Hardening children: methods, principles, types of hardening

Every mother wants her baby to get sick less often and grow healthy and strong. But when they start attending kindergarten, most children begin to get sick without a break. One of the most effective ways to increase your baby’s resistance to viruses is to start hardening him. Pediatricians are sure: the sooner you start accustoming your child to environmental influences, the better. Today we will talk about the basic rules of hardening, find out where to start, what types of procedures exist and whether they have contraindications.

What is hardening

Procedures to strengthen the immune system are not just an occasional dousing with cold water. Hardening children is a whole range of activities that helps them gradually get used to irritating effects. Its goal is to teach the body to respond to changes in the external environment.

Our immunity, or more precisely, the barrier functions of the mucous membranes and skin, helps us stay healthy. Children's defense mechanisms against viruses are still imperfect. If a child is kept in “greenhouse” conditions, the body does not have to resist the effects of stress. The protective functions weaken, and the baby gets sick from the slightest breeze. With proper hardening, you can strengthen the body’s natural defense against viruses and “teach” it to withstand stress. It is important to know that a person becomes healthier not from the cold, but from gradually getting used to temperature changes.

Why do you need to harden your kids?

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of hardening for a growing organism. Preschool children who are not afraid of the cold get sick less, which means they develop better and communicate more with their peers. A seasoned child is unlikely to get sick while airing the room, from eating ice cream, or if he sweats during a walk.

Home hardening involves not only regular procedures, but sometimes also a change in lifestyle. Unfortunately, not all adults are ready to adapt to the new regime, but it is by our own example that we show the child what is good and what is bad.

And yet, hardening does not completely eliminate the possibility of ARVI. No matter how strong the immune system is, no person can be 100% immune from the effects of viruses. However, a hardened body will more easily tolerate an infection and cope with it faster.

Taking off our shoes

And finally, foot stimulation (check with your pediatrician first about the benefits of this procedure for your baby). This is the easiest thing: just let the baby run barefoot - on the grass, on the sand, on the pebbles. If the baby does not yet walk or even stand on his feet, he can be bounced in piles on different textured surfaces and special massage mats. However, be careful: the surface on which the baby will run barefoot must be safe. If you suspect that there may be insects in the grass, or sharp objects, such as glass, in the sand, do not take risks; it is better to put on your baby’s shoes.

In fact, summer hardening for a baby is not difficult. Just walk, play and swim. And don’t forget that you need to do this regularly.

Hardening rules

If you are determined to start strengthening your baby’s immunity, you need to act wisely. When choosing the appropriate way to accustom your child to temperature changes, follow a few general rules.

The main thing is attitude! No hardening manipulations should be carried out with an unprepared child. At the very least, the baby will get scared and cry, and you will lose your decisive spirit and, most likely, give up your attempts. Explain to the baby what you will do, tell at the simplest level why you need to toughen up. It is best to show by example that there is nothing terrible in cold water or air. And most importantly: do not do with your child anything that you are not ready to try on yourself. Not a single hardening specialist, teacher or pediatrician will tell you how a person feels when he is doused with cold water for the first time. You can only feel it for yourself.

Regularity of procedures. Often, parents successfully begin to harden their child, and the baby initially takes the procedures calmly. But over time, he begins to be capricious, cry, and refuse to perform seemingly habitual actions. It should be remembered that even a short break will nullify all your efforts. It is believed that after 7–10 days without procedures, the adaptation effect disappears. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the chosen scheme if the baby is healthy and the cause of the whims is not poor health.

In this case, parents need to show resourcefulness and ingenuity: carry out procedures in a playful way, change the time, methods of hardening, etc. You, like no one else, know your child and will be able to find the right approach to him. Some children quickly fall asleep after hardening procedures, while others, on the contrary, become overexcited. It is better for the latter to transfer all manipulations to the morning hours to help wake up and recharge with vigor.

Gradualism. Start with a small area of ​​skin, preferably your feet or hands. Gradually increase the area and lastly move to the back and chest. Also increase the exposure time gradually. You need to start literally in a few seconds. A sure sign that everything is going well is the baby’s well-being and lack of anxiety.

Individual approach. During any procedure, do not blindly trust anyone’s advice (except your doctor); be sure to take into account the characteristics of your child. All children can be divided into several groups:

• conditionally healthy,
• with functional impairments,
• with chronic diseases,
• weakened and in the period after illness or injury,
• having a number of contraindications.

For children belonging to groups 3 and 4, the temperature of the air and water during hardening should be 2–4 degrees higher at each stage. The area of ​​influence on the skin also needs to be increased 2 times slower. Consultation with a pediatrician is required.

Complexity. Don't limit yourself to just one hardening method. If you choose cool water as an irritant, vary the techniques: use dousing, wiping, or a contrast shower. This approach will help maintain the child’s interest in the procedures and allow the body to adapt to a variety of external conditions.

The beginning of hardening a child should not occur at the moment when the baby is sick; it is also better to wait out the period of the flu epidemic, which usually takes place in January-February. Violation of these principles can lead to the most unpleasant consequences. At a minimum, your efforts will be in vain; if the outcome is unfavorable, you risk exhausting the body’s adaptive resources. The fact that you are doing everything right is indicated by the baby’s good mood, healthy sleep, and normal appetite.

Hardening is a system of special training of the body's thermoregulatory processes, which includes procedures aimed at increasing the body's resistance to hypothermia or overheating.

Under the influence of various environmental factors, a complex physiological complex of responses occurs in the body, in which not individual organs participate, but functional systems organized in a certain way and subordinate to each other, aimed at maintaining body temperature at a constant level.

Hardening is based on regular training of the body to changes in ambient temperature.

Many preschoolers often suffer from colds. These diseases negatively affect the child's health and sometimes become the cause of his chronic ailments in subsequent years.

There are two opposing trends in ways to prevent colds in children. One is to prevent the child from becoming ill by providing him with constant conditions. The child does not suffer from colds only because he is always in greenhouse conditions: he is wrapped up, not allowed to move vigorously so as not to sweat, and protected from the slightest breath of wind. If your feet are cold upon returning from a walk, take a hot foot bath. The body's defenses are not used or trained in any way. Such a child, finding himself in more severe conditions, instantly catches a cold.

Another way to prevent colds is hardening, which helps increase the body's immune defense.

Hardening is an important element of a healthy lifestyle for a person at any age. But it is of particular importance for children whose bodies have not yet developed the ability to quickly adequately respond to sudden changes in environmental conditions. Children overheat and become hypothermic faster than adults and are more sensitive to humidity and ultraviolet rays.

The appropriate use of air, sun and water helps the child develop adaptive reactions to changing external environmental conditions.

The experience of family education convincingly demonstrates: where hardening of a child is carried out methodically and systematically, there is a sharp decrease in the frequency of colds.

