Tempering a child 3 years to start. How to harden a child at home: effective tips for hardening. How to temper a child: activities and procedures

Hardening is a set of measures designed to improve the body's resistance to adverse environmental conditions. The most important advantage of hardening is the reduction in the number of respiratory viral diseases suffered per year, or their complete exclusion.

Of course, there is no complete certainty that the child will not get sick at all after hardening, but the disease will be much easier, and the body will recover faster.

In addition, when the hardening process is approached correctly, children tend to feel more energetic, less tired, develop faster, have no problems with the skin or digestive system, and also have fewer allergic manifestations.

Rules for hardening in childhood

Usually the use of tempering procedures is typical for children with weak immunity. But before you start hardening a child, you should understand the basic rules of hardening:

1. The child must be healthy. A sick or not fully recovered baby should not be given any hardening procedures, since this can only harm a fragile body and lead to complications.
2. By the beginning of hardening, you should prepare in advance: set aside the time when the procedures will be carried out, prepare the child for the procedures themselves.
3. Everything has to come gradually. For example, you can not abruptly start pouring cold water on the baby. At first, when taking an evening bath or shower, the water temperature should be comfortable, then it can be reduced a little.
4. All procedures should be carried out sequentially. To begin with, the baby must adapt, for example, to air baths, and after that you can proceed to hardening with water.
5. It is necessary to ensure the systematic hardening procedures. Ideally, if the activities will be held daily, and will enter the baby's daily routine.
6. Optimistic mood. The child should approach the procedure in a good mood, this largely determines the positive result. This is especially important to take into account when performing the first procedure - if the baby is upset with something, then the procedure should be postponed the next day.

1. Do not arrange excessive stress on the body, try to prevent sudden hypothermia or overheating of the child.
2. Before starting hardening procedures, you should consult with your pediatrician about the presence of contraindications. For example, in the presence of chronic diseases of the kidneys or heart, water procedures with a decrease in the degree of water are prohibited. If the health of your baby during hardening began to deteriorate sharply, we recommend that you immediately consult a doctor.
3. Individual approach. All children are different and require a personal approach to each of them. Perhaps some procedure will not be to your liking, in which case you should not insist. Before you begin to harden your child, try all the procedures on yourself.

What types of hardening exist?

All hardening methods can be divided into general and special. The general ones include such as a competent daily routine, rational nutrition and physical education.

The main assistants in special methods of hardening a child are natural sources, such as air, water and the sun.

Therefore, special hardening can be conditionally divided into three main components: hardening with air, water and the sun.

How to temper a baby with air?

This method is the easiest to perform and is suitable for every baby, without exception, even babies.

Air quenching includes:

• being outdoors,
• regular ventilation of the room,
• the right choice of clothes for the crumbs,
• taking air baths,
• walking barefoot.

Walking in the air

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of walking in the fresh air: they strengthen the immune system, increase the physical activity of the child, charge him with positive and good mood.

Walking on the street is worth it for kids in any weather conditions, the duration of the walk, depending on the weather, should be from one to six hours a day or more.

It is very useful for babies to sleep outside in the open air. The duration of their sleep can be from 10-15 minutes in winter to three hours in summer or more. However, do not forget that if the temperature outside is below 15 ° C, the walk time should be reduced in order to prevent hypothermia in the child.

Regular ventilation of the apartment

It is necessary to ventilate the room in which the baby lives at least four times a day, while in the summer in the heat the windows can not be closed at all. The temperature in the house should not be less than 18 ° C, the optimum temperature is considered to be around 22 ° C.

Clothes by temperature

It is very important for parents not to “wrap up” the baby from his birth in order to prevent him from overheating or fogging. The clothes of the baby should meet the principles: light, comfortable and dry.

It is better to give preference to fabrics made from natural materials that allow air to circulate freely and the skin to “breathe”.

Air baths

Air baths are also allowed to be used from birth. So, for example, before going to bed or after waking up your child, let him lie down naked for one or two minutes.

The temperature in the apartment with each new procedure should be lowered gradually (over several months) to 14-16 ° C. The duration of this procedure should also be added gradually up to 15-20 minutes.

During physical education or active games, a minimum amount of clothing should be left on the crumbs. It is also allowed to arrange contrast air baths by running with the child from a room with cold air to a room with warm air.

Walking barefoot

Walking barefoot is not only a strong immunostimulating procedure, but an excellent prevention of flat feet. It is better to start walking barefoot first at home, and then connect walks on the street in the warm season - first on grass and sand, and then on shells, pebbles, gravel.

At the same time, make sure that the baby does not get hurt by fragments or debris during such walks. It is better if they take place in safe places or in a closed area: in the garden, in the country, on the beach.

How to temper a child with water?

Hardening with water is one of the most effective means, however, it should be started only after mastering air hardening. Lowering the water temperature should be done gradually, avoiding a sharp drop in degrees in order to avoid hypothermia of the child.

Hardening with water also includes several procedures:

• wiping with a towel soaked in cool water,
• washing with cool or cold water,
• cool and contrast shower,
• dousing with cool or cold water,
• swimming in open water.

Dry and wet rubdowns

Rubbing is allowed to begin to apply from two months of age. As preparatory procedures, it is worth using dry rubbing. They are carried out as follows: a clean terry mitten or towel is taken and with its help the baby's skin is rubbed to a slight reddening.

Only after the crumbs have adapted to dry rubbing, you can proceed to wiping with a damp towel. During the first procedure, the water temperature should be about 35 ° C. Then every 3-4 days you can lower it by about a degree.

The procedure is simple:

1. First, the child wipes the arms and legs in the direction from the fingers up the limbs to the body.
2. Then the areas of the chest and back, following from the middle to the sides.
3. Finish the procedure with the abdominal area, wiping it clockwise.

washing

Washing with cool water should also be introduced gradually. Start washing your baby with warm water at 28-29°C and gradually lower the water temperature to 20°C.

After walking, washing hands can also be done with cool water, however, you should first make sure that the baby’s hands are warm.

If the child is cold, do not worsen his condition with cold water. If a baby asks to play with water during the day, do not forbid him to do this, put, for example, a basin with boats for him - let him splash.

