may be transmitted from adults to newborns
- What you can do to protect a newborn baby
- 1. Keep a distance from those who are sick
- 2. Meet nutritional needs
- 3. Sleep enough
- 4. Give exclusive breastfeeding
- 5. Keep clean
Medical Video: BABIES AND KIDS DON'T WANT DADDY TO GO TO WORK | Babies And Dad Video Compilation
Be careful of kissing a newborn baby. A mother in the UK shared stories about her baby who was exposed to the herpes virus, transmitted by relatives who visited to see the newborn baby. Not even 3 months old, the baby was then forced to be hospitalized and hospitalized, as well as checked for damage to the liver and brain. What can we learn from this event?
Overview of the immune system in infants
In the first three months of pregnancy, antibodies from the mother will be delivered to the baby through the placenta. This is called passive immunity, because the baby does not produce immunity for itself but gets it from the mother. The number and type of antibodies that babies get depends on the mother's immune system. Immunity in newborns is only temporary and will decrease after several weeks to several months.
In breast milk there are quite a lot of antibodies, especially in colostrum. Babies who get exclusive breastfeeding have passive immunity longer than those who do not receive exclusive breastfeeding. Premature babies have a weaker immune system because they were born earlier so they cannot receive more antibodies from the mother. Therefore, immunization during the first few months of a baby's birth is needed so that the baby can form his own immune system
Diseases that may be transmitted from adults to newborns
Even though flu may seem trivial for adults, flu for newborns under the age of 2 months can be very dangerous. This is because the baby does not have his own immune system and is still dependent on antibodies from the mother. Some types of diseases to watch out for newborns include:
- Flu: runny nose, coughing, until fever is a symptom of flu. If this happens to your child under the age of 6 months, immediately bring your baby to the doctor, because the baby's reflexes to breathe and chew are still not perfect. Your baby may have difficulty drinking milk if his nose is blocked. You can try cleaning your baby's nose and keeping the room temperature warm, but don't intentionally let your baby sleep with the head higher or sleep in a sitting position. According to Dr. Mary Ian McAteer, a pediatrician, as quoted from Parents.com, is a dangerous position for newborns.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus: this disease has symptoms similar to flu. If left in the newborn, it can infect the lungs and cause bronchiolitis and even pneumonia. If your baby has difficulty breathing that is clearly visible (the chest appears to rise and fall significantly while breathing) immediately take your baby to the doctor.
- Digestive problems: if your baby has diarrhea and vomiting, chances are most likely your baby has stomach flu. This disease should heal within a few days. Make sure your baby is not dehydrated, give breast milk as often as your baby wants. If you see signs of dehydration and other symptoms that are not common (the baby looks in pain, does not want to drink at all, there is blood in both the stool and vomit, the baby does not urinate as often as usual, etc.) immediately consult the baby's condition You are with a doctor.
What you can do to protect a newborn baby
To prevent your baby from contracting from other people because of the weak immune system, there are a number of things you can do.
1. Keep a distance from those who are sick
Especially if your baby is new. Not infrequently when newborn, your baby will be visited by many people. Ask them to keep a distance from your baby, especially if there is an infectious disease. Don't forget, flu that feels harmless to adults can have the opposite effect on newborns. Also, don't kiss your baby. As in the case above, viruses such as herpes can be transmitted through saliva and membranes in the mouth. People who suffer from herpes do not necessarily know that they have herpes.
Flu can also be transmitted through saliva, so it's a good idea to take precautions. If your relatives want to carry your baby, ask them to wear special protective clothing normally provided by the hospital, and don't forget to wash your hands first.
2. Meet nutritional needs
One of the best ways to maintain a baby's health is to fulfill his nutritional adequacy. Especially when you are 6 months old, because at this age babies can be given solid food. Fulfill your nutritional needs by feeding a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These types of nutrients can protect cells that work in building the immune system. Avoid some foods that can cause the immune system not to develop properly, such as foods high in sugar and fat. Reduce the provision of fruit juice or other packaging foods that are usually high in sugar in your baby.
3. Sleep enough
Some studies reveal that children who don't get enough sleep respond to flu vaccines not as expected. Our body's immune system turns out that it can't function properly, especially if we lack sleep. Newborns can sleep more than 15 hours a day, let them sleep and do not accidentally wake up.
4. Give exclusive breastfeeding
In breast milk there are antibodies that can help the baby's immune system. The risk for infants with ear infections and throat infections is reduced by 63% when babies are given exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Infants who are given exclusive breastfeeding are also less likely to get respiratory infections or stomach flu.
5. Keep clean
In addition to diligently washing your hands, don't forget to maintain cleanliness around your baby. Always provide hand sanitizer especially for guests who come to visit. The surfaces of objects that can be touched by the public also have the possibility to deliver bacteria and viruses that cause disease. You can clean the surface of the object with wet wipes that contain antiseptics.
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