In the season when infectious diseases are prevalent, how can we ensure that our babies can change seasons safely?

Spring is here, flowers are blooming, and everything is coming back to life. As the temperature gradually rises, many cities have entered spring.

However, every time the seasons change, some children seem to be more accurate than the weather forecast - they immediately show the three symptoms of "fever, cough, runny nose", which makes many parents worried. Many babies have various symptoms due to respiratory infections and have to go to the hospital for treatment.

The director of the respiratory department of Beijing Children's Hospital said that with the arrival of spring, the number of children seeking medical treatment due to respiratory symptoms has increased significantly, and coughing and fever problems caused by various reasons also seriously affect the baby's health.

Some pediatric experts also remind that the transition from winter to spring is also the time when various infectious diseases take turns to appear, and parents and babies must not let their guard down!

(Source: CCTV News[1])

Today we will look at what we should do to ensure that our baby changes seasons safely.

1. Why are babies more likely to get sick during the change of seasons?

1. Big temperature difference between morning and evening

In this season, the temperature difference between day and night is very large: it may be over 20 degrees at noon, but it is still chilly in the morning and evening. In some places, there is also "late spring cold" - it is clearly spring, but the temperature may be only in the single digit.

The baby's immunity is still developing, and it is more sensitive to the ambient temperature. If you don't add or remove clothes in time - if you wear too much, you will sweat, and if you wear too little, you will catch a cold, which makes you very easy to get sick.

2. Family members’ “pot”

In the post-epidemic era, adults have gradually returned to their normal work rhythm and are going out to socialize more frequently.

If you come into contact with many different people and do not ventilate the room or keep yourself clean in time after returning home, and directly touch or kiss your child, you may bring some viruses or bacteria to the fragile child.

3. Viruses and bacteria are rampant

In fact, the transition from winter to spring is the peak season for various infectious diseases. Some viruses and bacteria become more active and their infectiousness is greatly enhanced, resulting in a small peak in the incidence of diseases.

2. These infectious diseases are very common in spring!

1. Flu

Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the "influenza virus". The main symptoms are high fever, cough, runny nose, body aches, etc. In many places, a large number of cases of flu-like symptoms have appeared in recent times.

Infants, children, adolescents and adults over 6 months old can receive influenza vaccination to prevent the disease.

(Source: China National Influenza Center [2])

3. Hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by EV71 virus, Coxsackie virus, etc. Children under 5 years old are the most susceptible group. The main symptoms include mouth pain, anorexia, low fever, small blisters or small ulcers on the hands/feet/mouth and other parts.

Infants and children aged 6 months to 5 years can be vaccinated with EV71 hand, foot and mouth disease vaccine for prevention.

4. Viral diarrhea

About 65% of vomiting and diarrhea in children in winter and spring are caused by norovirus. This virus has a short incubation period, low infection dose, strong environmental resistance, diverse transmission routes, and rapid mutation. Its symptoms include nausea, fever, abdominal pain, etc.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent norovirus infection, but it can be prevented by properly washing hands, promptly disinfecting tableware, and paying attention to food safety.

5. Whooping cough

Children, especially infants under 3 months old, are the main population for whooping cough, and the course of the disease may last for 2 to 3 months. The main symptoms are paroxysmal spasmodic coughs and cock-like inspiratory roars when the spasmodic coughs stop.

Whooping cough is not only a long-term disease, but also very painful for the baby. Once the disease occurs, the typical symptoms are divided into three stages: catarrhal stage, spasmodic cough stage, and recovery stage.

● Sputum-sucking stage: Symptoms are very similar to those of a common cold, such as runny nose, sneezing, single cough, fever, etc., which lasts for about 7-10 days. The cough symptoms become more and more severe.

● Spasmodic cough stage: The disease reaches its peak, with short and continuous coughs, flushed face, runny nose and tears. At the end of the cough, there is often an echo like a rooster crowing, accompanied by vomiting. It lasts for about 2-6 weeks or longer, seriously affecting normal life. Parents of children with the disease often say, "I am coughing my lungs out!"

● Recovery period: Paroxysmal cough gradually decreases and then disappears, lasting about 2-3 weeks.

If young babies get whooping cough, they may develop serious complications, including pneumonia, respiratory failure, and even death.

In recent years, the incidence of pertussis has been on the rise worldwide, which experts call the “reemergence of pertussis.” Infants and young children are often infected with Bordetella pertussis from their family members, and many infants develop the disease before they are old enough to receive the pertussis vaccine (before 3 months of age) [4].

6. Don’t forget about COVID-19!

At present, the new coronavirus has not completely disappeared, but has entered a low-level epidemic stage, and many people still have "sequelae" of the new coronavirus. Once infected with the new coronavirus for the second time, it will also delay the time of vaccination, delay the time for the vaccine to play a protective role, and increase the risk of infection with the disease prevented by the vaccine.