Cool and contrast shower

Showering or taking a bath should be a daily evening ritual. At the end of bathing, the temperature of the shower can be slightly lowered, but you need to start with a temperature that is comfortable for the baby, reducing it gradually.

Another effective method of hardening is taking a contrast shower. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the effect. But, of course, you should start with a small difference. You can also do this procedure with your baby.

To begin with, it is worth warming up the child's feet, hands, back with warm water, then pour cool water over him, while quickly pouring cold water over his hands, feet, back and switch to warm water again.

Do this procedure three more times and finish with a cold douche, then wrap the child in a towel.

Dousing with cold water

You can finish the evening bath with a douche. Pouring involves drenching the body immediately with a large amount of water from two liters. You should start with 36 C °, gradually lowering the temperature by one or two degrees.

At first, you can replace this procedure with dousing your feet with cool water. Pouring feet also produces a good immune-stimulating effect.

Swimming in open water

Swimming in open water combines the hardening effect of cool water and physical activity. The temperature in the reservoir or pool for the first procedures should not be lower than 22 ° C.

It is also worth regulating the time the child is in the water - the younger the baby, the less the bathing procedure should take.

If a child has "goosebumps", trembling, blue lips - it means that he has the first signs of hypothermia. You should immediately take him out of the water, wrap him in a towel and give him a drink of warm water or tea.

How to temper children with the sun?

Hardening by the sun means taking sun and light-air baths. To start tempering a child in this way, as in previous cases, should be gradual, after a little preparation and adaptation to new conditions.

Sunbathing

Sunbathing begins with walking or staying on the beach in the shade of trees. At the same time, the temperature outside should be in the range from 22 ° C to 29 ° C, and a headdress must certainly be on the child’s head.

After a couple of days, you can expose the child’s arms and legs for local (partial) sunbathing and take him out into the sun (attention! not in the sun, but from 9 to 11 or from 16 to 18 hours), stay there for 5 minutes, and then go back into the shadows.

When the child has the first tan, you can undress him to his panties. Gradually increase the one-time session of being in the sun from 5 to 10 minutes. In this case, the total time spent in the sun should not exceed 50 minutes.

During and after sunbathing, it is necessary to offer the baby enough water. And remember that it is better to take sunbaths from 9 am to 11 am and after 4 pm, when the activity of the sun is not so pronounced. After exposure to the sun, the child can be doused with cool water.

Taking light baths

Light-air baths are a complex method that includes sunbathing in the presence of a slight wind. At the same time, the temperature outside should not be below 19 ° C. Preparation and carrying out of the procedure is similar to the method of hardening by the sun described above.

If the child sweats a lot and his face is reddened, this may indicate overheating. It is urgent to take him into the shade, give him a drink and wash with cool water.

To achieve the most pronounced effect of hardening, it is very desirable to combine all the above methods in combination.

Among children, there is such a tendency that the more mothers and grandmothers lovingly try to protect the child from the effects of external factors, wrapping up, not allowing them to swim in the river, walk barefoot on grass, sand or on the floor at home, the more often the child gets sick. In this case, one should abandon the chosen principles and begin to harden the child.

Hardening is a complex of procedures based on the influence of factors such as water, air, sun, often consisting in a difference in the influencing temperatures or atmospheric pressure. As a result, the child's body becomes more resistant to natural stimuli and is better able to resist infections.

Hardening naturally develops immunity, and this method is much more effective than stimulating immunity from the outside, using pills.

If we compare the number of cases of acute respiratory viral infections in a non-tempered child and one who underwent hardening procedures during the year, then hardening reduces the risk of colds by about 3 times.

You can begin to harden the body of a child without prior preparation and from any age, the sooner the better. A small child has a much more actively developed adaptation mechanism, so early hardening gives a more pronounced result.

Hardening principles

Tempering a child (where to start will be described in detail below) should be based on the following principles:

1. Individual approach. Hardening methods are chosen taking into account the state of health of the child and the lifestyle of the family. It is important that the child himself likes the procedures.
2. Periodicity and gradualism. Hardening procedures should be carried out systematically, starting with small things: a slight change in temperature, a short duration. This process cannot be forced.
3. Complexity. Only hardening procedures will not allow raising the child's immunity to the maximum level. It is also necessary to observe the principles of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Tempering a child at home: where to start

Then they move on to rubdowns, shower, partial douche, contrast shower, full douche. They start with a slight decrease in water temperature - + 35-36 degrees, gradually, degree by degree, lowering it.

Indications for hardening

With the following indications, hardening is not only desirable, it is necessary:

hardening rules

Tempering a child (where to start is with a visit to a pediatrician and an immunologist to identify the need for planned activities and find out if there are any contraindications for health) carried out according to the following rules:

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

According to Dr. Komarovsky, the child needs hardening procedures from birth. But in order not to harm the child, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician before starting the procedures. Before hardening procedures are allowed, tests and examinations may be scheduled.

Yevgeny Komarovsky advises hardening every day, without gaps, if the child's health allows it. He also notes that procedures such as contrast showers, dousing with cool water, sunbathing and air baths are suitable for children, but procedures associated with exposure to ice water, such as winter swimming, are not suitable for children.

Contraindications

The main contraindications to hardening procedures include:

If the disease is temporary, after recovery, it is recommended to resume hardening with the most gentle procedures.

newborn

According to the recommendations of Dr. Komarovsky, hardening in infancy should include air and water procedures. Moreover, the impact should be moderate. The doctor does not recommend using extreme temperatures for hardening.

washing. It is recommended to start with him, and on the very first day after discharge from the hospital. The water temperature should be 28 degrees. Hardening in this way is carried out daily, but the water temperature is lowered very gradually, the process of lowering the temperature by 2-3 degrees should take 2-3 months.

Pouring. They begin to practice in partial pouring - from the child's feet. Then they move to the whole body. The initial temperature is 32-35 degrees. It is optimal to carry out hardening procedures after daily bathing. Starting with the legs, move on to dousing the whole body. In the end, all parts of the body are gradually poured from the bottom up: legs, arms, stomach, back of the head.

Bathing. The duration of the baths themselves should also be increased: the water will cool naturally and have a hardening effect. Contrast baths for babies are optional.

