LivingPrevent bronchiolitis: always have their hands washed before touching...
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Prevent bronchiolitis: always have their hands washed before touching the newborn

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Bronchiolitis is a respiratory tract infection caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common and highly contagious virus that causes 60 to 80 percent of serious respiratory infections in infants, including pneumonia. This disease is the most frequent cause of hospitalization in children under two years of age and the most frequent contagion in winter.

Due to their immature immune system and there is still no vaccine to prevent it, babies under one year of age are especially susceptible to contagion, so it is very important to always wash (and have them wash) their hands very well before touching a newborn .

If there is a baby in the home, wash and have others wash their hands with soap and water before handling or handling. Children under one year of age are very prone to infection.

The main route of infection is the hands

Let us remember that bronchiolitis is the inflammation of the bronchioles, small branches of the bronchi caused by the infection of a virus, being the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) the one that affects in most cases.

It starts like a cold, and sometimes the infection becomes complicated and affects the bronchioles, the smallest airways in the lung. These airways become inflamed and impede the passage of air, causing respiratory failure.

In the case of contagion in newborn babies, and even more premature babies, with low birth weight or previous respiratory problems, the risk of complications is very high .

It is very unusual for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to be transmitted through the air, with the hands being the main means of infection , with the aggravation that the virus can remain up to seven hours on the surfaces of objects (such as doorknobs doors, tables, toys, countertops, etc.) and up to 90 minutes on unwashed hands .

It is very important that you always wash your hands before holding a baby , and that you do not let others do it either, especially when it comes to a premature, newborn or sick baby.

The virus can stay up to seven hours on inanimate objects and up to 90 minutes on unwashed hands.

How to prevent bronchiolitis

In addition to hand washing, there are other steps we can take to prevent children from catching this virulent virus:

  • Protect babies from smoky environments and avoid closed and crowded environments.
  • Use single-use tissues and dispose of them.
  • Do not cover your mouth with your hands when you sneeze; better with the elbow
  • Keep clean utensils, toys or towels that may be contaminated with secretions that are expelled when sneezing.
  • If you have a school-age child with a cold, keep him away from his younger siblings, especially babies, until his symptoms go away.
  • If there are more children at home, have them wash their hands frequently.
  • Protect especially premature children and babies with congenital heart disease, Down syndrome and those with respiratory diseases.
  • Children with bronchiolitis should not attend daycare.

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