It is not always possible to know the severity of your infant’s infections. If you believe your infant has an infection or is at risk of contracting one, a visit to your doctor may be necessary. Here are a few tips on how to avoid these infections.
Avoiding Infections that Target Your Infant
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially when:
- Using the bathroom
- Handling raw meats, raw eggs, or vegetable dirty
- Preparing and eating foods
- Gardening or touching the ground
- Being in contact with pets
- Hanging out with sick people
- Touching saliva (or sputum) with your hands
- Taking care of other children
- Changing diapers
If you do not have soap and water, your hands can be cleaned with a gel-based hand sanitizer.
More Tips on Tackling Infant Infections
Try not to share cutlery, cups or food with small children or infants. Wash your hands when you are in continuous contact with children. The saliva and urine of infants may contain viruses. These viruses probably do not hurt older children, but can be dangerous to your infant.
It is important to talk to your doctor about vaccinations and shots. There are vaccines that are recommended before pregnancy, and those that are given during or just after birth. Taking appropriate vaccines at the right time can help you stay healthy and keep your infant from getting sick in the long run.
Also, try to avoid contact with people who have infections. Stay away from people with infections like chickenpox or rubella, especially if you have not had these diseases or have not been vaccinated against these issues before pregnancy.
Prepare the infant’s food properly. If something requires cooking, make sure it is well done before feeding it to your infant. Semi-cooked and inadequately processed foods can contain harmful bacteria that cause infections in your infant. Furthermore, avoid feeding your infant unpasteurized, “raw” milk and the foods derived from it. Unpasteurized products may contain harmful bacteria.
Stay away from domestic or wild rodents and their droppings. Hire a professional exterminator to eliminate harmful insects and rodents within and outside the house. This will avoid bringing in any further infections to your infant.
If you have a rodent as a pet, like a hamster or a guinea pig, ask someone else to take care of it until your infant has grown into a child. Some rodents may be carriers of harmful substances that bring about infections in infants.
This is not a complete guide to healthy infancy. Ask your doctor for more information on how to prepare your infant’s food properly, and restrictions on using chemicals around the house where your infant stays.
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References:
K Numazaki, M A Wainberg, and J McDonald. “Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infants.” CMAJ. 1989 March 15; 140 (6): 615–622.
Jack S. Remington, Jerome O. Klein, Christopher B. Wilson, and Carol J. Baker (editors). "Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant." New England Journal of Medicine. Volume 355:531-532 August 3, 2006 Number 5.
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