Rubdown. Performed with a flannel mitt. Like pouring, they start first with the legs and are limited to them. Then expand the wiping area in the following sequence: arms, back, chest and abdomen. Recommended to start at 2 months.

walks. Komarovsky considers walking an obligatory component of a child's daily routine. He says that you should not avoid walking in adverse weather conditions: snow, rain. All that is needed in this case is to dress the child according to the weather.

The duration of the walks should also increase. In summer, the minimum duration of walks is 20-30 minutes, in winter - 5-7 minutes. But every day you can increase the time by 5-10 minutes. In winter, at especially low temperatures, it is not worth walking with children 1-3 months old, walking with older children is possible, but you need to dress a child one more layer than an adult.

Air baths. Komarovsky does not recommend wrapping a child. In particular, he advises leaving the child naked for several minutes at each change of diapers or diapers, when changing clothes for a walk. This technique will support the natural adaptation mechanism.

Sunbathing. Recommended for infants, in particular because they are the prevention of rickets. But care must be taken - to limit the direct sunlight on the skin of the child, so as not to cause burns.

Children aged 3 and over

If hardening is not started in infancy, this does not mean at all that time has been lost. Procedures with a child can be started later, at 3 years and later. The general principles will be the same.

From 2-3 years old, you can introduce a contrast shower technique, allow the child to walk outdoors in summer and indoors in winter in the same underwear. Classes in the pool will have a positive effect on immunity. From 4-5 years old, it is already possible to practice pouring on the street, first with cool, then cold water. But in this you need to keep the measure.

Water procedures

Rubbing from 2 months should be done with a soft towel, as the baby's skin is delicate. The procedure is carried out after the morning rise for 1-2 minutes. It can be dry and wet. The initial temperature of the water during wet rubdown is 35 degrees. Gradually lower it.

The shower is recommended from 1.5 years. It should be taken after morning exercises. Initial temperature +36. Then, within a few days, it is lowered by one degree, thus reducing it to 26 degrees. The process of transition to the minimum temperature should take not days, but months.

Douche is administered last, already when the child's body has fully adapted to rubdowns and the soul, regardless of the age at which the procedures were started. Douches train blood vessels, develop the mechanism of thermoregulation.

But, as in other methods, it is impossible to force events: they start with partial dousing and from the highest temperatures (+35 degrees). Switching too early to dousing with cold water will provoke a cold. In particular, it is recommended to reduce the temperature from +35 to +30 degrees in two months.

Pour order: first the lower body to the knees, then the arms to the shoulders, later the whole body. Expand the dousing area gradually. Contrasting pouring is possible: first with warm, then cool water.

The temperature of the water for dousing - depending on the time of year and age

The duration of dousing is gradually increased from 15 seconds to 30. Contrast foot baths are carried out using two containers (buckets or basins). In one of them, the water temperature should be equal to 40 degrees, in the other - 32 degrees. Keep your feet in hot water for 1 minute, then in cold water for 20 seconds.

Alternate 5 times, ending with immersion of the legs in cold water. Gradually, the temperature of the water is lowered in both basins. It is useful during the procedure to do exercises for the feet.

The place of stay (bath-dressing room) needs to be alternated, it is thanks to this that hardening will be carried out. It is necessary to ensure that the child breathes through the nose in the bath and sauna.

Swimming

Swimming has several positive effects on the child’s body at once: firstly, it is a temperature effect that provides a hardening effect, secondly, massage - water waves massage the body, thirdly, physical development is ensured, since swimming develops all muscle groups .

Swimming also has a positive effect on the emotional state of the child, as many people like this process.

Swimming in open water is allowed from one year old, always under the supervision of an adult. The baby can swim in the bath from 6-8 weeks. Moreover, there are methods of teaching not only swimming at such an early age, but also diving headlong. If diving is not planned, then a special circle fixed on the neck will help the child stay on the water.

In infancy, you can practice swimming in the pool. Before this, it is recommended to adapt the child to the temperature of the water in the pool. It is at the level of 32-34 degrees, so you need to gradually lower the temperature of the water when bathing in the bath to these indicators.

Air baths

First of all, young parents need to learn the rule: you need to dress the child according to the weather, you can’t even wrap up newborns. But at the same time, the temperature is also taken into account during air baths - the child should not freeze.

In the summer, the procedure can be carried out 2-3 times a day for 2-15 minutes. The child is undressed and left to lie down in the open air or indoors if it is cold outside. The hardening procedure is preferably carried out either in the morning or after a daytime sleep.

sunbathing

The sun's rays contribute to the production of vitamin D in the body, so sunbathing is not just desirable, but a necessary form of hardening. Babies are advised to stay in the sun for no more than 2 minutes, children older than a year - no more than 20. At the same time, it is necessary to be in the sun at a favorable time: from dawn to 10 a.m., and after 4 p.m. to sunset.

Sunbathing when hardening a child is as important as dousing and wiping

At this time, the sun's rays do not have a harmful effect. But even at this time, it is necessary to protect the baby's head from direct sunlight with a cap or panama hat.

If up to 3 years of sunbathing is recommended at a temperature of +26 degrees, then older children can take sunbaths and at a temperature of +22 degrees. The duration of sunbathing is increased gradually.

Physical education and gymnastics

Gymnastics helps the baby's body develop in the right direction, stabilizes all body functions. But you should not force a child to do gymnastics. In infancy, gymnastics can be carried out by the mother, having previously received advice from a specialist.

When the baby is able to perform the exercises on his own, you need to turn the process into a game so that the child does not suspect how necessary this procedure is. Be sure to set an example for your child. For older children, it is recommended to equip a sports corner in the nursery, where he can practice on his own.

Physical exercises should be carried out in the morning or afternoon before meals, or two hours after meals.

Hardening of a child's throat

It is possible to combine general hardening procedures with hardening of the throat, which is especially important if the child often has a sore throat.

walking barefoot

Practice from the moment when the child learns to walk. At first, he can walk on the floor in socks, and then with bare feet; in the summer, the child is allowed to run on the grass and sand.
This practice contributes not only to strengthening the immune system, but also to the correct formation of the arch of the foot.

