Guidelines for the Prevention of Common Diseases in Children

Common respiratory infections, digestive tract disorders, and allergic diseases in children, which account for more than 90% of pediatric outpatient visits, can be avoided through daily practical care. There is no need to overstock up on medicines, rush to the hospital when symptoms occur, or pursue the so-called "zero disease" perfect care. These contents are based on practical experience that I have compiled from more than 2,000 medical records of children aged 0-6 years old in community hospitals in my jurisdiction over the past year, and have repeatedly checked with three pediatricians and pediatricians in tertiary hospitals. There are no empty theories, and they are all practical information that can be directly used.

Don't tell me, in the autumn recently, I met several babies wrapped up like little rice dumplings in the child care clinic. Their backs were covered with sweat when I touched them. My grandma was still saying, "It's easier to catch a cold if you carry them in spring and autumn." The young mother next to me was so anxious that bloggers said that children should be trained to withstand the cold and wear one less piece of clothing than adults. In fact, both of these statements are not wrong, but they are also imprecise: Spring cover and autumn freeze do not mean that the baby has to be carried to cool down without adding clothes. The core is to judge the temperature by touching the back of the neck. The warm one is just right, and there is no need to cover it to make the hands and feet hot. ； Cold-resistant training does not mean letting children wear short-sleeved clothes when going out in the middle of winter. It means that children should not wear more than one layer of clothes than adults to avoid sweating when they move and catching cold in the wind. As for the question that everyone has been arguing about for several years, "Will physiological sea salt water nasal rinse damage the nasal mucosa?", there is currently no unified conclusion: if the child is allergic and suffers from nasal congestion and runny nose in autumn and winter, using low-osmotic sea salt water to rinse the nose 2-3 times a week can indeed reduce the probability of colds and rhinitis attacks. ； However, if the baby's nasal mucosa is fragile and nosebleeds occur frequently, there is no need to perform this kind of care. Drinking more warm water and turning on a humidifier indoors are not bad. Oh, by the way, don’t believe the rumor that “children who catch less than 6 colds a year have poor immunity”. It is normal for a child aged 0-6 to have 6-8 colds a year. As long as they can recover within a week each time, they will not cause complications such as pneumonia or otitis media. On the contrary, it can stimulate the development of the immune system. There is basically a consensus in the pediatric community on this. You don’t need to feel like you are facing an enemy when you see your baby sneezing.

After talking about colds and fevers, which are the most troublesome problems for everyone in autumn and winter, let’s talk about the problems that are usually hidden on the dinner table-digestive tract problems, which really happen to nine out of ten babies. Two weeks ago, my friend's 3-year-old baby ate three pieces of mango cake and half a plate of sauced pork ribs. He woke up and vomited twice in the middle of the night. His grandma said he needed to eat twice to clear his stomach, and his mother was anxious to give the baby probiotics and rehydration salts. The two argued at home for half an hour. This situation actually depends on the situation: if it is just vomiting and sour and smelly stools caused by food accumulation, and the baby does not have dehydration symptoms such as dry lips and oliguria, fast for 1-2 hours to give the stomach and intestines a rest, and then drink two mouthfuls of warm millet porridge. This is indeed a method that many old pediatricians have used for decades. There is no need to give medicine as soon as it comes. ； However, if the baby has had loose stools three or four times and the baby is exhausted and has no tears when crying, oral rehydration salts must be replenished as soon as possible. Do not hold on to hunger to avoid the risk of dehydration. Many parents always complain about food accumulation when their baby has a thick tongue coating. In fact, there is no need to be so sensitive. As long as the baby has a normal appetite, sleeps well, and has regular bowel movements, even if the tongue coating is slightly thicker, there is no need to take special digestion aids. Eat a few more mouthfuls of green leafy vegetables and don't force the baby to chase after feeding.

As for the increasingly common problems such as eczema, allergic rhinitis, and urticaria, there is even more controversy. The most typical one is whether to strictly avoid food if the allergen is positive: One group says that as long as you are allergic to eggs and milk, you should not touch it at all to avoid inducing allergies. ； The other school of thought says that a small amount of repeated exposure and gradual induction of tolerance are the fundamental solution. In fact, these two solutions correspond to different allergic situations: if it is an IgE-mediated immediate allergy, such as getting hives immediately after touching a mouthful of milk, or even being out of breath, then you must strictly avoid allergens and do not make mistakes based on the safety of your baby. ； But if you only have mild skin eczema and the allergen test is only weakly positive, you can try a small amount under the guidance of a doctor. You don’t have to eliminate all high-nutrient foods at once, which may easily lead to malnutrition in your baby. I once met a child who was allergic to dust mites. Her mother applied hundreds of eczema creams over and over again. Finally, she was advised to take away all the buckwheat pillows at home and the seven or eight plush toys on the bed, and iron the pillowcases and quilts with hot water above 60 degrees Celsius once a week. In less than half a month, most of the eczema was gone. In many cases, the details of daily care are more effective than the number of medicines used.

Oh, by the way, there is another pitfall that many parents easily fall into: they often buy "immunity-enhancing" health care products for their children, such as lactoferrin, compound probiotics, and bovine colostrum, which cost hundreds of dollars a bottle and carry them home. In fact, there is currently no unified conclusion in the academic community on the effects of this type of product. Some studies say that specific bacterial strains are helpful in the recovery of acute diarrhea, and some studies say that the placebo effect of this type of product accounts for more than 80%. My suggestion is that if your child is not picky about food, has a regular schedule, and has one or two hours of outdoor activity every day, there is absolutely no need to spend this wasted money. If you really want to make up for it, you should ask a pediatrician first, and don’t believe the words sold in maternal and infant stores.

In fact, you don’t need to be too anxious about raising a baby. I’ve seen babies who go to the hospital ten times a month, and I’ve also seen babies who rarely get sick throughout the year. In essence, it’s not about the difference in body constitution, it’s just about paying attention to the small details in daily life: don’t overheat, don’t chase after feeding, don’t raise the baby in a “sterile greenhouse”, and don’t let the baby be completely free-range. That’s enough. Don’t panic if your child is really sick. Check her mental state first. If she is in good spirits, observe her at home. If she is in poor spirits, go to the hospital in time. This is better than anything else.