Coughing and Sneezing Also Have Rules!

Mommy, have you ever seen a poster about the correct ways to sneeze or cough at a health facility? Yes, it turns out that coughing and sneezing must be done according to the rules. Mommy must teach it to the Little One from an early age. One of these healthy habits is very important because it can educate your Little One to break the transmission of various diseases, and train them to care about their family and friends around them. This is the reason why teaching the Little One to cough and sneeze properly must be done by Daddy and Mommy at home.

Some diseases such as colds, influenza, smallpox, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), tuberculosis, and various other serious respiratory diseases circulate through the air. The germs that cause the disease, come out of the patient's body through sneezing or coughing that is not closed properly. Germs that are in the air will reach other people's bodies and then develop into diseases if the person's immune system is not good.

The spread of this type of disease or also called airborne diseases can be reduced if everyone in the community practices good and correct respiration (cough and runny nose) procedures.

Directly or indirectly, a person's health is influenced by the level of health of the surrounding environment. Therefore, Mommy can not be trivial about teaching the Little One about the variety of healthy habits from an early age. We cannot be ignorant and do not care about environmental health because it will harm many parties.

What are the healthy habits that we should apply everyday? Please check the following:

• Stay home while suffering from an infectious disease. Including when your Little One has cold (cough and runny nose), don't let him/her go to school just because he/she feels bored resting at home.
• Limit close contact with other people who are sick
• Wear a mask when suffering from a respiratory infection
• Frequent hand washing, especially after using the bathroom

In addition, another important healthy habit that must be done is to teach your Little One to cough and sneeze properly. Teach your Little One to cough and sneeze properly using the following methods:

1. When you feel that you want to cough or sneeze, cover the nose and mouth of your Little One using disposable wipes. Then, remove the used tissue after coughing or sneezing.
2. If there are no tissues, cover your nose and mouth using the inner elbow.
3. Do not cover the cough or sneeze using the palm of the hand because the palms are often used to touch various surfaces and cause germs to move to the surface.
4. If you accidentally cover your cough or sneeze using your palm, wash your hands immediately before touching anything. Your Little One should also regularly wash your hands using soap when he/she is sick with a cough or runny nose, after using the toilet, and before eating.

If everyone is accustomed to practicing healthy habits, then the rate of transmission of the disease transmitted by air will decrease. Another healthy habit that must be considered is ensuring that your Little One gets nutritional intake according to his needs.

Nutrition that Mommy gives should contain lactoferrin, a protein that binds to iron. Lactoferrin has various functions including as an antimicrobial, a regulator of iron absorption in the intestine, a regulator of cell growth, and a regulator of the body's immune system. Lactoferrin works on white blood cells to provide immunity. This nutrient makes your Little One not to be infected more seriously by the viruses and bacteria in the digestive and respiratory tract. Your Little One will be prevented from having diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections, coughs, colds, even ARI (Acute Respiratory Tract).