Hardening of children in the first year of life. Hardening children up to one year Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect

Most important point in a woman’s life is the birth of a small, warm, defenseless bundle, your child. From this moment on, you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for the life of the newly-minted person. There is not a single Mammal in living nature that would be more defenseless than a “human baby.” It's good if a mother feeds her baby breast milk. What if, for some reason, this is not possible? We must somehow try to strengthen our immunity. You can start hardening the children infancy.

Hardening is a system of certain measures to strengthen the immune system, increasing the body’s resistance to infections. Usually natural environmental factors are used: water, air, hot sand, etc.

There are several types of hardening:

— a set of physical exercises aimed at improving health;

- dousing, rubbing, bathing in cold water;

- sunbathing;

- walking barefoot on grass, hot sand.

The very first thing you should understand is that hardening methods for adults are not suitable for hardening of children under one year old. There is no need to pour ice water on the poor baby, this can lead to irreparable consequences.

Try not to keep your baby in diapers. Besides the fact that doctors generally do not recommend this, it is also a method of hardening. When he, excuse me, describes himself, there will be a change in temperature. You can’t change his clothes at lightning speed, which means the baby will lie wet for a fraction of a minute.

Suitable for hardening children up to one year old air baths. Changing the baby let him lie naked for 5-7 minutes. Optimal room temperature 20-22 °C. Another tip on how to start hardening a child is to ventilate the room. In summer, at hot temperatures, the window can be kept open; in the cold season, ventilate the room at least 2-3 times a day. Thus, you lower the temperature in the room by 1-2 °C.

Hardening childrenHow else can you harden a child up to one year old? Gradually lowering the temperature of your baby's bath water. Attention! This process should be systematic, we lower it by 1°C per week. In general, babies should be bathed at a water temperature of 36°C. Try not to check using the “grandmother’s” method, i.e. elbow. Buy a special thermometer. Don't skimp on this. It can be easy to frighten a child with too hot or cold water. After a few weeks, you will see your baby actively moving in the water. This has begun the hardening. Bathing time is usually 10 minutes, but when hardening, double it, i.e. stay in the water for 20 minutes. Observe the baby's behavior. If he starts crying, check the water, maybe it is too cold, or maybe he is not used to this temperature yet and should wait. After bathing, rub your baby's skin thoroughly to turn it pink.

When going to bed at night, if it is a warm season, put on a beacon and panties. Do not cover with a blanket. In winter, pajamas will suffice. Be sure to leave your feet bare and do not wear socks. In the future you can leave it overnight open window, but only in summer and if there is no wind.

If you set out to start hardening your baby from infancy, then it’s a good idea to use physical education for these purposes. And for such young children, massage is better. I don't recommend doing massage yourself. During infancy, most babies have problems with muscle tone. It is either raised or lowered. An unprofessional massage can cause harm. If you still want to do it yourself, then first go to a pediatric neurologist, he will tell you, for example, that your child has increased muscle tone, and will write out a referral for a massage. You should go to a specialist at least several times and carefully look at what needs to be done.

When your child begins to walk, let him run barefoot for a while.

If you or your grandparents have a dacha, move without hesitation for the summer. I can guarantee that the baby will be healthy for the whole summer. The sun, earth, air, fresh fruits and vegetables help strengthen the immune system. Effective method hardening of children under one year old. Do not prohibit running barefoot on the grass. Take baths outside during the day. Walk naked in the sun, because... Vitamin D is stored throughout the winter. But not for long, avoid sunburn. Make a small sandbox, and when the sand warms up, let the baby warm his feet there.

In the cold season, when it is not possible to stay in the fresh air for a long time, you can do this. Dress your child properly, and at bedtime just put him to sleep in a stroller on the balcony.

I gave examples of hardening children with infancy and up to about a year. After a year you can start going to the pool. A wonderful way to harden a child. Increases immunity, strengthens back muscles, calming effect for nervous system, we can talk a lot about positive aspects this hardening method. You can also introduce cool douches (note, cool, not cold water). Even later, try not drying your baby after bathing. Watch his reaction carefully. Don't cross the dangerous line between hardening and damaging your health.

If you are a loving and responsible mother, if you want your baby to grow up healthy and strong man, if you are tired of watching your child get sick, listen to our advice. Start hardening your child from infancy. If you approach this issue head-on, it won't get any worse. It will only get better!

Hardening children 1 year old.

Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of a child's body. When a child is born, he finds himself in a new environment. Nature has endowed the baby with many different adaptive and protective mechanisms so that he can survive and begin to develop in this environment. For example, a child has thermoregulation mechanisms that prevent overheating and hypothermia. By wrapping a child and creating greenhouse conditions for him, we “deprive” these mechanisms of work.

To obtain a positive effect from hardening, you must follow row general rules:
1. Systematic use of hardening procedures at all times of the year without interruption
2. Breaks in hardening lead to a weakening of adaptation mechanisms formed under the influence of hardening procedures. Even in adults, 3-4 weeks after the cessation of hardening procedures, the developed resistance to the effects of cold sharply weakens. In children in the 1st year of life, the disappearance of the adaptation effect occurs in an even shorter time - after 5-7 days. As conditions associated with the seasons change, procedures must be varied without canceling them completely. For example, a summer shower in winter can be replaced by dousing your feet.
3. Ensure systematic implementation of hardening procedures during all year round is possible only if they firmly become part of the child’s daily routine and are combined with regular activities carried out at different times of the day (washing, walking, sleeping, playing, hygienic bath, etc.).
4. Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect
Hardening is based on the body’s ability to gradually adapt to unusual conditions. Impact resistance low temperatures must be brought up consistently, but continuously. The transition from weaker hardening procedures to stronger ones (by lowering the air and water temperatures and increasing the duration of the procedure) must be carried out gradually. This is especially important for children early age and weakened children (premature babies suffering from malnutrition, rickets, exudative diathesis or other allergic diseases).

Hardening by sunbathing
The sun and air combined with swimming have a beneficial effect on the body.
However, in order to ensure the maximum healing effect and not cause harm, it is necessary to follow the rule of using solar radiation in the summer - it should be used carefully.

In pursuit of a tan, you can cause damage to your health, because the health-improving effect of solar radiation appears at doses that are not
cause intense skin pigmentation. Inappropriate use of the sun can lead to overheating of the body (heatstroke) and sunburn on the skin. The first signs are dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath.
The human body is affected not only by direct solar radiation, but also by scattered radiation, so sunbathing can also be done in the shade.

Morning hours are favorable for solar treatments:
in the south until 11 o'clock,
in the middle zone up to 12 hours,
they should be taken 1.5 hours after meals,
after taking sunbathing It is useful to douse it with cool water (+16-18 ° C), and then rub it well.

Therapeutic effect:
cause positive changes in the nervous, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system;
improve metabolism;
increase the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin content in the blood;
improve the composition of lymph;
have a beneficial effect on activity digestive system and pancreatic function;
increase the overall tone of the body and its resistance against infections;
have an antirachitic effect (under the influence of sunlight, the body produces vitamin D, which is necessary for the normal development of the skeletal system).

For any hardening activities, it is necessary to take into account the age and health status of the child and the individual characteristics of his body. With age, the load should be gradually increased. The weaker the child, the more careful one must approach the hardening procedures, but it is imperative to harden him! If your child does get sick, consult your doctor about whether you can continue at least some of the procedures with a reduced force; if this cannot be done, you will have to start all over again after recovery.
Carrying out hardening procedures against the background of a positive mood of the child.
Any hardening event should be carried out by first creating for the child good mood. Crying, feelings of anxiety or fear should not be allowed before hardening procedures. If by time
After completing the procedure, the child is upset about something and cries; it is better to postpone the procedure to another time or cancel it completely: it will no longer be possible to obtain a positive effect from this procedure.

During hardening, be sure to check the condition of the child’s skin:
The procedure can be carried out only if his nose and limbs are warm. If the child is cold and already has vasoconstriction, it will not be possible to develop a positive reaction to hardening; you can only get the opposite effect. Overheating is also harmful: it increases the moisture content of the skin, which changes its thermal conductivity, as a result of which even moderate exposure to cool water or air can lead to significant hypothermia in the child’s body.

Air hardening
Method I- ventilation of the room. Air hardening begins with this. The best way ventilation is through, it can be arranged in the absence of the child. The hardening factor when ventilating a room is to lower the temperature by 1-2° C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In summer, the window should be open, the optimal air temperature in the room where it is located is infant, - +20-22° C. Studies have shown that with more high temperature indoors, the child's growth and development are retarded.

