3 mistakes parents make when taking care of their children

[P-1]

1. Wash, spray daily nasal discharge for children
Even though their baby doesn't have a stuffy or runny nose, many mothers still clean their baby's nose every day, even using a nasal aspirator. This is considered a way to prevent your baby from getting sick with the upper respiratory tract.

However, according to Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung, Head of Pediatrics Department, Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), this is both time consuming and ineffective. The noses of children and adults are the same, and normally have a self-cleaning mechanism. Although the nose inhales dirty air and bacteria, it also blocks it, so the body does not get sick. When the nose does its job very well, there is no need to clean and wash the nose. Not to mention improper hygiene also harms the nose.

Only when it does not complete the task, the child is sick, has a runny nose, then it should be washed. This helps to support the nose to restore function, eliminate mucus to increase the effect of topical drugs, easy for children to breathe...

2. Wipe your mouth, brush your tongue
Many mothers tell each other that when they see a white tongue, they shave it or use honey to wipe the tongue because they think that the child has thrush.

However, how children are called thrush, this is not well known. Moreover, this also harms the tongue. The tongue mucosa is very thin, there are nerves to distinguish between hot and cold, taste, and when wiped, it is easy to be scratched even though it is not visible. Moreover, the tongue loses its smoothness and softness, making children anorexic.

Besides, it is possible that the rag or hand that wipes the child's mouth and tongue is not clean, which can again transmit fungal bacteria. Doctors see many cases of 2-3 year old children who have had fungal infections, while not taking antibiotics, no other factors. The reason is because parents who wipe their mouths accidentally bring in mushrooms, said Dr. Dung.

The same goes for cleaning children's teeth. Many children come to the dentist for a check-up and have periodontitis because their parents wipe too much. "In general, it is not necessary to wipe a child's mouth, because there is always a salivary gland to help keep the mouth moist and smooth. Instead, when the child begins to grow the first teeth, parents can let the baby get used to it. toothbrush," said Dr. Dung.

3. Take antiemetics
Seeing the child have a mild fever, sore throat, vomiting, many people arbitrarily buy anti-emetics containing metalopramide for children to drink. Many cases of children have to be hospitalized because of overdose, causing convulsions.

According to Dr. Dung, this drug is currently sold a lot at pharmacies, but this is a prescription drug. Its unintended effects can be drowsiness, fatigue, headache, insomnia, dizziness, and even movement disorders. Overdose can cause death from convulsions.

Vomiting can be a common symptom, but it can also be a symptom of many diseases. In children, vomiting is divided into: common regurgitation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, surgical disease - intestinal obstruction, medical disease such as diarrhea, food poisoning, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis or respiratory diseases such as: pneumonia, sinusitis...

The treatment is according to the cause of vomiting. In children with intestinal obstruction, taking antiemetics may obscure symptoms and delay diagnosis. Any baby with vomiting due to intussusception must have emergency surgery. In general, when children vomit, parents should take them to a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Phuong Trang - VnExpress