In short, timely vaccination is the most important and effective means to effectively prevent infectious diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease, whooping cough, etc. The earlier the vaccination, the earlier the child will be protected.

Taking the commonly used pentavalent vaccine in China as an example, the minimum vaccination age is 2 months old. Before 6 months of age, the baby only needs to receive three doses to easily complete the basic immunization of the first three injections of the relevant components of the five diseases (polio, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria and Hib), which greatly reduces the total number of injections; and by receiving a booster shot at 18 months, the baby can get faster and more comprehensive protection.

3. How to protect your baby’s healthy life?

1. When going out, check the temperature first

When you take your baby out in the morning and evening, you can dress them a little warmer: a coat, a thin scarf, a small hat. Then add or reduce them in time according to the actual situation. When going to crowded places, remember to wear a mask in advance!

2. Eat a healthy diet and increase nutrition

It is necessary to ensure the baby's nutritional needs, rational intake of various nutrients, and avoid reduced immunity due to malnutrition.

3. Develop good personal hygiene habits

For example, wash your hands frequently, dry your clothes and quilts frequently, open windows for ventilation, and keep the indoor environment clean. Developing healthy and good hygiene habits will help keep away from bacteria and avoid harming your baby's health.

4. Get vaccinated in time, especially combined vaccines

Vaccines effectively prevent various viruses and bacteria from harming babies. When vaccinating your baby, it is recommended to choose a combination vaccine (a vaccine that contains multiple ingredients and can prevent multiple diseases at the same time), which has the following advantages:

(1) Reduce cross-infection: In the post-epidemic era, community hospital vaccination clinics are often overcrowded. Choosing a combined vaccine is equivalent to "one dose for multiple doses" (for example, the pentavalent vaccine can be "four doses for 12 doses"), which can save parents and children from frequent visits to the clinic, reducing the risk of cross-infection.

(2) Make protection more timely: Some clinics may not allow multiple vaccines to be administered at one time, or free vaccines (such as diphtheria, pertussis, and polio vaccines) and self-paid vaccines (such as Hib vaccines) need to be administered separately, which will lead to delayed vaccination of some vaccines. Choosing combined vaccines (especially pentavalent vaccines) can avoid this situation and improve the timeliness of vaccine protection.

(3) The baby suffers less: Taking the pentavalent vaccine as an example, one dose is equivalent to three doses of conventional vaccines, and a full course of four doses is equivalent to 12 doses - the baby will suffer less pain and have less chance of adverse reactions.

(4) Save time, effort and money: Combination vaccines greatly reduce the time, energy and transportation costs that parents spend on vaccinating their babies, and also reduce the delays in daily work caused by taking children for injections.

(5) Protect against whooping cough earlier: In the national immunization program, the diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine must be administered from 3 months of age[5], while the pentavalent vaccine, which can also prevent whooping cough, can be administered from 2 months of age. This allows many 2-month-old and 3-month-old babies to be protected in time and prevented from whooping cough earlier.

(6) Improve compliance: Choosing combined vaccines reduces the number of vaccinations and can avoid postponement of vaccinations due to parents forgetting, neglecting, or being too busy at work. It is more conducive to completing the full course of vaccinations of various vaccines in a timely manner, thereby improving compliance.

(7) More timely booster shots: Before and after the epidemic, your baby may have missed many vaccines and needs booster shots.

According to the national plan, the 4th and 4th doses of live attenuated polio vaccine need to be taken orally at 4 months and 4 years of age. If the pentavalent vaccine (containing inactivated polio components) is chosen, the full course of polio vaccination can be completed at 18 months of age.

When the pentavalent vaccine is administered at 18 months of age, the last dose of the diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine and the Hib vaccine are also completed at the same time, which is quite effective.

If a young baby has already received one or two doses of polio vaccine or diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine, and now wants to switch to the pentavalent vaccine, it is also possible. It is recommended to consult the vaccinating doctor and first vaccinate the other components of the vaccine before the combined vaccine.

Although postponing vaccination will not affect the long-term protective effect of the vaccine, it will still increase the risk of infection for children. Choosing combined vaccines (such as pentavalent vaccines) for timely booster shots can safely, promptly and efficiently complete vaccination and booster shots, keeping your baby away from the risk of infection with various infectious diseases and better embracing spring!

References

[1].https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1758618790077287112&wfr=spider&for=pc

[2]. China Influenza Center..https://ivdc.chinacdc.cn/cnic/zyzx/lgzb/202303/P0202303093072
82047232.pdf

[3].WHO position paper on pertussis vaccine, August 2015

[4]. "National Immunization Program Vaccine Childhood Immunization Schedule and Instructions (2021 Edition)"

Source: Prevention World