II method- a walk, including sleeping in the air. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In the summer outside the city, it is advisable to take meals, sleep, gymnastics, and games into the fresh air. It’s good to go for a walk at any time of the year, just don’t forget that you need to dress according to the weather. Don't wrap up your child! Children from 2-3 weeks of age in the cold season, at an air temperature not lower than -5 ° C, must be taken outside.
The duration of the first procedure is 10 minutes, in the future the walking time should be increased to 1.5-2 hours and walked twice a day. In the warm season, walks with the child should be daily, 2-3 times a day, 2-2.5 hours between feedings.

III method- air baths. Under the influence of air baths, oxygen absorption increases, heat exchange conditions change significantly, and the state of the child’s nervous system improves - he becomes calmer, eats and sleeps better.

For children 1 year of age, air baths begin with swaddling. It is useful to leave the child undressed for some time during each swaddling and changing of clothes. You need to take your time to undress and dress your child. The air temperature during the air bath should gradually decrease to + 18-20° C. The time of air baths should be gradually increased, and from the age of one month the air bath should be combined with massage and gymnastics.
During the first six months of life, it is recommended to carry out air baths for 10 minutes 2 times a day. You need to start with 3 minutes, adding 1 minute every day. During the second half of the year - 2 times a day for 15 minutes, daily increasing the duration of the bath by 2 minutes.
During and after the air bath, the child should look cheerful and be in a good mood.

Water hardening
Experience shows that one year old baby who can swim is real. First, children learn to swim underwater, then little by little they begin to float on the surface. Hence the conclusion: in order to teach a child to swim, he must first be taught to dive.

A word from supporters of early swimming. Here are their arguments:
1. Swimming improves health, and the ability to hold your breath under water
develops lungs.
2. Early swimming is a guarantee that the child will not be afraid of water and will not
will drown if it accidentally falls into the water. Statistics show that
children drown (a lot of children!) every year, and in 78 percent of cases they
choke in small bodies of water and even ordinary puddles, unable to
hold breath.
3. After swimming, the children sleep soundly. Swim with your baby and sleep at night
calmly!
4. Diving - good way rinse your nose and treat a runny nose.
5. Swimming with your parents in the pool is a great holiday for the whole family. The baby is immersed in water immediately. If the mother talks to him and explains what is happening, the baby feels more confident. He, of course, won’t understand the words, but his mother’s friendly intonations will certainly reach him.
Some children like to swim on their tummy, others - on their back. Start the procedure with what your baby likes best.

When a child is born, he finds himself in a new environment. Nature has endowed the baby with many different adaptive and protective mechanisms so that he can survive and begin to develop in this environment. For example, a child has thermoregulation mechanisms that prevent overheating and hypothermia. By wrapping a child and creating greenhouse conditions for him, we “deprive” these mechanisms of work. Having become unnecessary, they can gradually atrophy, and then even a light breeze will pose a threat to the child - a defenseless baby can easily get sick.

The body's endurance and its resistance to changing environmental conditions increase under the influence of hardening - with air, water, scattered sunlight: the child’s immunity to various diseases increases, thermoregulation mechanisms improve; hardening promotes proper metabolism, has a positive effect on physical development child, to adapt his body to new living conditions. Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of a child's body.

However, to obtain a positive effect from hardening, a number of general rules must be followed:

1. Systematic use of hardening procedures at all times of the year without interruption.

Breaks in hardening lead to a weakening of adaptation mechanisms formed under the influence of hardening procedures. Even in adults, 3-4 weeks after the cessation of hardening procedures, the developed resistance to the effects of cold sharply weakens. In children in the 1st year of life, the disappearance of the adaptation effect occurs in an even shorter time - after 5-7 days. As conditions associated with the seasons change, procedures must be varied without canceling them completely. For example, a summer shower in winter can be replaced by dousing your feet.

It is possible to ensure systematic implementation of hardening procedures throughout the year only if they become firmly established in the child’s daily routine and are combined with normal activities carried out at different times of the day (washing, walking, sleeping, playing, hygienic bath, etc. .).

2. Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect

Hardening is based on the body’s ability to gradually adapt to unusual conditions. Resistance to low temperatures must be developed consistently but continuously. The transition from weaker hardening procedures to stronger ones (by lowering the air and water temperatures and increasing the duration of the procedure) must be carried out gradually. This is especially important for young children and weakened children (premature, suffering from malnutrition, rickets, exudative diathesis or other allergic diseases).

