Kids mostly love the rains, but monsoon brings many diseases and allergies. The temperatures come down, but the humidity and heat can cause infections and illness. Here are some of the common monsoon diseases that impact kids, with tips on how you can keep them at bay.
Diseases Spread Through Mosquitoes
The rainy season is a hotbed for mosquito-borne diseases. Stagnant water helps the mosquitoes to breed and multiply quickly. We see severe outbreaks of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya every year. Your kids are at risk if there are mosquitos around.
Tips To Protect Against Mosquitos:
- Remove stagnant water from your house and around.
- Ensure your kid is wearing clothes which provide maximum coverage to the body.
- Apply mosquito repellant cream, spray, or patch on the uncovered body parts. Use kid-friendly products only.
- Get a mosquito net for the bedroom.
- If the mosquito problem is severe in your neighborhood, get the local administration to do fogging in the area.
- Consult your doctor if the child has a high fever or shows signs of malaria, dengue, or chikungunya.
Diseases Spread Through Contaminated Water
We face issues of contaminated water during monsoons. Since the immunity of kids is still developing, they are prone to contact with waterborne diseases. Kids can consume contaminated water and food leading to a host of diseases. The most common one is gastrointestinal infections. They can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomachache. Typhoid, jaundice, and leptospirosis are other common diseases that your kids can contact during the rainy season.
Tips to Prevent Consuming Contaminated Water:
- Do not drink unsafe water. Use drinking water that is filtered, from RO, or boiled.
- Wash fruits and vegetables properly before using them.
- Don’t eat outside food, that might use unsafe water.
- Keep cooked food covered or put it away in the fridge.
- Make sure all the drains in your neighbourhood are covered.
Ensure your kids are vaccinated properly.
Diseases Spread Through Air
Kids are prone to contact viral infections that are caused by pathogens through the air. These include cold, cough, flu, and viral fever. Even if your kids get a mild version, these weaken the immune system and make your children lethargic and feeble.
Tips to Prevent Catching Airborne Infections
- Make them wash their hands clean with an effective but gentle handwash. Preferably use a hand sanitiser after touching any surface.
- Use a mask outside of the home, especially if you have a cold and cough.
- They should cover their mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing.
- Make sure the homes are ventilated properly.
Skin Allergies
Kids can also suffer from itching, scabies, or fungal rashes. All of these can be caused due to moisture in body parts like armpits, scalp, skin folds, or intimate areas.
Tips to Protect Against Skin Issues
- Ensure your kids are clean and take bath daily using kid-friendly body wash and shampoo.
- Wash hands and feet properly when they come from outside, especially if it is raining.
- Make sure they wear light and breathable clothes.
- Wear clothes, undergarments, socks, and shoes that are dry.
Some Common Preventive Measures
In addition to the points above, you should take some general preventive measures of hygiene and cleanliness.
- Keep your kids hydrated. Heat and humidity can make them sweat more and result in dehydration.
- Ensure they follow proper hygiene. Bathing daily and washing hands and feet are a must.
- Make sure they do not consume outside food. They can likely end up having contaminated food and water.
- Eat balanced and nutritious food, especially the ones that build immunity.
- Make them stay inside as much as possible.
- Keep your neighbourhood and surroundings clean. Also, keep your house free from insects, bugs, and mosquitos. Change the bedsheets and towels regularly.
- If your little one is prone to allergies or has breathing issues, keep a check on curtains, carpets, and beds. These can be breeding grounds for germs.
- If your child is sick, make them stay at home and rest. Going to school can make it spread.
Children love playing in the rain and frolicking in muddy pools. If you exercise some caution and follow the preventive measures, you can let your kids enjoy the monsoon in a carefree manner. Mae them follow healthy food habits, proper hygiene, drink clean water, and protect against mosquitoes and other allergies. In case of severe infections and high fever, consult a doctor immediately.