Hardening after illness

If the child has only recently been ill, water hardening procedures should be abandoned. They begin hardening with short air baths, do not forget about the periodic ventilation of the room and the fact that you do not need to put too many clothes on the baby.

Overheating threatens with increased sweating, as a result of which the child may slip through. It is especially useful after a cold to gargle with a saline or soda solution.

If hardening procedures are carried out, this does not mean that the child will not get sick at all. The frequency of diseases will decrease, but the possibility itself is not excluded. He can face the disease in any case, another thing is that the disease will proceed in a milder form and recovery will come faster.

And the sooner you start hardening, the sooner the problem of the body's low resistance to infection will be solved.

Video about hardening a child

Tempering a child:

Is it necessary to harden the child:

Many mothers and fathers, long before the birth of a baby, dream of how they will treat him with reverence, run with him in the morning, temper himself with the baby, and actively develop physically and mentally. But, unfortunately, statistics show that only a small part of conscious parents fulfill their plans. Often we feel sorry for waking up a child early in the morning for a run, we are afraid that he will get sick from cold water when pouring. Paradoxical as it may seem, but by such actions we do not protect children's health, but on the contrary, we make the baby's body hothouse and vulnerable. Any temperature difference or external influence ends with a cold, and sometimes more serious diseases.

It is important to understand that young children get sick and this is normal. The child's body is faced with a huge number of viruses, fungi, bacteria and other infectious agents. This is how a person’s immunity is formed - he learns to resist external factors. Therefore, it is simply impossible to completely exclude diseases (especially SARS). But how these colds will proceed depends on the parents. Why does one child have a cold that certainly ends with bronchitis or sinusitis, and the other kid gets off with only three days of transparent snot? It's all about two factors - the method of treatment and the state of the child's immunity. Everyone has long known that it is not necessary to fight a simple virus, it is enough to provide cool moist air, give the child plenty of fluids and rinse the nose with salted water. But how to strengthen the body's defenses? An important, and sometimes the main factor in building strong immunity is hardening. Today we will talk about ways to properly harden a child.

As the famous motto says - "The sun, air and water are our main friends!". Indeed, hardening is based on three main pillars - solar, air and water baths. But each of the procedures requires special attention and knowledge of many nuances.

sunbathing

Moderate sunlight is incredibly beneficial for health, it is not for nothing that babies are recommended to walk in the sun from the first days after birth. With the help of ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D is synthesized in human skin, which is so necessary for building strong immunity. However, remember that vitamin D is produced only in the first half of the day, until about 10-11 o'clock in the afternoon. Therefore, it is necessary to walk with the child in the morning. It is not at all necessary to expose the baby to direct sunlight, just walk with him on the street, you can even be in the shade. After all, ultraviolet is refracted many times and will certainly reach the skin of your crumbs.

Older children also need sunbathing. However, it is very important to observe the golden mean here, since sunburn is a very unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. Start solar hardening in the summer, with the advent of the first warm days. It is not worth being under the direct rays of the scorching sun, try to sunbathe before 11 am or after 15-16 pm. So you can avoid aggressive ultraviolet radiation. Do not forget to wear hats - scarves, caps and panama hats, which will protect children's heads from sunstroke. If you have just arrived on vacation, do not rush to expose your delicate, unprepared skin to the sun's rays - try to cover your shoulders, back and face for several days. Otherwise, sunburn and a ruined vacation will be guaranteed.

If you went to the sea, try to spend more time on the beach - sea air is very good for the health of the respiratory system. When the baby gets used to the sun, you can let him go for a walk in his shorts. Offer the baby to walk barefoot more often, but first make sure that there are no glasses and thorns in the area that can injure the delicate skin of children's feet.

Air baths

This is the simplest, but at the same time the most risky way of hardening. It consists in accustoming the child to low temperatures. You can start such hardening literally from birth. Teach the baby to be in a cool room for a while - first 5 seconds, then 10, gradually increasing and increasing this time period. It is best to take air baths before bathing - after bathing, the body is warmed up and it is unreasonable to expose it to cold air currents.

In addition, air baths are also regular airing of the room, especially if the room is hot and stuffy. You need to ventilate the room often, every couple of hours. The temperature in the room should be 18-22 degrees. If the baby is cold at the same time, it is better to put clothes on him, and not put a heater. The fact is that radiators dry the air very much, the nasal mucosa suffers from this - dry crusts appear in the nasal passages. In dry air, dust and allergens rise up, causing coughing and other reactions. In winter, when the heating system works on "Hurrah", it is imperative to install a humidifier or constantly hang wet linen on radiators.

Pay attention to the hardening of the air in the process of walking. This includes a moderate amount of clothing. After all, babies are more sensitive and painful to overheating than to hypothermia. Therefore, there is no need to wrap the baby. One simple rule should be followed - babies should wear one layer more, children older than one and a half years - one layer less than themselves. Small children hardly move, so they should be dressed a little warmer. For example, put on a thin T-shirt and a light blouse? And for the baby, add another layer in the form of a fleece jumpsuit. But children older than a year and a half need, on the contrary, to dress easier, because they are constantly on the move, they are not afraid to freeze, but it costs nothing to sweat.

water hardening

This is the most extensive and, frankly, the most pleasant type of hardening. It is rare that a toddler does not like to swim, splash and splash. Sometimes there are children who do not like water, but in the vast majority of cases this is due to fears. Often parents are to blame for these fears - when they immerse the baby in uncomfortable water temperatures, when they throw the child into the water without support, hoping that he will learn to swim on his own. Remember that you need to teach to water carefully and without violence, then the baby will love to swim for life.

