Modern people are too pampered compared to their own ancestors. They travel by private car, work in the office, go in for sports - in the gym, swim in the pool. Life has become more comfortable, and both adults and children get sick more often. All because the body must be subjected to "torture" by inconveniences and external stimuli. Only in this way will the defense forces work, face viruses and defeat them.

Children's immunity should be the first point of its development. So where to start child hardening?

How to start tempering a child?

Hardening does not require prior preparation and can be started at any age. The first stage is an individual approach. Having studied all the methods, parents should choose only those that are right for their family, their baby. The second is systematic. You should not force the process, actively increase the duration of the procedures, so as not to provoke the disease. Only a gradual and systematic schedule will lead to the desired effect. Finally, complexity. The whole way of life of parents and the child should be aimed at maintaining good health.

Hardening alone with malnutrition or insufficient sleep will not be able to raise immunity to the proper level.

Basic principles and methods of hardening children.

The principle of hardening is the same as that of vaccination: the body must be allowed to experience a little stress in order to become stronger later. Then in a situation of great stress, for example, hypothermia, he will be ready to fight.

Air baths

The essence of the method is to evenly lower the temperature in the child's room. It is enough for a newborn to be left naked for a few minutes at + 23 °. A monthly baby can be reduced to 21 ° by connecting baths with charging. The time of air baths is calculated on the basis of an increase of 2 minutes every 5 days. By six months it can reach 20 minutes, a one-year-old child is already set at 18 ° with a duration of baths - 30-40 minutes.

As helpful as air conditioning is in a very hot or very cold season, it is no substitute for fresh air. With the birth of a child, parents should ventilate the apartment at least 5 times a day for 10-15 minutes; in summer, it is generally better to keep the windows open, because babies need 2 times more oxygen than adults.

walks

Fresh air is useful for everyone, and especially for children. In the summer, babies can be immediately taken out for a walk, limited to 20-30 minutes a day and gradually increasing the duration. In winter, in order to avoid hypothermia, you should start with 5-7 minutes, adding 5-10 minutes daily.

With babies from 1 to 3 months, you should not go outside if the temperature is below -10 °. From 3 to 6 months, increase hardening at a temperature of -12-15 °, respectively. From 1.5 years, the optimum temperature is -16 °, at which you can stay in the air for up to 2 hours.

They dress the child for a walk according to the principle - 1 layer warmer than themselves. Making a “cabbage” out of a baby, parents are much more at risk of picking up various viruses on a sweaty body.

Sunbathing

The sun's rays are very stimulating for a child's immune system if taken properly. You should not walk in the open sun, useful ultraviolet can be obtained under the crown of trees. On average, you need to get about 30 sunbaths during the summer, in other seasons their number may be higher

Water procedures

Water better and faster than all other procedures has a beneficial effect on the child's body. From birth, a baby is taught to take a warm bath at 34-36 °, in order to harden it after washing, you need to pour water over the bather a couple of degrees cooler.

You can also practice contrasting dousing your legs. This will require 2 basins: one with warm water 37 ° and the second - a couple of degrees lower. Hold the legs in warm water for about a minute, then lower them into cool water for 10-15 seconds. Repeat several times.

From the age of 2, you can enter a contrast shower for 10-15 seconds after taking a bath. As they grow older, gradually increase the duration of the cool douche, carefully, until redness, rubbing the child with a towel after the procedure.

Non-traditional methods of hardening preschool children

walking barefoot

As soon as the baby learns to walk, you can apply this method. First, let him walk at home in socks, then barefoot, then in the summer - on pebbles and grass. This method not only promotes hardening, but also protects against flat feet.

Gargling

This is the best prevention of diseases of the nasopharynx. For babies who do not know how to gargle, parents can irrigate the throat with a douche, tilting the baby's head down. It is necessary to start the procedure from 36-37 °, lowering it by a couple of degrees every 2-3 days until it reaches room temperature.