3. Taking into account the age and individual characteristics of the child

4. Carrying out hardening procedures against the background of the child’s positive mood

Any hardening event should be carried out after first creating a good mood for the child. Crying, feelings of anxiety or fear should not be allowed before hardening procedures. If by the time the procedure is performed the child is upset about something and cries, it is better to postpone the procedure to another time or cancel it completely: it will no longer be possible to obtain a positive effect from this procedure.

5. Maintaining the temperature regime of the skin

During hardening, be sure to check the condition of the child’s skin: the procedure can only be carried out if his nose and limbs are warm. If the child is cold and already has vasoconstriction, it will not be possible to develop a positive reaction to hardening; you can only get the opposite effect. Overheating is also harmful: it increases the moisture content of the skin, which changes its thermal conductivity, as a result of which even moderate exposure to cool water or air can lead to significant hypothermia in the child’s body.

Air hardening

Method I- ventilation of the room. Air hardening begins with this. The best way to ventilate is through, which can be done in the absence of the child. The hardening factor when ventilating a room is to lower the temperature by 1-2O C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In summer, the window should be open, the optimal air temperature in the room where the infant is located is +20-22 C. Studies have shown that at higher room temperatures, the growth and development of the child is delayed.

II method- a walk, including sleeping in the air. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In the summer outside the city, it is advisable to take meals, sleep, gymnastics, and games into the fresh air. It’s good to go for a walk at any time of the year, just don’t forget that you need to dress according to the weather. Don't wrap up your child! Children from 2-3 weeks of age in the cold season, at an air temperature not lower than -5 O C, must be taken outside. The duration of the first procedure is 10 minutes, in the future the walking time should be increased to 1.5-2 hours and walked twice a day. In the warm season, walks with the child should be daily, 2-3 times a day, 2-2.5 hours between feedings.

In the first 1.5 years of a child’s life it is recommended nap on air. At the same time, falling asleep quickly, restful sleep, even breathing, pink color faces, lack of sweat, warm limbs upon awakening indicate that the child is dressed correctly, that is, is in a state of thermal comfort. When cold or overheated, the child sleeps restlessly. Blueness of the face, cold nose, cold extremities are indicators of sudden cooling. A sweaty forehead and damp skin indicate that the baby is hot.

III method- air baths. Under the influence of air baths, oxygen absorption increases, heat exchange conditions change significantly, and the state of the child’s nervous system improves - he becomes calmer, eats and sleeps better.

During the second half of the year - 2 times a day for 15 minutes, daily increasing the duration of the bath by 2 minutes.

During and after the air bath, the child should look cheerful and be in a good mood. Make sure that children do not cry during this time and have the opportunity to move. Don't miss the signs of hypothermia: if goose bumps appear, you need to dress the child, stop the air bath, and then reduce its duration. It is always necessary to pay attention to the child’s sleep and appetite: their disturbance may be a sign of the adverse effects of an air bath.

IN summer period air baths can be combined with sun baths.

Hardening by sun rays

It must be remembered that the sun's rays are a powerful remedy. For young children, exposure to direct sunlight, as well as sunbathing, is not recommended. Hardening should begin in diffuse sunlight. It is better for the child to be in the so-called “lace shadow”. Initially, he should be dressed in a shirt made of light, light fabric at an air temperature of +22-24 O C. In the middle of the child’s wakefulness, he should be undressed and left naked for several minutes, gradually increasing the hardening time to 10 minutes. The baby needs to put a Panama hat on his head. It is useful for him to move freely at this time in the arena, on the playground, playing with toys.

With good general condition, if the child tolerates being in the lacy shade of trees well, you can expose him to direct sunlight, first for half a minute, and then gradually increase the time spent in the sun to 5 minutes. This procedure must be performed in the morning (before 10-11 am) or in the evening (after 5 pm). Care must be taken to ensure that the child does not overheat. If the face becomes red, irritability or excitability appears, it is necessary to take it away from the lacy shade of trees or from under the direct rays of the sun into the shade and give it a cooled drink. boiled water. If the child is weakened by diseases, sun hardening should be carried out very carefully, under the supervision of an adult who is always nearby; it is also necessary to periodically consult with the attending physician or exercise therapy doctor, who will authorize and dose the procedure.