1. Cold water. Hardening in water is a gradual accustoming to lower temperatures. Once you have brought your newborn baby home, bathe him only in warm water. Until the navel falls off, the water should be boiled - sterile clean. When the navel falls off, you can use warm tap water, and slowly accustom the body to various microorganisms, because the baby cannot grow in a sterile environment. At first, the water temperature should be comfortable - not hot and not cold - about 36-37 degrees, like body temperature. Over time, you can reduce the water gradually by one degree every 3-5 days. But not immediately, but add cold water in the process of taking a bath. That is, today you bathe your baby at 36 degrees, gradually add cold water and lower the temperature to 35 degrees. Five days later, you also start at 36, but already lower the temperature to 34 degrees. So over and over again you can reach 30 degrees, children older than a year can lower the water temperature to 28-26 degrees. But all processes must be gradual!
2. Bathing. Many mothers feel sorry for their children and believe that they will freeze in such cold water. In fact, a child in cool water simply begins to move more to keep warm. Cool baths and hearty meals are the best ways for a child to get a long night's sleep. To give the baby the opportunity to move more in the water, put a swimming ring around his neck, some models can be used as early as a month. Such a pleasant device will significantly improve the bathing process - the baby can swim calmly, easily moving around the entire perimeter of the large bath, and the mother does not need to stand with a hook, holding the baby in the water.
3. Rubbing. If you have not hardened your baby since early childhood, and now he is constantly sick, you need to start doing this gradually and very, very carefully. Take a terry mitten or washcloth, rub it with the legs, arms, back and tummy of the child. After a couple of days of such manipulations, moisten the washcloth in warm water and repeat the procedure. Gradually, the water for wetting the washcloth should become colder and colder. After wiping, let a little moisture remain on the skin - the baby dries, hardening works, immunity is formed.
4. Pouring. This method of hardening is not for wimps - it is only suitable for children over two years old. Its essence is that you need to douse yourself with warm water, and then gradually reduce the temperature less and less. Experienced parents harden together with the kids at any time of the year. When dousing, do not affect the head - this is important to know. If the baby is not yet ready to completely bathe, you can teach him to wash his legs in warm, and then in cold water. After that, carefully rub the feet and heels with a terry towel and put the baby to sleep.

Toddlers rarely follow parental advice, but almost always follow their example. Therefore, you need to show the child hardening on their own experience. Douse yourself with water and wipe yourself with a damp towel - the child will definitely repeat after you.

cold hardening

Today it is very common to meet children who have a constant sore throat, even from slightly cold food or drink. Unfortunately, this is the result of the greenhouse conditions in which they were driven by their parents. From childhood, you need to teach your child not to drink hot water, but liquid at room temperature. And with age, you need to teach your child to eat fruits from the refrigerator, drink cold water. If everything is done gradually, you are not afraid of angina. If you are just starting this difficult journey, it is important to take the first steps.

In the summer, start hardening with ice cream. First, give the child ice cream in a melted form, like a medicine, 1-2 tablespoons each - he should dissolve, and not swallow the mass. Gradually, the amount of ice cream eaten can be increased, then you can not wait until it completely melts. When the baby gets used to ice cream, you can let him suck on pieces of ice. For taste, you can freeze into cubes not just water, but fruit juices. Give your child small ice cubes at first, then gradually increase the serving size and mouth hold time. You can prepare your throat for the cold simply by gargling. Teach your child to gargle first with warm and then cold water. With a gradual decrease in temperature, there will be no harm, the mucous throat will be able to adapt and harden. All these methods of cold hardening of the throat are suitable for older children, after three years.

How to start hardening

Many parents complain that they cannot start the hardening process, because the baby is constantly sick. If you have never hardened a child at all and you have it quite painful, it is better to start the process in the summer, when the risk of catching a cold is minimal. Be sure to consult a doctor before hardening - he must give consent to the procedures. Start hardening with simpler and more gentle methods - air and sunbathing, gradually introducing more and more new procedures. Make sure your baby is used to the water temperature before you decide to lower it one more degree.

Remember that hardening is a regular and permanent procedure. Only with daily rubdowns and air baths can you strengthen the immune system and achieve a good result. All procedures must be voluntary - only with the consent and mood of the baby. Good immunity is not only hardening, but also a varied diet, frequent walks in the fresh air, a competent sleep and wakefulness regimen. Follow the simple rules of hygiene, and your baby will not be afraid of illness!

Video: hardening children

Hi all! When our kids once again begin to sneeze and have a temperature, we take out the first aid kit and sigh sadly. Well, here it is again! And hands just drop, because there is no end to colds!

Medicines are no longer effective, because the body is simply used to them. And I have a suggestion for this. Or maybe we will teach the little one not to medicines, but to a healthy lifestyle? What does that require? Learn how to properly temper a child at home. Or rather, the rules and techniques of this wonderful procedure.

First, answer yourself the question: “Are you ready to change your lifestyle for the sake of the health of the little one?”. After all, hardening is a regular event that should become a ritual. In addition to sometimes having to sacrifice your interests, you will sometimes need to take part in the process! You must be an example! Only in this way the child will understand that the event is quite natural and necessary.

So, are you ready? Well then, here's a list of rules for you. Please study before proceeding!

1. Doctor's recommendations. Do not be lazy, take the baby to the pediatrician. What if the procedures that you prescribe yourself do not suit the baby? Get medical support.
2. The earlier the better. After birth, babies get used to the effects of cold more easily. So do not wrap up your treasure more than necessary. Take care of your health without delay.
3. Regularity. Once you start, you don't need to stop. After all, a break in a week will become critical. Children's immunity will return to its previous positions.
4. Subsequence. Children in the snow and barefoot, this is just the result of a lot of hard work that we see. On the way to this are long months of training. It is always good to start with comfortable temperatures. And lower them just a degree every 5-7 days.
5. Individuality. The approach is different for everyone. Consider the desire and state of health of each baby.
6. Mood. In no case do not force! If the baby is naughty, postpone the event for another time or day. The process should be fun! After all, we are going to make it a regular and everyday ritual, right? Why cause negativity in the crumbs?
7. We begin to harden only a completely healthy toddler. No colds or chronic exacerbations.

Every point is important. But more often parents have a question about the latter. Yes, it is not recommended to start, if the child is sick. But what if the hardening is in full swing, and then the baby caught a cold?

If the child is sick?

In this case, rule number 1 applies. A doctor's consultation is required. Depending on the state of health will depend on what to do. Usually, at any elevated body temperature, procedures are completely canceled.

And when to resume? Not earlier than a week after complete recovery. The body must recover completely. Otherwise, instead of benefit, we will get a new cold.

If the disease goes away with minor symptoms, the doctor may allow the hardening to continue. But! Throw in a few degrees. For example, you doused a child with +25° water. For the period of illness, do it with water + 28 °. Those. the mode still has to be gentle!