Principles of hardening preschool children

The only and most effective means of training and improving the protective mechanisms of the human body and increasing its resistance to cold is hardening.

Hardening is an active process. It involves the deliberate use of natural cold influences in order to train all the body's defense mechanisms, and in particular, training the physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation, ensuring the maintenance of body temperature at a relatively constant level, regardless of the external environment (air and water).

When cooling the body or parts of the body, it is advisable to know certain stages in the skin reaction. The first of them, whitening, is associated with a reduction in the lumen of the skin vessels, the formation of “goose bumps” and the appearance of the so-called primary chills. Further cooling is accompanied by dilation of skin vessels and redness of the skin. She gets warm. This is the second stage. With moderate cooling, exposed parts of the body (face, hands) can remain in the second stage for a long time. A person does not feel the effects of cold. Continued cooling causes the appearance of the third stage - secondary chills. Its symptoms are as follows: the skin turns pale again and acquires a bluish tint. Its vessels are dilated, filled with blood, and their ability to contract is weakened. Heat production by chemical thermoregulation is insufficient. With secondary chills, hypothermia may occur and the disease may develop.

In unhardened and weakened children, the second stage may not appear, but the third stage may immediately occur - hypothermia with all the ensuing negative consequences.

Rubbing the skin and performing physical exercises after exposure to cold water increases the temperature of the skin, shortens the cooling time and prolongs the process of hardening. Therefore, the use of rubbing the skin before warming and the use of exercise after cooling treatments should be limited. Their use can be rational in the initial period of hardening when primary chills appear, and if there is resistance to cold, when secondary chills occur, i.e. to urgently stop cooling.

It has been established that, to a greater extent, the main cause of colds is not the strong and sharp effect of cold, but the slow and weak cooling of part of the skin surface. Short but sharp temperature changes (10-15°C) lead to a rapid recovery of the temperature of the cooled area.

To develop optimal resistance of the body to various cooling conditions, it is advisable to perform training with the widest possible range of temperature changes in time and force of influence. Insufficient intensity and short duration of exposure to cold do not lead to the development of resistance to cooling in humans.

Currently, science - physiology, hygiene, medicine, pedagogy - has quite objective material indicating the need to harden children. However, it must be said that hardening is not an end in itself. It serves as a valuable means of preserving and strengthening the health of children and promoting their comprehensive development.

Knowing all the above-mentioned patterns of formation of hardening processes in the body, we can identify a number of rules, without compliance with which hardening procedures will not only not bring benefit, but can also cause harm.

Let us list the basic principles of hardening:

1. Regularity. Without regularity, any hardening is ineffective, and the results achieved are reduced. It is best to conduct daily classes at the same time of day;
2. Gradualism. A gradual increase in load and a gradual transition to stronger forms of hardening allow, albeit more slowly, but more confidently, to achieve the desired result. You cannot sharply increase the duration and strength of hardening effects. Violation of the principle of gradualness can cause hypothermia and illness in the child;
3. Intensity. The force of influence should be higher than the usual temperature norms of the permanent habitat. The more intense the impact, the brighter the body’s response;
4. Combination of general and local cooling. For example, when pouring the feet, the body remains unhardened, and conversely, pouring to the waist does not ensure the resistance of the feet to the cold. Optimal resistance of the body occurs when alternating general hardening procedures with local ones aimed at the areas most sensitive to the effects of cold (feet, nasopharynx, lower back);
5. Complexity. The effectiveness of hardening procedures increases if they are carried out comprehensively. This means that hardening procedures should be perceived more broadly than just dousing with water. This includes walking, running, sleeping in the fresh air, and a bath. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle increases the effectiveness of hardening procedures;
6. The child should like the procedure and evoke positive emotions. The sensations should remain on the verge of pleasantness. Here it is also important to take into account the child’s individuality and his state of health;
7. Hardening should begin in a state of complete health. Hardening procedures cannot be started if the child is sick.

Means and methods of hardening preschool children

Depending on the choice of natural factor, the following hardening agents can be distinguished: air, sun, water.

In hardening, non-special and special methods can be distinguished. Non-special methods mean creating appropriate conditions for hardening preschool children - clothing appropriate for the weather, clean fresh air and its temperature. Special methods are directly hardening measures.

1. Air hardening

Air hardening is the simplest and most affordable method of hardening. A hardening effect on the body is exerted by such characteristics as temperature, percentage of moisture and particle movement.

Air hardening procedures are included in the normal daily routine:

• changing a child's clothes;
• morning exercises, barefoot walking and light jogging along the “health path”;
• sleep in a well-ventilated bedroom with access to fresh air (open windows);
• through ventilation of the room up to 5 times a day;
• maintaining optimal temperature in the room (18-22°C);
• daily walks in the fresh air for 3-4 hours in winter and all day in summer.

Morning exercises can be carried out at an air temperature of +18°C with a gradual decrease over several days to 14°C, and then to 12°C.

It is harmful for young children to walk barefoot on a hard surface for a long time: after all, their arches are still developing, and due to rigid support, existing disorders may worsen or develop flat feet.

So here, too, everything needs to be dosed. Let your child run, for example, while doing physical exercises. Or, if you have thick carpet on the floor, allow your baby to walk on it barefoot.

If you have the opportunity to go out into nature in the summer, where there is clean grass, sand, earth, and the environment is not dangerous, then you can allow your child to walk barefoot.

Air hardening is most intense during walks. Walking trains the child’s thermoregulatory mechanism, adapting it to fluctuations in temperature, humidity, and air movement. During walks, it is important to monitor the child’s condition and regulate his physical activity. It’s good if air baths are combined with outdoor games.

Clothes for walking should be warm enough and at the same time light so as not to restrict active movements. If the child is sweating, he needs to be taken home and changed clothes, because... clothes drying on a child cause hypothermia. In the spring, when a child plays outside, you can take off his coat for a short time (5-7 minutes).

The effectiveness of air baths depends not only on the decrease in temperature, but also increases with increasing area of ​​the open surface of the body.

1. Sun hardening

The sun affects the human body in the same way as it does all living things. It stimulates growth, accelerates metabolic processes, strengthens the nervous system, and increases the body's resistance to infections. Sun rays are a rather intense and dangerous hardening factor. Excessive exposure to direct sunlight can cause various undesirable reactions - from weakness and malaise to sunstroke.

They begin hardening with the sun in the shade of trees, then move on to local sunbathing of individual parts of the body (arms, legs), gradually increasing the duration of sunbathing. The most favorable time for sunbathing is from 8 to 11 am. After tanning, the duration of exposure to the sun increases to 8-10 minutes 2-3 times per walk.

The child's head should be constantly protected from the sun's rays with a light-colored Panama hat, and clothing made from natural materials in light colors. In the hot summer laziness, kids definitely need something to drink (water).