Water hardening

One of the most effective natural remedies hardening is water. People who are not too familiar with hardening methods are often amazed by the fact that washing and showering, which we are accustomed to since childhood, can serve not only hygienic, but also health-improving purposes, but this is exactly the case. With proper organization of water procedures, correctly selected temperature conditions, and a gradual increase in the time of exposure to cool water, the habitual performance of simple morning and evening toilet actions can have an unexpectedly strong healing effect.

Hardening procedures are extremely useful for children in the first year of life, but with two caveats. Firstly, there can be no talk of any hardening until the end of the adaptation postpartum period (i.e. up to 1 month), when the child’s body, which has experienced significant stress during the transition from intrauterine existence to life in the outside world, adapts to new conditions for it. conditions. Secondly, before you start carrying out hardening procedures with your child, you must consult a doctor.

For children in the first year of life, water hardening procedures can be local (washing, rubbing) and general (hygienic baths, rubbing and dousing, and sometimes showering). At the same time, for hardening, you can use both daily hygiene procedures - washing your hands before eating, washing your feet before going to bed, regular bathing, and various games with water. The effect of water hardening is based on a gradual decrease in water temperature and an increase in procedure time.

You can start hardening with the usual washing of the child. The initial temperature of the water should be close to the temperature of the skin of the exposed parts of the child's body - approximately + 28-26 ° C.

The next stage of hardening with water should be wiping. You can start with water at a temperature of +34°C and over 10-15 days gradually (by 0.5-1° per day) reduce the temperature to +26-23°C.

Rubbing is done as follows: with a terry cloth mitten soaked in water or a terry towel folded several times, the child is wiped with quick movements: the first week - only the upper half of the body, and after a week - the whole body. The directions of movement when wiping should be as follows: the child’s hands should be wiped from fingers to shoulders, chest in a circular motion clockwise, back - from the middle of the spine to the sides, legs - from the feet up to the pelvis, stomach clockwise, buttocks - without spreading them. Each movement is repeated 2-4 times.

Along with wiping with regular cool water, wiping with a solution of sea salt (1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water) is useful.

The hardening method proposed by Swedish doctors has proven itself well: terry towel moistened with “sea water” (1 tablespoon of sea salt per 1 liter of water, water temperature +22 ° C) and the child (starting from 6 months) is lowered onto a towel for 2-3 seconds after sleep; the child “jumps”, “dances”. Without wiping your feet, move on to other elements of the toilet. After 2 weeks, if the child feels well, you can increase the load: the child is lowered onto a damp towel for 2-3 seconds, which is first placed in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator.

After wet wiping, you need to rub the baby’s skin until it turns pink and dress him.

Attention: those areas of the skin that are subjected to rubbing and subsequent rubbing must be absolutely healthy - if there is diaper rash, any rashes, etc. on the skin, this procedure should be postponed.

After 2-4 weeks of systematic rubbing, you can move on to dousing with water (it is better to discuss the temperature regime with your doctor). It is necessary to start dousing with the legs, then add the buttocks to them, then the chest and stomach and end with dousing the left and right shoulders. This procedure can begin at 9-12 months (and even earlier for more seasoned children).

Of the local douches, dousing the feet is recommended first. Such procedures have not only a local, but also a general effect on the body, and this is due, in particular, to the fact that cooling the feet is one of the possible ways stimulating the activity of the adrenal glands, which play an important role in the body’s adaptation to unfavorable conditions and in the functioning of the human immune system. The hardening effect of this procedure can be due to either a gradual (1° per day) decrease in temperature, or the use of contrast dousing. In the latter case, the feet are first doused with warm water (+36°C), then cold (+24-20°C), and finally warm again (+36°C). This method is recommended for children who are often ill or suffer from allergic reactions, since they have a tendency to spasm of capillaries (small vessels).

Foot baths (“tramming” in water) are very useful. You can start them at a temperature of +35°C. This procedure is carried out as follows: pour water into the bath slightly above the level of the ankles. The child must walk through the water (with or without your help) 5-6 times. Then pour water 2-3°C colder. After the bath, wipe the child’s feet and put him to bed (you don’t have to wipe the feet).

Attention: you should not pour cold water on your feet or “trample” them in water if your child has cold feet! The skin temperature of the feet should be several degrees higher than the water temperature.

The following hardening option is also possible: general dousing cool (+28-22°C) water after a hygienic bath.

A powerful means of hardening is a shower; as a rule, it is used when the child is already one and a half years old, but a physical therapy doctor can prescribe it earlier for any indication (a shower is often prescribed for lethargic children, especially those with poor appetite).