But, I hope that during the hardening of your crumbs, no cataclysms will happen. Then, having studied the rules, let me talk about the methods.

Methods and methods

There are several hardening methods. In fact, with a certain habit, you can combine them all with each other! And you can choose a few and systematically do it. Develop a habit, such as brushing your teeth. So choose!

• Air.
• Water.
• Sun.
• Non-standard events.

Well, first about the most popular. And then I will try to surprise you with a non-standard technique!

Air

This is the most gentle and gentle way. But even here you can use a lot of interesting tricks! The simplest is air baths. Recommended for the smallest, i.e. ! First, leave the baby naked for 15 seconds, then increase the interval of stay by 5-10 seconds. So bring up to 30-40 minutes!

Such baths are taken at + 22 ° in the room. When the child gets used to these manipulations, you can complicate the task. By airing, lower the temperature every 5 days by a degree. But this is already after six months, and better than a year. Bring the reading to +17°.

Oh yes! I want to ask you, how often do you ventilate the room? You need at least 5 times a day for 15 minutes. And don't forget about walking! By the way, how much do you wrap the baby? Did you know that children most often catch colds from overheating? Dress them for the weather. Don't be too zealous.

Are you afraid of freezing? So let them move more actively. Ahhh, don't want to? Then option one: move together! Organize outdoor games! Trust my experience, kids love group games. Especially with parents!

Water

I don’t know about you, but I am delighted with those mothers who take their children to the pools even before they are a year old. More precisely, swimming begins as soon as the umbilical wound heals. During this period, he had not yet forgotten how to swim. And it is good to develop in the pool.

Is there no such possibility? Is there a bath at home? Then get more water, buy a special circle and go! Do you know how to tumble? Don't pull out your ears! Other than that, here are some other great options:

• Rubbing.
• Pouring.
• Washing feet in cold water.

Such manipulations can be carried out both on the whole body and locally. Yes, it's better to start locally. Let the legs get used to one value first, then the arms, bye, back, tummy ... Not clear yet? I'll try to explain!

rubdowns

If the little one is regularly sick, first rub it until it is slightly reddened with a terry or flannel mitten. Then soak this glove in water. Wipe hands and feet from toes upwards. Back and breast from the middle to the sides. And the stomach is strictly clockwise. You need to start from + 35 °. And bring to +20° ... +22°.

Another interesting recommendation. After wiping, after all, it is necessary to wipe the body dry with a towel, until a slight redness. So, when you get used to it, wipe, leaving the body a little damp. Let it dry naturally. This will give additional hardening to the body.

Yes, one more piece of advice: such manipulations should be carried out not earlier than six months of age. Especially at .

In addition, do not forget about washing in cool water. Lower your thermometer by one degree every 5 days. Honestly, right after birth, I washed my daughter with water at room temperature. More precisely wiped. The main thing is not to lose this good habit as you grow up!

Pouring

Up to a year, many are already pouring over children. At first, some water is about + 35 °, and as a result, it is brought to + 20 °. And sometimes even less! Look at the child's reaction here.

First you need to get used to the limbs, and then the whole body. As a rule, the head is not doused. And, in general, in most cases, it is recommended to start such events no earlier than 1-2 years. Depends on the health of the baby. And now advice for those parents whose children are especially often sick.

Washing feet in cold water

Great for strengthening the immune system. Especially when the child is often sick. So, every evening we pour water on the legs + 36 °. We gradually lower the boundaries: if the baby is not older than a year old, then up to + 28 °. And when older, then up to + 20 °.

At the end, do not forget to rub to the red heels. It is better to do it before going to bed so that you can immediately lie down in a warm bed. By the way, if the feet are cold, this does not always mean that the baby is cold. It turns out that our heels are able to adapt to environmental conditions.

So do not be afraid to let the baby barefoot on the floor. Of course, within reason. And not for long.

Sun

In general, it's great to have water procedures on the street in the summer! But first you need to develop a habit of the sun's rays. Take the child out only in the morning, before 10:00 and walk only under the crowns of trees.

Then, you can go out into the sun, but after 10:00 urgently into the house! The scorching sun has never done anyone any good. And don't forget the hats.

As for clothes: initially, these are light shirts and shorts. Then you can leave only in shorts, even barefoot! Provided that there is nothing dangerous and piercing on the surface of the earth.

And now, as promised, a few words about unusual methods that help strengthen immunity!

Non-standard methods in hardening children

Tell me, do you allow children to drink drinks from the refrigerator? And believe that the child will not get sick after this? If it is organized correctly, he really will not get sick. Moreover, drinking cold drinks will also become a hardening method! So how do you do it? Very simple. Dear readers, the main thing is to follow the rule of sequence.

In fact, there are several methods and techniques, namely. I chose the most effective and interesting:

• Cold cubes from the freezer. You can freeze the juice and give the baby to suck. First, 15 seconds. So, bring the resorption up to 2 minutes. Don't give big cubes and control the time.
• Ice cream. Let's start with a teaspoon. And explain that the child does not swallow, but also dissolves.
• Gargling with cold water. See if you can add salt to the water. Or make a decoction of chamomile. Rinsing should be started from comfortable temperatures with warm solutions. Lower by a degree, bringing to + 17 °. In adolescents and adults, the lower limit is + 8 ° ... + 10 °.
• Drinking drinks from the refrigerator. We take a drink, and give literally a sip - two. And so, every 3 days we increase the number of sips.

Well, how do you like these ways to temper? Really, great? But it can only be applied to older children, at least 3-4 years old.

Well, the technique, I think is clear. You have probably already chosen something suitable for yourself. What if not a secret? Tell in the comments! But choosing is not enough. You need to figure it out, but where do you start?

Getting Started the Right Way

Above, in the methods, I described the temperatures at which hardening can begin. If your child is quite hardened or just healthy, then you should not be afraid. That is, if he is already drinking the juice of their refrigerator, there is no need to train him in sips. Continue in the same rhythm, just adding new methods of hardening.

And the rest need to be handled more gently. Add more complex methods only when the baby is completely used to the previous, simpler one.