Moderate, hygienically correct solar radiation improves the functioning of internal organs and all body systems.

1. Water hardening

Water is the most powerful hardening factor. Water procedures help the child’s body adapt well to environmental conditions, especially cold. Water procedures teach skin vessels to expand (the effect of warm water), releasing excess heat into the air, or to contract (the effect of cold water), i.e., retain heat and thus protect the body from hypothermia.

For preschool children, hand washing must be included in the daily routine - in the morning, before and after meals, after using the toilet and going for a walk. In addition to its hygienic value, washing hands with cool water plays a hardening role. After a while, you can expand the water hardening regime - alternately wash your hands up to the elbows, neck and face with warm and cold water. In the autumn-winter period, morning washing, washing children, washing hands before eating, washing feet before bed can be used as local hardening procedures.

One option for local hardening of the oropharynx is gargling with cool water after eating. Gargling is carried out with boiled water with a gradual decrease in its temperature from 36 to 16-18 ° C by 1 ° C every 5 days.

Rinsing is especially useful for weakened and often ill children. The initial water temperature is the same for them, but it must be reduced more slowly - every 7 days. If the child is sick, do not stop rinsing, but the water temperature should not be reduced. It is better to gargle with water that is warmer, one degree higher than before the disease.

According to reviews, after a series of such rinses, the incidence of inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx decreases.

Special hardening water procedures include:

1. Rubdown

It is recommended to begin general water hardening in children by wiping the body with a damp terry mitten. First wipe the hands (from the fingers to the body), then the neck, chest, stomach, legs, back. After this, the child is immediately wiped dry until the skin becomes slightly red.

Wet rubbing is the easiest of all water procedures. The initial temperature during rubbing is 34-35°C. Within 10-15 days it is reduced to 24°C in winter and 22°C in summer. The duration of the procedure is up to 3 minutes. At the end there is a dry rubdown.

Wiping the feet with a towel moistened with cool water is a recommended daily procedure for weakened children.

After wiping, you can move on to dousing.

1. Pouring

With this type of hardening of preschool children, such as dousing, gradualness is especially important. To get used to it, start dousing from the feet, gradually rising higher.

Experts believe: “The network of blood vessels located under the skin of the lower extremities plays a significant role in the overall thermoregulation of the body. A reflex relationship has been established between the tone and lumen size of the subcutaneous blood vessels of the legs (feet and legs) and the blood vessels located in the mucous membrane of the nose and upper respiratory tract. Apparently, it is precisely this reflex connection that explains why, when the legs suddenly cool down, an unhardened person develops a runny nose.”

We use this reflex connection to prevent colds.

When pouring feet, the initial water temperature is 30-28°C. Every 4-6 days, and for weakened children - every 7 days, the temperature is reduced by 1°C and brought to 16-14°C.

It is necessary to ensure that the child’s feet are warm before starting dousing. If the feet are cold, dousing is useless - there will be no response. It is better to pour water on your feet immediately after sleep. After dousing, the feet are dried and rubbed well with a towel.

Contrasting douches can also be used. For weakened children who often suffer from acute respiratory infections, a gentle dousing regime is recommended, when they first pour warm water (38-36°C) over their feet, then 28°C and finish with warm water again. For healthy children, a higher contrast is recommended (38 - 18°C).

You can use contrasting douches for the hands. The temperature regime is the same as when dousing the feet.

Contrast douches can be replaced with foot baths. Warm water (38-36°C) is poured into one basin, and cool water (28°C at the beginning of hardening) is poured into the other. Every 4-6 days, the water temperature in the second basin decreases by 1°C and is gradually brought up to 22-20°C.

General body douches are carried out with water with an initial temperature of 36°C, the duration of the first douche is 15 seconds. Subsequently, the water temperature gradually decreases by 1°C every 7 days, and the duration increases to 35 seconds. The water temperature is gradually adjusted to 22-20°C.

First, they pour mainly on the back, then the chest, stomach, right and left side. You need to douse yourself with cold water 2 times a day.

Water procedures should be carried out in such a way that children enjoy them and like them. This depends on a lot: on the temperature of the water, on the force with which it falls, but to a very large extent on whether the adult knows how to turn the procedure into a kind of fun game.

In summer you can shower outdoors, in cool seasons - indoors. Finish the procedure with dry rubbing.

In addition to dousing, hardening water procedures include swimming in natural reservoirs.

1. Bathing

Swimming in a river, lake, sea, due to the simultaneous effect of water, air and sunlight on the body, as well as the harmonious combination of pleasant and useful, greatly contributes to the hardening of the body.

It is recommended to start the swimming season at an air temperature of 24-26°C, and a water temperature of at least 21°C. The average bathing time for children under 5 years old is 5-8 minutes, for 6-7 years old - 10-15 minutes. During the summer, this duration can be increased. When the child gets used to water at this temperature, he can swim in colder water (up to 18 ° C) on cool, rainy days. Let him dip only 2-3 times, then wipe himself dry, but still not be deprived of bathing.

How to determine whether a child has been “overbought”? A significant indicator is the child’s reaction to being in water. If he turns pale, his lips turn blue, his skin is “goose bumps,” then he should immediately get out of the water and rub himself well with a towel and warm up with movements.

In case of illness of a child, hardening procedures are resumed using a gentle regimen 1-2 weeks after complete recovery, depending on the nature of the disease. The water temperature should be 2-3 degrees higher than before the child became ill.

If hardening a child has been carried out for more than a year, we can recommend a combination of water procedures followed by air baths, first in the room, and in the summer in the open air. After dousing or showering, do not wipe your child dry. Remove only large drops of water with light touches of a terry towel. Let him dry while remaining naked: as a result of the evaporation of moisture, the body further cools.

But you cannot allow the child to tremble. If he is cold and needs a light massage, rub him with a towel. Repeat the dousing followed by an air bath for several days, and the child will get used to it; no additional warming will be required. You cannot start hardening with this procedure.

The child’s thermoregulatory mechanisms are trained under the influence of both strong, but short-term cooling and relatively weak, but longer-term cooling. In addition, researchers have found that hardening is most effective when not only individual areas of the body are cooled, but the entire body. This means that contrasting foot baths or douses alone, for all their benefits, will not give the maximum effect.

If we schematically represent the sequence of hardening procedures, we get the following diagram:

• air baths, walking barefoot along the “health path” and washing with cold water;
• pouring cold water over the feet, legs, legs from the hips;
• pouring cold water over the whole body;
• preparing to go out into the frosty air, stomping on a frozen towel, going out into the snow.

This is how, slowly, you can gradually approach the use of such extreme hardening methods as going out into the air with sub-zero temperatures, walking and running in the snow barefoot, and dousing with ice water. The question may arise: “Are such extreme hardening methods necessary?” The answer lies in the principle of intensity. Our body constantly receives a huge amount of information regarding interaction with the external environment. In order for the cold signal to contribute to better mobilization of protective forces, it must be bright and stand out from the general flow of information.

