Keeping Children Safe in Cold Weather

Ludhiana, December 6, 2017: Winter is often a welcome change after long, hot summers. There are several health conditions, which are specifically associated with the cold weather and children need extra attention to stay warm, safe and healthy, says Dr Puneet Aulakh Pooni (Professor & Head of Pediatrics), DMCH, Ludhiana.

According to Dr Pooni, Common Cold and flu are the most common infectious disease during the winter period and the parents of children should not give antibiotics to them, without prescribed medication because antibiotic medicines target only bacteria, not viruses.

Dr Deepak Bhat and Dr Gurdeep Singh Dhooria from Department of Pediatrics suggest that parents and elders should take extreme care in getting their children properly dressed up. It is advisable to dress up newborns and small children in different layers of clothing.

Dr Siddhartha Bhargav and Dr Jatinder Singh Goraya says respiratory illnesses are more common along with cold and flu infection during winter and can be easily prevented by maintaining proper hygiene. The children should wash their hands regularly after coughing, sneezing, sharing toys and before meals etc

Dr Kamaldeep Arora and Dr Shruti Kakkkar cautions that children who are prone to get asthma should get prescribed medication regularly so that their condition don’t get much worse. It is medically advisable that babies less than 6 months should be given exclusive breast feeding and avoid exposure to person with cough and cold.