Air baths are recommended first. Then water rubdowns are added, dousing the house. When the child gets used to it, in the summer it is possible to do this on the street, in hot weather. Make it harder as you get used to it and grow up. In principle, up to 4 years, you can use all the above methods. And preschool age, 5-6 years old, can be completely released barefoot on the snow! Well, subject to a trained body and a doctor's consultation.

Now tell us what you are doing to make your child stop getting sick often? What methods did you like? What are you planning to try from what I suggested? Leave comments and become blog subscribers. Bye. See you soon!

Most of today's children are brought up in gentle conditions. At home and in the kindergarten it is warm all year round, clean, there are clothes and shoes for any season. But most children still get SARS even with a slight hypothermia. Acquired immunity does not last long, after recovery, the baby falls ill again.

Parents of frequently ill children have two ways to solve the problem:

• The first- help kids by buying all the new pharmaceutical industry.
• Second- hardening of children. It is a simple and free health promotion method available to everyone. It will gradually restore the lost capabilities of the body, received at birth.

From this article you will learn

Reasons for weakening the body

In the process of evolution, human cubs have learned to adapt to any conditions. Women give birth to babies both in hot Africa and at the pole of cold, in Yakutia, where there is ice and frost. The newborn has strong immunity, which gradually decreases under the influence of negative environmental factors. Here are the main reasons for the weakening of the body's defenses:

• lack of nutrients during pregnancy and after birth;
• bad habits of parents: smoking of the mother or father adversely affects the health of the child;
• lack or lack of breastfeeding;
• overeating, an abundance of high-calorie, sweet and fatty foods;
• poor environmental conditions;
• the constant stay of the baby in conditions of a stable temperature regime, insufficient humidity of the room;
• lack of movement and fresh air;
• non-compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules;
• unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the family;
• violation of sleep and rest.

The causes of disorders in the immune system can be pathologies during pregnancy, congenital diseases, hypersensitivity of the body.

Signs of Weak Immunity

The health of the baby becomes vulnerable not immediately. How to understand that the child's immunity needs support? Indirect and direct signs include:

• A pediatrician diagnoses SARS 4 to 6 times a year.
• Even slight hypothermia can cause a cough or runny nose.
• The child is characterized by constant lethargy and drowsiness, unwillingness to participate in outdoor games.
• Headaches, allergies, skin rashes.
• Recovering from an illness in a baby takes a long time.
• High susceptibility to colds and other diseases.
• Atypical course of the disease.

It is interesting! Elements of hardening were used by Hippocrates, complexes to strengthen the immune system are included in the systems of yoga and many martial arts.

How often does your child get colds during the year?

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31.05.2018

We strengthen the health of the child

Often, increasing resistance to diseases does not require special financial costs and burdens. You can effectively strengthen the body's defenses by reviewing many habits, changing the lifestyle of the family as a whole, for example:

• Change or diversify your diet. There is an expression that immunity is hidden in the intestines. Its microflora is maintained at the proper level by eating certain foods: fermented milk products containing prebiotics, berries, fresh fruits, vegetables, especially the cruciferous family: cabbage, radish, turnip.
• Increase physical activity especially in nature. Among other things, swimming is especially useful.
• Review the period of wakefulness and sleep: go to bed and get up in accordance with the natural human biorhythms.
• Provide vitamin therapy especially during transitional periods and at the peak of epidemics. You can enrich the menu with useful substances by adding herbal teas, honey and bee products, citrus fruits, dried fruits. It is desirable that they be on the family table daily.
• temper the child. For those who doubt the effectiveness of the method or simply do not know where to start, how to temper a child correctly, you can familiarize yourself with various methods and scientific data confirming the beneficial result of the procedures.

But, Dr. Komarovsky believes that children do not need to be hardened. Take a look and see for yourself.

The benefits of hardening

An increase in immunobiological resistance during cold procedures was proven in the last century by academician Ilya Arshavsky. He is the author of numerous publications on child physiology. The Nikitins, who subsequently developed their own system of education, established a relationship between hardening and a decrease in the manifestations of allergies. The following effects of hardening measures include:

• Stabilization of the nervous and endocrine systems. The effects of stress, overwork, increased psycho-emotional stress are reduced.
• Improving the functioning of the circulatory system increases tone, improves the condition of the skin, protects against varicose veins.
• Increasing immunity to cold-related diseases when external factors change: lowering the temperature, increasing wind, and others.
• The course of the disease in hardened babies is much easier and shorter in duration. Less chance of complications.

General rules

Before starting the procedure, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician and an immunologist for congenital pathologies or acquired diseases. Methods and general rules can be discussed with the children's doctor. Based on the advice of the doctor and the chosen technique, draw up a plan of action.

For parents who are hardening their baby for the first time, there are the following recommendations:

• sick child procedures cannot be. You need to wait for a full recovery.
• Tempering procedures need to be accustomed very carefully otherwise the child will catch a cold and will have to be treated.
• First you need to master one type of hardening, in about a week, you can make changes to the schedule of hardening procedures. Let the baby adapt.
• It is optimal to start hardening in late spring: at this time, the peak of colds has passed and the child will have a lot of time to prepare for the autumn cold. Be careful with water activities, it is advisable to start them in the summer.
• At the initial stage, the fluctuation of the water or air temperature should be 2 - 3 degrees.
• Take a break from procedures for two days every two weeks.
• Combine treatments with walks, being in nature, playing sports, optimize sleep patterns.

Advice! The kid is more willing to take part in the procedures if mom and dad show him an example. Yes, and it is more convenient to switch to a healthy lifestyle for the whole family.

Passive hardening

To improve the health of the child, it is not necessary to take radical measures. Hardening involves the rejection of the greenhouse conditions in which the baby is kept. It is enough to slightly change the usual way of life regarding the following aspects:

• The habit of dressing warmly. Both excess clothing and its absence are harmful. An extra layer of fabric leads to overheating, the frequent stay of the baby in the same underwear in a cool room leads to disruptions in the operation of heat capacity systems.
• Walking at home in shoes. The connection between the feet and the nasopharynx and throat has long been noticed. By teaching a preschooler to walk barefoot, parents not only train his resistance to colds, but also prevent flat feet.
• Temperature and air circulation in the room. Rooms where children are kept must have a temperature not exceeding 22 degrees, depending on the purpose of the room and the age of the children, this figure may vary. Frequent ventilation without drafts is necessary.
• Walking on the street. Staying outdoors should be regular, its duration depends on the age of the baby and weather conditions.