It is important to note that when carrying out hardening, you should constantly remember the individual approach and the state of health of the children. If a child missed hardening procedures due to illness, then at first he receives weaker cold loads. And 2-3 days after complete recovery, intensive hardening is not carried out with the child.

Hardening must be carried out against a good emotional background, in a playful way, with the obligatory encouragement of children, rejoicing with them in their victories over themselves.

Conclusion

The goal of health-improving activities is to maintain, develop and strengthen the child’s body’s defenses, teach it to withstand unfavorable environmental factors, and improve the thermoregulation system.

Hardening increases the body's resistance to respiratory diseases, the occurrence of which is associated with a cold.

It is important that hardening is carried out all year round. With long breaks in hardening, its effect is reduced or lost completely.

Hardening should begin gradually. It is dangerous to artificially accelerate it - the effect may be exactly the opposite. You should always start with simpler procedures (air and sun baths), gradually moving on to more powerful ones (rubbing, dousing with cold water).

Children should begin to harden only when they are healthy. Even for a healthy body, hardening procedures are stressful for the first time, and the condition of a sick child may worsen against their background.

The hardening program should be built individually for each child. The intensity, frequency and duration of all hardening procedures should be increased gradually, observing how the baby endured the previous load.

The optimal solution would be to include a set of hardening activities into the child’s daily routine, and also combine them with other activities, for example, while walking or doing physical exercises.

All hardening procedures are performed in a conscious form, with elements of play. Before this, a short-term adjustment is carried out with the children, which is aimed at creating a good emotional state, because this determines how they react to hardening and will directly affect its regularity.

Parents need to familiarize themselves with their child’s medical record, consult with a doctor, and based on this, think through and develop a methodology for the hardening system they decide to follow for a period of at least six months.

Experimenting on your own child is unacceptable. You can’t just hear on the radio, TV, or watch how a neighbor’s child is being hardened, and start doing the same procedures with your baby.

Hardening, as part of a healthy lifestyle, has a beneficial effect not only on physical, but also on mental and moral health. No wonder they say “a healthy mind in a healthy body.” By trying to carry out hardening procedures every day, the child’s strong-willed qualities develop and the awareness that his health largely depends on himself.

In maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the family plays the most important role, which should set an example for the child. Hardening should not be a goal; it should be part of a larger effort to develop a child’s desire to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Pediatrician Gusakova N.A.

Hardening stages

The hardening process can be divided into two periods:

• First stage. These are the first steps on the path to hardening, during which the body learns to respond to cold and develops a certain habit. At this time, the load should be increased gradually, in accordance with the chosen hardening method and the child’s well-being;
• supporting stage. During this period, the main efforts are aimed at maintaining the results obtained. A positive effect is achieved through regularity of procedures.

All hardening activities can be divided into general and special. General ones include maintaining a daily routine, hygiene standards, following the principles of proper nutrition, walking in the fresh air, and swimming. Following these simple rules is a proven means of increasing immunity and creating favorable conditions for the growth and development of a child. Special ones include more complex manipulations: hardening in air with the help of the sun and water procedures.

Methods of hardening children

Depending on the main hardening factors, experts distinguish:

• aerotherapy (hardening in air);
• hardening with water;
• heliotherapy (sun hardening).

Air baths

The basis of aerotherapy is taking air baths and walking in the fresh air. This is one of the most gentle hardening options, so it’s worth starting training the body with it. The maximum effect of aerotherapy is achieved in combination with sports activities. Tempering sessions can be carried out at home (open a window or window to ventilate the room and engage in simple physical exercises with your baby) and outdoors (arrange a short race or active games in the yard). It is recommended to start air hardening from +20–16°C, gradually reduce the temperature to +14°C.

Hardening children with water

A more intensive method of hardening is water procedures, which can be carried out in an ordinary city apartment. The most convenient time for water hardening is considered to be early in the morning: accustom your baby to a refreshing shower immediately after getting up or, even better, after morning exercises. Start strengthening procedures at 35°C and gradually reduce the water temperature to 10°C.

Hardening children with water can be done in several ways. At the initial stage, the wiping procedure is suitable - this is where you need to start training. Undress your baby to the waist and wipe his neck, chest, back and arms with a damp sponge. After this, rub your body dry with a towel - all this must be done within 5 minutes. After several procedures, you can begin rubbing the entire body - from head to toe.

After preparation by wiping, the child can be transferred to the next stage - dousing with water. At first, you can pour only the legs, and then gradually increase the area of ​​​​contact with water. When the baby gets used to local douches, accustom him to hardening in the shower - use cool water and a contrast shower for this. Remember: the cooler the water, the shorter the dousing time (1-2 minutes). At the end of the water session, rub your body until it turns red.

The apogee of water hardening is winter swimming - this procedure must be approached with extreme caution and under regular medical supervision.

Sun

Infrared and ultraviolet rays of the sun in a reasonable amount have a beneficial effect on the human body. They help improve the body's thermoregulation, and also help improve blood circulation and the production of vitamin D. Sun hardening involves taking short-term sunbathing in the morning (preferably before 10 am), starting with 5-minute sessions.

Another common hardening method is walking barefoot on wet grass and snow. This option is suitable for those who live in their own house, near which there is a well-kept courtyard. It is recommended to switch to this type of hardening after the baby gets used to dousing with water. At first, you should walk on wet grass and soil in socks, and after a while - barefoot. Hardening time is from 5 minutes, gradually increasing to 30–60 minutes.

Air hardening

Air baths are the first hardening procedure that is indicated for children from birth. From the first days of life, infants are kept naked for several minutes at a temperature of +22...+24 °C. Then the procedure time is gradually increased.

This method of hardening is applicable not only to newborns. It is useful for children aged 3 years to remain in their panties at room temperature. You can keep the window open if the day is not too windy. Start hardening in the summer, a few minutes a day, gradually increasing the time of air baths. To start, leave your child wearing light pants and a T-shirt. The first air bath can last about 5 minutes. At this time, the child should actively play and move. Sitting motionless in front of the TV screen will not bring any benefits.

Make sure your baby doesn't get cold. Signs such as chills and goosebumps indicate that the stress is too great, you have increased the duration of the air bath too sharply or have greatly reduced the temperature compared to the usual one. The child's behavior and well-being will indicate when it is time to complete the procedure. Gradually, your baby will learn to judge for himself whether he is warm or cold, but for now you must keep the situation under control.

To prevent your child from freezing, think in advance about what you want to play with him. Physical exercises with a ball, small dumbbells or a hoop are especially useful. Regular dancing or jumping are also suitable, the main thing is that the baby has fun and interesting.