And in conclusion - water hardening does not cancel other types of hardening (air, sun) - airing, walking, sleeping in the air should be carried out independently of water hardening procedures.

With the birth of children, we associate many hopes: we want them to grow up beautiful and smart, and also healthy and strong. And therefore, the main task of both parents and doctors is to prevent possible diseases from the first days of a child’s life.

The body's endurance and its resistance to changing environmental conditions increase under the influence of hardening - air, water, scattered sunlight: the child is more susceptible to various diseases, the mechanisms of thermoregulation are improved; hardening promotes proper metabolism, has a positive effect on the physical, on the adaptation of his body to new living conditions. Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of a child’s body.

However, to obtain a positive effect from hardening, a number of general rules must be followed:

Systematic use of hardening procedures at all times of the year without interruption

Breaks lead to a weakening of adaptation mechanisms formed under the influence of hardening procedures. Even in adults, 3-4 weeks after the cessation of hardening procedures, the developed resistance to the effects of cold sharply weakens. In children in the 1st year of life, the disappearance of the adaptation effect occurs in an even shorter time - after 5-7 days. As conditions associated with the seasons change, procedures must be varied without canceling them completely. For example, a summer shower in winter can be replaced by dousing your feet.

Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect

Taking into account the age and individual characteristics of the child

Carrying out hardening procedures against the backdrop of a positive mood of the child

Compliance with the temperature regime of the skin

Air hardening

Method I - ventilation of the room. Air hardening begins with this. The best way to ventilate is through, which can be done in the absence of the child. The hardening factor when ventilating a room is to lower the temperature by 1-2°C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In summer, the window should be open, the optimal air temperature in the room where it is located is +20-22°C. Studies have shown that at higher indoor temperatures, a child's growth and development are delayed.

Method II - a walk, including sleeping in the air. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In the summer outside the city, it is advisable to take meals, sleep, gymnastics, and games into the fresh air. It’s good to go for a walk at any time of the year, just don’t forget that you need to dress according to the weather. Don't wrap up your child! Children from 2-3 weeks of age in the cold season, at an air temperature of at least -5°C, must be taken outside. The duration of the first procedure is 10 minutes, in the future the walking time should be increased to 1.5-2 hours and walked twice a day. In the warm season, walks with the child should be daily, 2-3 times a day, 2-2.5 hours between feedings.

In the first 1.5 years of a child’s life, daytime naps in the air are recommended. At the same time, quick falling asleep, restful sleep, even breathing, pink complexion, lack of sweat, warm limbs upon awakening indicate that the child is dressed correctly, that is, is in a state of thermal comfort. When cold or overheated, the child sleeps restlessly. Blueness of the face, cold nose, cold extremities are indicators of sudden cooling. A sweaty forehead and damp skin indicate that the baby is hot.

Method III - air baths. Under the influence of air baths, oxygen absorption increases, heat exchange conditions change significantly, the state of the child’s nervous system improves - he becomes calmer, eats and sleeps better.

For children 1 year of age, air baths begin with. It is useful to leave the child undressed for some time during each swaddling and changing of clothes. You need to take your time to undress and dress your child. The air temperature during the air bath should gradually decrease to + 18-20°C. The time of air baths should be gradually increased, and from the age of one month, the air bath should be combined with massage and gymnastics.

During the first six months of life, it is recommended to carry out air baths for 10 minutes 2 times a day. You need to start with 3 minutes, adding 1 minute every day. During the second half of the year - 2 times a day for 15 minutes, daily increasing the duration of the bath by 2 minutes.

In summer, air baths can be combined with solar ones.

Hardening by sun rays

It must be remembered that the sun's rays are a powerful remedy. For young children, exposure to direct sunlight, as well as sunbathing, is not recommended. Hardening should begin in diffuse sunlight. It is better for a child to be in the so-called “lace shadow”. First, he should be dressed in a shirt made of light, light fabric at an air temperature of +22-24°C. In the middle of wakefulness, the child should be undressed and left naked for several minutes, gradually increasing the hardening time to 10 minutes. The baby needs to put a Panama hat on his head. It is useful for him to move freely at this time in the arena, on the playground, playing with toys.