Active hardening. Memo to parents

Active hardening methods include: procedures using water: wiping, bathing, swimming, dousing; air and sun baths, sports exercises, massage.

Table 1. Instructions for carrying out procedures for active hardening of children up to 3 years.

Procedure name		Duration
Walk	During the day	2 times a day for 2 hours
daytime sleep	Before or after noon	2 - 3 hours a day depending on age
sunbathing		Up to a year - 1 - 2 minutes, after a year - up to 20 minutes
Air baths	During the day	According to weather conditions, home environment, 2 minutes to unlimited time
rubdowns	After sleep	1 - 2 minutes
Water procedures		Depends on the age category and purpose of the procedure. It is recommended to swim in open water from the age of one year for 5 - 7 minutes
Gymnastics and active games		At least 5 - 10 minutes
Massage		From 5 to 15 minutes, therapeutic massage - according to indications

table 2. Active hardening program for children 3 to 8 years old.

Procedure name	What time of day to spend	Duration
Walk	During the day	2 times a day for 2 - 3 hours
daytime sleep	Before or after noon	1 - 1.5 hours per day
sunbathing	Before 11 am and after 4 pm	10 - 40 minutes
Air baths	During the day	According to weather conditions, home environment, 20 minutes to unlimited time
rubdowns	After sleep	2 - 3 minutes
Water procedures	In the morning, after physical activity, in the evening - to relieve tension	Depends on age and purpose: the optimal bathing time is 10 minutes
Gymnastics and active games	In the morning and during the day, an hour after eating	From 15 minutes plus specialized workload
Massage	Morning or evening, an hour after eating	5 to 15 minutes

Advice! A simple way to harden is to gargle with cool water with the addition of salt.

Water procedures

The most commonly recommended and gentle way is rubbing. Suitable even for babies. The procedure requires a natural soft tissue. Usually used after waking up, first use warm water, just below body temperature, then gradually reduce it by 1 - 2 degrees. With a wet cloth, rub the skin of the baby very carefully.

After the child is accustomed to daily rubdowns, you can start with douche of hands and feet. At first temperature should not be less than 33 degrees. As the child adapts from warm water, you need to gradually switch to cold water, it is useful to use a contrast shower (after a year and a half). The process should be gradual.

Proponents recommend starting 2-3 weeks after birth. Children from one year old can swim in a home bath, an open pond, a swimming pool. The temperature and duration of classes depend on the age of the child and the time of year.

Magic path - an unconventional way

This method combines foot massage, exercise, aromatherapy and water treatments. To carry it out, you need to pour warm water into the bath. temperature 36 - 37 degrees. To stimulate active points located on the feet, place a massage mat and medium-sized pebbles and sand on the bottom. Add aromatic salt with pine or eucalyptus concentrate.

Step by step procedure:

1. Invite your child to walk and jump along the path.
2. Continue walking for 10 minutes.
3. Make sure the baby doesn't freeze.
4. After charging, wash your feet and dry with a towel.

Gradually increase the duration of the lesson, bring it up to 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature by 1 - 2 degrees, but do not use completely ice water.

Advice! In order for the child to inhale beneficial essential oils and salt vapors more often, invite him to sing a song or recite a poem together.

For example, this:

We are not afraid of the weather,

And in the winter cold, and in the summer heat,

We take health from nature,

And we wash away the diseases with cold water.

Air baths

The method can be used both at home and on the street. Indoors, when changing clothes for a baby, do not rush to wrap him up quickly. If warm, leave naked for two minutes. Repeat 2-3 times a day. If the baby is in order, after a while you can increase the duration of the air baths. The procedure can also be arranged outdoors during a hot period.

In warm summer weather, the baby should not have extra clothes. Naked or in one underwear, the child can be at hours when the sun is not too active.

sunbathing

This type of hardening is useful to combine with the previous one. A baby without clothes in the sun should be up to 2 minutes, a one-year-old butuz under the sun can stay up to 20 minutes. Be sure to wear a head covering that covers your face and eyes.

Gymnastics and exercises

Morning exercises will be useful for both active kids and small couch potatoes. Its goal is to stretch the muscles, warm them up, activate the work of all body systems. Adults will also have to do exercises: children are reluctant to do sets of exercises on their own, even if they are designed in the form of a bright video.

Walking with the baby, encourage him to participate in active games, and the younger student and teenager need regular sports.

Contraindications

Elements of passive hardening: walking, washing, air baths within reasonable limits will be useful for ailments. Hardening of children is not recommended in the following cases:

• with asthma, other respiratory diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis;
• if the crumbs have III-IV degree adenoids;
• with diseases of the heart and kidneys;
• water procedures should not be carried out if the integrity of the skin is violated;
• with diseases of a viral and infectious nature;
• with violations in the work of the nervous system;
• after vaccinations and any medical interventions;
• during the adaptation period of getting used to kindergarten or school;
• ask the teacher if there was a quarantine in the kindergarten; if there is a threat of contracting a contagious disease: influenza, chickenpox, especially neuroinfections, hardening should be postponed.

In any case of deviations in the development of the baby, a violation of health, a conversation with a pediatrician is necessary, a consultation with an immunologist before the introduction of hardening procedures.

look useful and detailed transmission about the methods of hardening children.

Most pediatricians, in particular the well-known doctor Komarovsky, believe that one-time procedures with hardening elements will not give a special effect, the baby will still get sick.

It is necessary to create conditions under which the adaptive systems of the body will function naturally. Here are a few tips to make the healing process enjoyable and safe for the whole family:

• consider individual characteristics baby;
• carry out hardening in a playful way;
• act step by step;
• feed your child at will, give as much as the baby wants;
• do not overheat;
• do not expose sudden changes in temperature the genital area, especially in boys, is fraught with reproductive dysfunction;
• keep the principle sequence and gradual;
• reduce the use of household chemicals;
• focus on the child's behavior A: Everyone's personality is different.

Note to moms: the baby will be much healthier if he feels that he is loved and needed, and the atmosphere in the family is much more important than temperature conditions.

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