Room temperature. It is equally important to constantly maintain a suitable temperature in the room. Even indoors, you need to make sure that the child is not too hot. The temperature in the room where the baby is located should not exceed 24 °C, ideally 20–22 °C. It is necessary to ventilate the room more often. Children, especially preschoolers, are sensitive to the lack of fresh air. In a stuffy, hot room, they become lethargic, irritable, their appetite decreases, and sleep is disturbed. In warm weather, it is better to keep the windows slightly open at all times. During cold weather, use winter ventilation or open the window slightly and do not forget to thoroughly ventilate the rooms several times a day.

Hardening at home

One of the leading measures to combat respiratory infections is hardening, which all parents, of course, have heard and read about more than once. However, many are skeptical about hardening, because they tried to harden the child - and nothing worked.

The basic principles of hardening are systematic, gradual, methodical, combined with strict and precise adherence to the daily routine. Is this achievable at home? Without a doubt! And the first thing parents should do is to reconsider their home life and way of life, their habits, even the style of relationships in the family.

The child needs a calm, friendly psychological climate. What is the connection with respiratory infections? I assure you, it is quite real. Quarrels and squabbles in the presence of a child contribute to the development of neurosis, and this significantly reduces the protective capabilities of the child’s body.

The bad habits of parents also cause a blow to the health of the child. It has been proven that children of smoking fathers and mothers suffer from bronchopulmonary diseases much more often than children of non-smokers. And if adult smokers give up cigarettes, it will be good for both themselves and the child.

The general routine of life is also very important. Unfortunately, in many families, especially young ones, the regime is neglected, and this inevitably harms the child.

According to our observations, children attending preschool institutions most often get sick after weekends and holidays. And this happens because at home the child is not provided with the regime to which he is accustomed, to which he was tuned in in kindergarten: they put him to bed later in the evening, cancel daytime sleep, replace walks with games at home, allow him to watch as many TV shows as he wants, and overfeed him with sweets. All this negatively affects the fragile child’s body, disrupts the functions of all its organs and systems, thereby inevitably weakening their protective mechanisms.

The child’s home regime should be a continuation of the regime in the child care facility, and if the child does not go to kindergarten, then at home he needs an age-appropriate and strictly observed daily routine. Without this, it is difficult to expect success from hardening.

Parents often ask the question: if what was commonly called a cold is actually a respiratory infection, then is it possible to protect against it by hardening? And if this is an infection, then why does the child get sick after he catches a cold, gets his feet wet, or is in a draft?

Why don’t all children get sick equally often? Yes, because the disease develops mainly when the body’s defenses are weakened. And cooling is one of the main weakening factors; it reduces both general and local immunity.

It has been established that the nasal mucosa in its normal state is poorly permeable to pathogens, but when the child cools down, its permeability increases. The protective functions of the mucous membrane of the entire nasopharynx and lower respiratory tract are also reduced. Under such conditions, not only “foreign” pathogens that have entered the body, but also our own, which previously lived peacefully in the respiratory tract, can acquire aggressive properties.

The point of hardening is that thanks to training, the body begins to respond to a decrease in ambient temperature with appropriate protective reactions - an increase in heat production and a decrease in heat transfer.

Hardening a frequently ill child requires, of course, great care and greater patience, because a lasting effect is usually not achieved immediately.

It is also important to keep in mind that it is not just a matter of hardening procedures; it is necessary to literally create conditions for the child around the clock that would facilitate the training of the heat-regulating mechanisms of his body. It is necessary not immediately, not abruptly, but to stop wrapping the child. Often sick children tend to sweat excessively, and you have often noticed when undressing your baby after a walk that his hands seem to be cold and his back is sweaty. Wet skin cools very quickly, and due to overheating, the child can also get sick.

Try to ensure that he is not dressed too warmly in the room, and does not constantly wear woolen socks, felt boots, or felt boots.

Do not be afraid of open windows - cool, fresh air is not the enemy, but the friend of a frequently ill child.

Teach him to wash himself properly, first with slightly warm and then cooler water.

Remember that a day without a walk is a lost day! And try to let your child, especially in the summer, spend as much time outdoors as possible.

Of the hardening procedures for a frequently ill child, air baths and contrast dousing of the legs are most suitable. In addition, he needs special breathing exercises - it improves blood and lymph circulation in the lungs and bronchi, provides better ventilation in the lungs, and improves respiratory function.

In the summer, you can add barefoot walking to the hardening procedures - at first not for long at all and only on warm sand or earth, then longer, and then on cool grass.

The child should like gymnastics and hardening. Try so that he does not perceive them as something forced or unpleasant, but does it joyfully and cheerfully. And it is very good if parents perform gymnastic exercises with their child every morning, giving them the character of a game.

Proper physical education is the main barrier against ARVI. But we must always remember about measures to protect against infection. Protect your child from contact with sick people. Try not to travel with him on public transport, especially during outbreaks of these diseases, avoid crowded places. If any family member is sick, isolate them. Even such a simple measure as a screen or curtain at the patient’s bedside more than halves the risk of infecting others.

If a child gets sick, it is important to provide proper care for him; this not only promotes a speedy recovery, but also reduces the risk of a new disease.

An approximate scheme for hardening children from 2 to 7 years old.

The air temperature in the room where the child is located is +200C - +180C.

1. Air bath – 10-15 minutes. The child moves, runs, dressed in panties, a T-shirt with short sleeves, slippers on bare feet or short socks. 6-7 minutes are allocated for gymnastic exercises.

2. Washing with water, the temperature from +28°C decreases by the end of the hardening year to +18°C in summer, and to +20°C in winter. Children over 2 years old wash their face, neck, arms up to the elbow, over 3 years old – the upper chest and arms above the elbow. The initial water temperature for children over 3 years old is +28 °C, and the minimum in summer is +16 °C, and in winter +18 °C.

3. Daytime sleep in the fresh air in summer, in winter - in a well-ventilated room at a temperature of +16 oC - +15 oC.

4. Walk 2 times a day at temperatures up to -15 ° C for a duration of 1-1.5 hours to 2-3 hours.

5. In summer, sunbathing from 5 to 10 minutes 2-3 times a day, staying in the fresh air in the shade is not limited.

6. Contrast dousing of the legs - feet and lower 3rd shin with water, temperature +38 °C, then +28 °C and again +38 °C (before daytime sleep). In summer, you can replace this procedure by pouring your feet after a walk with a gradual (every 5-7 days by 1 °C) decrease in water temperature from +28 °C to +18 °C, for children over 3 years old to +16 °C.

7. Rinse the mouth (children 2 - 4 years old), throat (children over 4 years old) with boiled water at room temperature with the addition of chamomile or sage infusion 2 times a day - morning and evening. Use about 1/3 cup of water for each rinse.

