Keeping Babies Safe from Common Winter Infections

An estimated 600,000 babies in the UK will be celebrating their first Christmas this December and whilst the festive period is a time to socialise with family and friends, too much exposure could put babies at a serious risk of infection.

GP, Dr Alexis Missick, who works with UK Meds, the UK’s leading online pharmaceutical company, shares her advice to new parents this Christmas on how to keep babies safe and healthy. She is also sharing the most common infections for babies to pick up and when to seek medical treatment.

Babies immune systems

When babies are first born, their immune systems are weaker, so it is advised to wait two to three months before exposing them to a larger group of people. Babies can be more susceptible to infectious diseases, and infections are often more serious in babies than they are in older children and adults who have stronger immune systems.

New parents should be mindful going into the festive period to limit unnecessary contact between their baby and people carrying any infectious disease, even if it is just a minor cold. Those coming into contact with the baby should wash their hands before touching or carrying them to prevent the spread of disease.

Keeping public outings to a minimum in the first few weeks is also advised, particularly during the colder months when more people are carrying colds and socialising in unventilated spaces.

Parents who have given birth in the weeks leading up to Christmas should consider making their celebrations more intimateas the more people a baby is exposed to the more likely they are to pick up an illness.

It is important to keep babies hydrated during the winter with plenty of breast milk or formula as this helps to thin out any mucus and provides them with immune-boosting vitamins such as vitamin D, vitamin C and vitamin E.

There are several illnesses that babies can be more susceptible to:

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

This causes cold-like symptoms like coughing, sneezing and a high temperature. It can spread easily making it extremely common for babies to pick up during the winter. RSV causes 20 to 30 infant deaths each year so monitoring symptoms is very important.

Babies under the age of one are most at risk of catching RSV due to their weaker immune systems. Symptoms should not last longer than 2-3 weeks but contacting a healthcare adviser if your baby shows symptoms is advised.

Pregnant mothers in the UK are offered an RSV jab which significantly decreases the chance of infection for them or their child. Other methods of prevention include having good hygiene and making sure to regularly wash hands during the winter months.

Norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus causing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. It is common during the winter, particularly among babies as they have weaker immune systems and can become dehydrated more easily.

Because babies are at a high risk of dehydration, it is important to check for symptoms like persistent high fever, dry lips and mouth or a lack of wet nappies. In these instances, a doctor should be contacted immediately.

Influenza

During the winter months, everyone is more susceptible to the flu. Haemophilus influenza is the leading virus causing cold and flu, other viruses include rhinoviruses, and Parainfluenza to name a few. They are easily spread from person to person through the air (coughing and sneezing), and contact (our hands), causing symptoms like coughing, sneezing, runny nose and a low-grade fever. People are more likely to get ill during the winter due to a weakened immune system, lack of vitamin D, lack of ventilated spaces and spending more time indoors with others.

Newborn babies are particularly vulnerable to catching the flu because their immune systems are not fully formed and cases of the flu are far more dangerous for them. If your baby shows signs of the flu, keep them hydrated and contact your doctor.