As
winter approaches, parents have already laid their hands on woolens mittens, socks, caps, sweaters and wrappers to protect their child from the harsh winter. But every
parent is in a dilemma regarding the quantity of clothing required to protect
their child from winter cold. A question arises in their minds, whether their child
is under-clad or over-clad or is the clothing appropriate. As over-cladding and
under-cladding both can make a child catch cold. Hence, dressing the child with
adequate clothing is essential.
Below
are mentioned a few guidelines which shall help the parent judge the right
winter clothing required by their child.
- Use
cotton over woolens – As wool may
cause irritation and itching. Also, as some babies at times suck on any
piece of cloth which they can get into their mouths hence, the fibers of wool
may be ingested by the baby.
- Use
layers of cotton – Using several layers of cotton
shall help create an insulation which shall trap the warmth of the body
preventing it from escape.
- Cotton
closest to the skin – The first layer of clothing
closest to the skin should be pure cotton as it saves the child from skin
allergies that may arise from woollens.
- One more layer than you need – It is a golden rule to protect your baby with one more layer than you require. If the mother feels warm with two layers of clothing than three layers should be sufficient to protect the child.
- Cover
the extremes – Body loses a large amount of heat
from the extremes such as hands, feet and head hence, they should be
covered to prevent the loss of body heat.
- Keep
the chest warm – Keep the heart region warm so that
the body can be kept warm.
- Bath
time – To keep the baby warm, it is essential to dry the
baby immediately after bathing; to prevent loss of heat through
evaporation.
In
order to determine the actual body temperature of the baby, you should feel the
tummy; back; neck or underarm region. Hands
and feet are not good indicators of judging the body temperature. Follow these
guidelines and protect your child effectively against cold…..
Author,
Dr. Varsha Sharma Kapila is a Consultant Homoeopath, practising since last
19yrs. She offers Online Homeopathic treatment; Dietetic counseling; martial
counseling and addiction counseling. She can be reached on her email
–drvarshas@gmail.com
Dr. Sharma is an Associate Professor in a
Homoeopathic Medical College. She has got vast experience in treating several
ailments ranging from hair fall, psoriasis, acne, skin complaints,
recurrent respiratory complaints, bronchitis, asthma, allergic coryza,
migraine, sinusitis, nasal polyps, kidney complaints, female disorders,
respiratory diseases, digestive disorders, arthritis, pains and aches, erectile
dysfunction, impotence, kidney stones, depression, psychiatric disorders,
recurrent attacks of cold, pediatric complaints, old age diseases, etc.