Water treatments

Water hardening is one of the most popular methods of strengthening the immune system. You can start the procedures at any time of the year, the main thing is that the room has the right temperature.

Rubdowns. This is the mildest hardening option, which has virtually no contraindications. Start by wiping with a soft, damp towel soaked in water at a comfortable temperature. To get started, take a look at the data in the table below. Gradually reduce the temperature by 1–2 °C. The duration of wiping should not exceed 2–4 minutes. After the procedure, the child should be dried with a towel until slightly red. Young children are first rubbed with a dry flannel, combining the procedure with an air bath. After two weeks, the diaper can be slightly moistened with warm water.

About the benefits and rules of hardening

Hardening is a system of preventive measures aimed at strengthening the body's resistance to adverse environmental factors. Health-improving hardening helps the body increase adaptation to environmental conditions, increases the body's endurance, strengthens the nervous system, increases immunity and resistance to disease.

Types of hardening

Aerotherapy – hardening with air. This type of hardening includes air baths and long walks in the fresh air. Fresh air hardens the body by cooling the skin receptors and nerve endings of the mucous membrane and thereby improves the body's thermoregulation. Air hardening is useful for a person’s psycho-emotional state, increasing immunity, saturating the body with oxygen, and thereby contributes to the normalization of the functioning of most organs and systems of the body. Air hardening is the simplest and most accessible hardening method. It is necessary to spend more time outdoors, regardless of the weather and time of year.

Heliotherapy – sun hardening, exposure of the body to sunlight and heat. Sun hardening increases the stability of the nervous system, accelerates the body's metabolic processes, increases the body's resistance, improves blood circulation, improves the functioning of the muscular system, and has a tonic effect on almost all functions of the body. Sun hardening can not only bring benefits, but also cause great harm, so this type of hardening must be treated very responsibly and follow all the rules of sun hardening. Under no circumstances should burns, overheating or heat stroke be allowed.

Walking barefoot. This type of hardening is useful for both children and adults. There are a large number of biologically active points on a person’s feet, which, when walking barefoot, are stimulated and help normalize the functioning of many organs and systems of the body. Walking barefoot increases the body's resistance to colds and improves immunity. This type of hardening is a good prevention of many diseases.

Hardening with water. Water hardening is a very beneficial procedure for the human body. During water hardening, blood circulation in the body occurs more intensively, bringing additional oxygen and nutrients to the organs and systems of the body. Water hardening can be divided into several types:

Rubbing. Rubbing is the most gentle and gentle of all hardening procedures with water. Rubbing can be used from very early childhood. Wiping can be done with a sponge, hand or towel dipped in water. First, they wipe the upper part of the body, then rub it with a dry towel, and then wipe the lower part of the body and also rub it with a dry towel.

Pouring. Pouring is a more effective procedure than wiping. The dousing can be general, that is, the whole body, or local, i.e. dousing the legs. After the dousing procedure, you need to rub your body with a dry towel.

Shower. Hardening with a shower is an even more effective hardening procedure than wiping and dousing. There are two options for hardening with a shower: a cool (cold) shower and a contrast shower.

Therapeutic bathing and winter swimming. This type of water hardening is becoming more and more popular every year. Therapeutic bathing and winter swimming have a wonderful effect on all organs and systems of the human body, the functioning of the heart and lungs improves, and the thermoregulation system is improved. This type of hardening requires strict adherence to all the rules for this type. It is necessary to start winter swimming after consulting a doctor.

Hardening rules

— It is necessary to begin hardening procedures when a person is completely healthy. Children and people suffering from various diseases can begin hardening with gentle procedures and only after consulting a doctor.

— It is necessary to observe the principle of gradualism. This applies to both the temperature regime and the time frame of hardening procedures. When hardening with water, you need to start the procedure with water at room temperature, gradually lowering it by 1-2 degrees. When hardening by the sun, it is also necessary to observe the principle of gradualness and begin exposure to the sun with a few minutes, gradually increasing the time spent in the sun.

— It is also very important to carry out hardening procedures regularly, without long intervals, in any weather and time of year. If it turns out that you interrupted hardening for a long time, then you need to resume it with more gentle procedures.

- Combine hardening with physical exercise. This will greatly increase the effectiveness of hardening procedures and have a beneficial effect on the entire body.

Hardening should bring cheerfulness and joy. If you feel unwell after hardening procedures, you must stop hardening and consult a doctor.

When hardening, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of a person, state of health, time of year, natural and climatic conditions, and so on. When performing hardening procedures, it is necessary to carry out self-control. Assess your general health, pulse, blood pressure, appetite and other indicators depending on the individual characteristics of the body.

Approximate water temperature for rubbing, °C

Pouring water. The child may not like this procedure right away, so you need to get used to it gradually. First, pour warm water over your baby's arms and legs and immediately rub them with a towel. Gradually move on to dousing your back and chest. Reduce the temperature gradually, by 1–2 °C in 5–7 days. If the baby has trouble falling asleep, it is better to carry out this procedure in the first half of the day.

Cold and hot shower. If the child tolerates dousing well, you can move on to a more intensive method of hardening. A contrast shower is suitable for older, seasoned children who are not afraid of water and cold. If you have tried rubbing and dousing before, the baby’s blood vessels should already be sufficiently trained. First, teach your child that at the end of daily water procedures you will gradually reduce the temperature. For the first time, turn on cool water for just a couple of seconds and pour it on your baby’s feet. Gradually increase the procedure time to 10 seconds, then begin to gradually reduce the water temperature. Immediately rub the baby with a dry towel using light massaging movements. If you do everything correctly and smoothly, the baby will not feel discomfort from contact with cooler water. Avoid the appearance of goose bumps and do not pour cool water over a frozen child.

Contrasting temperatures. Alternate exposure to cold and hot water has a strong effect on the body. This hardening method is suitable for stronger children. More often they use contrast dousing of arms and legs, rubbing and showering. For example, water at a fixed temperature (38–39 °C) is poured into one basin, and 1–2 °C colder into another. First you need to immerse your legs in hot water (for 1-2 minutes), then in cold water for 5 seconds. The procedure is repeated 3-5 times, after which the legs are wiped with a towel. Once every 5–7 days, the temperature in the second basin is lowered by a degree, gradually bringing it to 18 °C. For stronger children, you can complete the procedure with cold water; for weakened children, it is better to warm their feet in warm water at the end.

Pool. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of swimming in open water in the summer. And in the cold season, to strengthen the immune system, it is useful to enroll your child in the pool. It’s better to start in the spring or summer so that the baby doesn’t get cold when going out into the cold after training. Water activities are beneficial for children of any age. Now mothers can choose a swimming pool with a small bathtub, where babies are trained almost from birth.

