The reason that I chose this topic for my blog post is because throughout these past few months several days have been very cold, sometimes I walk outside and within minutes my hands get red and start to burn.
Winter Illnesses:
Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of cold weather. There are a number of problems that can occur from children being in the cold weather. For example, the flu and the common cold are very frequent as the colder weather causes viruses to spread more easily. If a child attracts the common cold some symptoms are runny nose, fever, and cough. Another problem that commonly occurs with children throughout the colder months is strep throat which includes symptoms such as: sore throat, fever, headache, stomach ache, etc... More severe issues that can occur from children being outside in the cold too much are frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite is prolonged exposure to the cold and can cause damage to underlying skin and tissues. It begins as a red and swollen area and then progresses to a cold, hard, and numb area. Frostbite often occurs on smaller parts of the body such as hands, fingers, feet, toes, noses, etc... Parents can spot children that have frostbite usually by looking for skin that is unusually pale and/or dry. A child might also experience a burning or aching feeling and stiffness. In addition to hypothermia being a severe consequence of being outside in the cold weather there is also hypothermia. Hypothermia is a condition that occurs when body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Children are more likely to get hypothermia because they use up their energy reserves more quickly and can't maintain an even body temperature as easily as adults can in colder weather. Hypothermia is an emergency situation and the children that get hypothermia must be warmed slowly.
Prevention
There are many ways that winter illnesses can be prevented. To begin children should wear more layers of clothes and not spend too much time in the extreme weather. To prevent injuries outside children must stay healthy while being outside. If you are unsure weather conditions are safe for your children to play in check out the chart to the right. The image below contains information regarding what should occur with the various conditions.
Although the cold weather doesn't directly cause cold or the flu viruses that do cause colds and the flu are more common during the winter months. Hygiene is very important to prevent infections. Keeping everyone's hands clean is one of the most important ways to help prevent children from getting sick and spreading germs to others. Wash hands with soap and water and rub them together for about 20 seconds. In addition to keeping children's hand clean is the importance of teaching them to cough or sneeze into their elbow. To prevent children from getting the flu the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children 6 months and older receive the seasonal flu vaccine every year.
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