In good general condition, if the child tolerates being in the lacy shade of trees well, you can expose him to direct sunlight, first for half a minute, and then gradually increase the time spent in the sun to 5 minutes. This procedure must be performed in the morning (before 10-11 am) or in the evening (after 5 pm). Care must be taken to ensure that the child does not overheat. If the face becomes red, irritability or excitability appears, you should take it out of the lacy shade of trees or out of the direct rays of the sun into the shade and give it cooled boiled water to drink. If the child is weakened by diseases, sun hardening should be carried out very carefully, under the supervision of an adult who is always nearby; it is also necessary to periodically consult with the attending physician or exercise therapy doctor, who will authorize and dose the procedure.

Inna Sharkova, pediatric neurologist
Konstantin Rychenko, pediatrician

Speaking about hardening, everyone perceives this process differently, but its essence is the same - strengthening the immune system in order to increase the body's resistance to various unfavorable factors. These include infections, both viral and bacterial, as well as overload modern world, environmental and food quality.

Their influence on the body cannot be avoided, but there are ways to make the body more resistant to their negative effects. This is hardening. Moreover, hardening of children under 1 year of age should be carried out precisely from the first months of their life, this will have a huge impact on the formation of their immunity.

The health of a child is formed from the very beginning of a woman’s pregnancy. And that’s why it’s good when some mothers lead a fairly active lifestyle right up to childbirth. They walk a lot, eat rationally, avoid stress, do physical exercise, go to the pool.

All these factors have invaluable benefits for the baby's health. In addition, they help prepare the body expectant mother for childbirth and make it softer and calmer, which is also very important for the harmonious development of the baby.

The next stage in the formation of the newborn’s immune system is breast-feeding. After all, it is mother’s milk that protects the baby from infections in the first years of his life, and only it carries the information necessary for the development of the child’s body’s defenses.

Everyone knows that absolutely anyone can become infected with the flu, regardless of their lifestyle and whether they have been hardened or not. But there is one essential detail: a person who is familiar with hardening first-hand will get sick much easier (without prohibitive increases in temperature and sudden deterioration) and will recover faster. Thus, this gives you the opportunity to avoid the development of complications.

Today, most parents support early hardening of children. They have been doing this since their birth, teaching them to swim and giving them reasonable exercise. Pediatricians say that it is early procedures that help preserve children's health and prevent various negative consequences.

Hardening infants includes the following aspects:

Long-term breastfeeding. At the same time, during the first months, babies receive only mother’s milk, and the introduction of complementary foods must be timely and competent;

Long daily walks. The child should spend at least two hours a day in the fresh air. Under no circumstances should it be overheated, so dress your baby according to the weather;

Ventilate the baby’s room several times a day, use humidifiers and air purifiers to create optimal conditions for him;

The ecological situation in the house - a small amount of synthetic and chemical elements, a minimum of dust collectors (carpets) and the absence of allergens, a ban on smoking in the apartment;

Regular air baths - when changing the diaper, leave the baby naked for a while;

Minimum amount of home clothes;

Rubbing or pouring cool water over the baby at the end of bathing. This helps to activate the body's defenses;

Swimming and diving either in a home bath or in a children's pool;

Using a solution of sea salt for washing and rubbing (1 teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of water);

Regular walking barefoot on various surfaces (grass, sand, pebbles). For this purpose, you can place special mats around the apartment;

Daily massage and exercises;

Exercises using a home sports complex. They can be started as early as ten months;

A favorable atmosphere within the family also plays an important role.

When organizing hardening for children in their first year of life, be sure to have a positive attitude. In order for the process to be successful, you need to be firmly convinced that you have made the right decision and the flooding procedures are very useful and necessary for the health of your child.

To implement hardening, it is important to systematically and regularly increase the load. In addition, the child must definitely enjoy the process. If the procedures are carried out reluctantly and under pressure, they will be of no use.

Exercise with your baby, do exercises together or go to the pool. remember, that small child much easier to interest than an older one. And if you manage to accustom him to hardening with early years– he will continue to improve throughout his life.

Of course, the hardening of children should not stop when the child reaches one year of age. Parents should instill basic hygiene skills in their children. He must learn to shower regularly, brush his teeth, change his underwear, wash his hands after using the toilet and before eating, etc.

Shape healthy image A child’s life must be guided by personal example. In this case, the unity of opinions and views of parents and other family members plays a very important role. They should not have differences and agree on certain issues.

So, a healthy lifestyle, a rational approach to nutrition, hardening, a favorable family atmosphere and the absence bad habits relatives - will help in shaping the health of the baby.