Swimming helps not only in the fight against viruses. Children who regularly exercise in the pool have correct posture, strong muscles and blood vessels. They regularly train the respiratory system, so it is easier to tolerate ARVI. Swimming relieves muscle and emotional tension, disciplines and strengthens character.

Bath and sauna. Children from 3-4 years old can visit the steam room. You need to start going to the bathhouse very carefully, gradually increasing the time you stay. A baby at this age cannot yet assess his well-being and will not be able to report in time that he has become too hot. The temperature should not exceed 80 °C; for the first time you can stay in the steam room for no more than 3–5 minutes. It is enough for the baby to visit the steam room, take a shower and relax. At the same time, the rest time is twice as long as the time for visiting the steam room.

There are contraindications for hardening in a Russian bath and sauna:

• elevated temperature;
• rash, skin irritation;
• respiratory diseases;
• convulsions;
• head injuries;
• kidney disease;
• urinary tract diseases;
• disruption of the endocrine system.

Types of hardening procedures and rules for their implementation

All hardening methods are divided into 2 groups: general and special. The first include daily routine, physical activity and proper nutrition. Special ones are hardening with the help of natural factors (air, sun and water). Pediatricians recommend starting (especially for children who are often ill) with the least complicated method - air baths.

Air baths

The simplest method that is suitable even for infants. After sleep and before it, you can let your baby lie down without clothes for a couple of minutes. The temperature in the apartment should be reduced, but not sharply (over several months) to 18° C. And the duration of the procedure itself should be increased to 15-20 minutes.

It is important to complete the activity before the child’s skin becomes covered with goosebumps. Before getting dressed, you can gently rub your baby's skin with a soft cloth mitten.

Air hardening includes the following methods:

Walks and games

Playing in the fresh air strengthens the immune system, increases the child’s physical activity and gives a good mood. Outdoor walks help infants sleep soundly.

The child should be dressed according to the season, but not wrapped in multiple layers of clothing. You need to make sure that he doesn’t freeze and that he doesn’t sweat - this is an indicator that you dressed your baby too warmly.

Find out how to properly dress your child in autumn or winter weather.

Children and adolescents should walk in all weather conditions, and the duration of the walk should be adjusted according to weather conditions (from 1 hour to several hours a day). But it is necessary to take into account that if it is -15° C or lower outside, the walking time should be reduced to avoid hypothermia.

Ventilation

Ventilate the room where the baby lives at least 4 times a day, especially before bedtime and after it - in the morning. In summer, when it is warm, the window can be left open all night. The optimal air temperature in the nursery should be as follows:

Recommended air humidity is 40-60%. It would be great if the kindergarten where the child goes also follows these recommendations.

The right clothes

From birth, it is important not to over-insulate the baby so that he does not sweat and overheat. Ideal children's clothing is light, comfortable and dry.

Walking barefoot

This procedure not only improves health, but is also an excellent prevention of flat feet. You need to start walking barefoot at home, then, when it gets warmer outside, you can try walking barefoot there too: first on more pleasant surfaces - sand and grass, then on small stones, pebbles and shells. It is better to walk on the beach, in the country, in parks, where there is little risk of injuring the baby’s leg with garbage.

Water hardening

This is one of the most effective methods of immunoprophylaxis, but it should be started after the child has mastered the air hardening method. The method consists of various procedures: contrast shower, wiping with a wet towel, dousing and swimming in open water.

Hardening of infants (up to one year):

Small children from 2 months can be wiped with damp, cool wipes. To prepare, rub the baby with a dry terry mitten until slightly reddened. The skin adapts and after this you should begin wiping. At first, the water temperature should be no cooler than 35 ° C. Then every few days it is lowered by one degree.

When the baby adapts, they move on to active actions.

Instructions on how to harden babies from the first days:

1. Proceed with your child’s usual bathing routine.
2. Raise the prepared baby above the bathtub and pour water 10°C cooler than the water in his bathtub. The dousing takes place according to the following scheme: heels, legs, back (that is, from bottom to top). The entire procedure should take about 5 seconds.
3. After 10-15 minutes, dress the baby.

Every 3-4 days, lower the water temperature by 1 degree until the difference is 15 degrees. When this happens, the baby should continue to be doused with cool water while bathing.

It is necessary to remember: the procedure is very tonic and invigorating, so it should not be performed before bedtime. But it's perfect for starting the day.

Hardening children from 1 year:

By the age of 2-3 years, children, as a rule, begin to attend preschool institutions. And many kids begin to get sick often. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the child’s immunity by hardening:

1. Place the child in a bathtub with the usual water temperature. If he is not a fan of sitting in the water or you have a shower, you can organize a warm shower for him.
2. Parents give their child a cold shower - a shower with water is 15 degrees cooler (first they put their hands under it, for a short time).
3. The baby goes into warm water (bath or shower). The procedure is carried out at least three times and ends with cool water.
4. The next time, not only the arms, but also the legs, back, and collar area are placed under cool water.
5. At the end, the parents do not dry the child, but wrap him in a towel.
6. It is recommended to get dressed after 10-15 minutes.

Schoolchildren or teenagers who do not yet have experience in hardening will enjoy washing with cold water. As a rule, this is easier for them than dousing. When such washing becomes commonplace, you can gradually move on to the neck, shoulders, arms to the elbows, and then to the whole body. The water temperature for beginners should be warm - 28-30 ° C, then gradually it should be lowered to 15-18 ° C. This should be done slowly: no more than 1 ° C in 5-10 days.

You can also wash your hands with cool water; it is only important to make sure that the child is not cold, so as not to worsen his condition.

Sea water in a home bathroom

Everyone has heard about the benefits of sea bathing, but few people know that in a simple bath you can create a real sea - all you need is sea salt. Back in the last century, scientists proved the benefits of such baths: sodium chloride water affects not only the thermoreceptors of the skin, but also normalizes the activity of the nervous system. The duration of bathing in salt should not exceed 15 minutes.

Pouring cool salt water significantly improves blood circulation. If you do not rinse the child after such a bath, the remaining “salt layer” on the skin will prolong the effect for several hours.

Cold and hot shower

Another great method is to shower with alternating cold and hot water. You will get a stronger effect if the temperature difference is maximum. You should start carefully and gradually. First you need to warm up the child, and then pour cool water over him, and you can dip his feet and hands in cold water and turn on the warm water again. After three repetitions, the shower should be finished with a cold shower. At the end, the child is wrapped in a towel.

Pouring

The procedure involves pouring water over the body. They start with a comfortable water temperature, and every 1-2 days lower it by a degree. If you are not ready for such radical measures, you can try dousing only your feet first. Remember that dousing with cool and cold water are different things and children are certainly recommended to choose the less aggressive option.

Swimming in open water

Swimming in a pond or pool is both training and sport. To begin with, the water temperature should not be lower than 22 ° C, and the child’s swimming time itself must be controlled: the younger he is, the less time he should swim. If your baby has blue lips or goosebumps, you should immediately take him out of the pond or pool, warm him up and give him a warm drink.

Sun hardening

Sunbathing begins with a walk in the shade of trees. The optimal air temperature is from 22° to 29° C. The child must wear a Panama hat. After 1-2 days, expose the baby’s open arms and legs to the sun for 5 minutes. After the child develops a slight tan, it is permissible to undress him down to his panties. Exposure to the sun is increased from 5 to 10 minutes at a time, while it is recommended to be in direct rays for up to 50 minutes a day. During the procedure, encourage your baby to drink more fluids, and then it is advisable to pour cool water from head to toe.

It is important to always remember: exposure to the sun is only possible in the morning from 9 to 11 am and in the afternoon from 4 to 6 pm, when solar activity is not so high.

If the child is sweating a lot and his face is red, he may be overheated. The baby urgently needs to be taken into the shade, given a drink and washed with cool water.

For a good result, it is important to combine the above methods. More details about them in the video:

These are traditional hardening methods. Non-traditional ones are based on a sharp contrast in temperature - dousing with ice water, rubbing with snow, etc. Of course, these methods have contraindications and should be treated with caution. They are not recommended for children, especially preschool age.

Hardening the throat

It is important to strengthen the throat for both children and adults in order to protect themselves from complications due to colds, as well as to improve immunity. The basic principle of this method is that the mucous membrane of the throat is exposed to cold. As a result, the mucous membrane gets used to it and subsequently reacts calmly to hypothermia, cold drinks and ice cream.

It is better to try to harden your throat in the summer, when the ARVI season has not yet started. Such training will be effective if done twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.

Throat hardening techniques:

– drinking

This method gives effect very quickly. Start with liquid (water, fruit drink) at room temperature, gradually lowering the temperature. Drink in small sips.

– rinsing

The safest way even for those who are often sick. The method consists of gargling twice a day with water at a temperature of 25° C. Every 4 days the degrees are lowered, gradually bringing the water to a temperature of 15° C.

- ice cream

The most desired procedure for children and not only. Start with 1 teaspoon of softened ice cream, gradually increasing the portion. But don't overindulge in sweet treats.

What about in winter?

With the onset of frost, care must be taken with hardening. If the child has a cold, it is better to postpone the procedure. But when the baby is healthy, even in winter you should not neglect hardening; it is better to follow the rules:

• increasing the temperature difference must be done with caution.
• procedures should be shortened in time.

Let's harden ourselves in the sun

The sun, air and water are your faithful helpers in strengthening your baby’s immunity. Recently, solar activity has increased many times. This is due to the process of destruction of the ozone layer, which has become weaker in protecting us from ultraviolet radiation. Because of this, many mothers are afraid to walk with their baby in the sun, especially during the hot season. At the same time, many children are deficient in vitamin D, which is produced in the body precisely due to exposure to the sun. Therefore, try to take your child for a walk not only in the evening, but also in the morning. In summer, you need to be careful - between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. it is better to stay at home or be in the shade. You need to be especially careful if your child has fair skin; such babies burn easily even in partial shade. The baby must wear a hat, preferably in light colors.

Sun hardening has a number of contraindications:

• increased body temperature;
• acute period of the disease;
• irritation, skin rash;
• blood diseases.

Traditional methods

The standard system of hardening children includes the following stages.

• From birth to 3 months: daily general baths in water at a temperature of 36–37 °C;
• dousing after a bath with water at a temperature of 34–36 °C;
• washing starting at a temperature of 28 °C with a gradual decrease to 20 °C;
• wiping with a dry diaper;
• wiping with a damp towel at a temperature of 33–36 °C (hands and feet only), with a decrease in temperature by 1 degree every five days (minimum 28 °C).

After 3 years, the duration of procedures should correspond to the table.

Duration of strengthening procedures for children 3–8 years old

Intensive methods

Some parents practice more intense exposure to cold. Such methods of hardening children usually involve wiping them with snow and dousing them with ice water. Pediatricians recommend treating such recommendations with caution and accustoming your baby to hardening gradually. Otherwise, you can not only overcool the child, but also reduce the protective properties of the body. And under no circumstances should you practice swimming in ice water or winter swimming with infants.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

The famous doctor Komarovsky, who gives advice on children's health issues on television, believes that a newborn child does not need special hardening manipulations. It has natural defense mechanisms that just need to be supported with appropriate care. Komarovsky recommends:

• do not bundle up babies;
• create temperature contrasts;
• do not be afraid of drafts;
• walk more in any weather;
• maintain a suitable temperature in the room;
• humidify the air and ventilate the room more often.

If these conditions are met, the baby will be able to grow up healthy without being doused with cold water and walking barefoot in the snow. If, from an early age, the baby was in a stuffy room, walked with him little and was protected in every possible way, he will be much more susceptible to viruses. He recommends that parents of such children start not with hardening, but with creating optimal conditions for the child, under which the body’s protective functions will work again.

He suggests paying attention to the following aspects:

• Cloth. If a child is hot, he will get sick faster. Do not bundle up your baby and remember that he needs to be dressed a little lighter than an adult. Suitable clothing should not restrict movement.
• Nutrition. Don't force feed your baby. With regular walks and optimal room temperature, the baby's appetite will improve on its own.
• Active pastime. To prevent a child from freezing during a walk, he must actively move and play. Come up with an activity that you both enjoy and enjoy spending time outside.

Dr. Komarovsky also calls for taking into account the individual characteristics of the child and not imposing hardening procedures on him.

Hardening requires parents to be persistent, self-confident and attentive to the baby. Any procedures should be carried out wisely, after consulting with a pediatrician in advance, especially if the child is weakened or has chronic diseases. The main thing in hardening is gradualism, so don’t rush things. Over time, you and your baby will adapt to new conditions, and you will not be so afraid of viruses and bad weather.

The final decision about whether to harden a child and what procedures to choose is made only by the parents. It is important that they use common sense and pay attention to their baby’s reaction to any manipulation.

Principles of hardening children

Hardening is a serious test for the body, so before starting this process, you should consult with your doctor. The specialist must make sure that the child is healthy - this is an essential requirement for starting classes. In addition, the doctor will provide professional recommendations on the conditions of the procedures (their duration, intensity, etc.).

Parents should remember the following principles of hardening children:

• when hardening, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the child (including age);
• classes should be regular (you can’t do hardening from time to time - this is a lot of stress for the body);
• hardening should be gradual, without the risk of hypothermia or overheating (you cannot sharply change the temperature and increase the duration of the procedures);
• During hardening classes, it is necessary to monitor the child’s well-being.

If all requirements are met, such procedures bring moral pleasure and physical health. The child sleeps better, has a good appetite, a cheerful mood, increased performance and resistance to disease.