As i was having my nice cup of english tea with moist banana cake I wonder, am i bless that tigerbaby seldom gets sick and fevers *touch wood.. touch wood*. Then I started to think back what have I done and have not done. With that, i recall the words of wisdom for generations from the EAST.
As Asian, we believe in "body wind" which in others words gets us sick due to wind or air got in the body. causes stomach discomfort or colic or cold or flu. As my mom and grandmothers would remind me constantly when i was back in Asia for 2 months is - is she wearing warm enough? make sure you don't let her catch cold aka wind.
Number 1 Factor: Clothing
Even in hot weathers in Asia, burning hot sun which would make you all sweat. its unavoidable you just wnat to put your baby or toodler with sleeveless shirt. But then the negative side is the TUMMY would occasionaly show eventhough you tuck it in due to they twist and turn and play. So wiht that Rompers area great wear i regular uses. or else i would buy slightly a bit bigger shirt so that it really covers the tummy and well tuck in. And of course, we would use some ointment to apply on her tummy and shoulders once she is out of the bath.
Number 2 Factor: Food
Western believe to let little ones try as many things so it helps to explore. However as today, she has not had fried food. Well maybe i am just being a bit paranoid but she hasn't had fries nor nuggets till today *eventhough u can baked them and not fry them* Even packet chips no chance she gets! ice cream either. well that broke it when i drop her at school where they had Apple Crumble with ICe cream for tea break. But no ice cream at home as i think she had enough of her sugar from her fruit drinks. However, i do give her Yogurt *which is a cold item* but it would always be in day time. Asian believe not to have cold items at evening or night as it would develop phelgm easier and the horrible cough.
Number 3 Factor: Exposure
I have to say, this comes with a con. Due to i was tight up with her scedule, I hardly took her out. In Singapore, mummies were bringing their young ones out shopping when they 1 month old.. thats a No in my family believe. Tigerbaby hardly went out till she was 6 months old ; only to docs for vacination and probraly to friends house. Harldy to public places. The Pro part is she hardly get sick i have to say which i think this is one big factor. The other thing i was on my own *husband was not around when she was 2 weeks old till pretty much 8 months old* so it was really hard to take her out and due to her routine was so tight.
Con side of this is her development skills were slower than others. Crawl and walk at latter stage than her peers.
Tigerbaby first major sick was when she came over to Melbourne. Approx 11 months old. Her first FLU> seriously i was in for a shock. She had runniing and BOCKED nose and slight fever. Was horrible. Was difficult for her to sleep and i was really unprepared for this. I littlerally had to carry her where her head lies on my shoulder to let her sleep and she would get woken up due to difficult in breathing average every 2 hours. Antiboitic was introduced.
Her 2nd sick episode was in Malaysia when she was approx 15 monthd old which purely i believe was clueless mom aka me carelessness. When i bath her i forgot to close the windows and there was new year eve breeze and i believe that how she caught the "wind" aka cold and started of with running nose. Plus she was terribly teething at that stage as well. Nevertheless, No cough so i was once lucky. In Asia, doc have medicine for Running Nose and Fever separatedly. So after few days of medicine, she back to her own self. And of course, i too gave her TCM medicine to help her to recover
Her 3rd sick episode was back in Melbourne approx 19 months old which purel again was my carelessness and her blurdad stubbornness. Melbourne unpredictable weather change and was windy and cold and i think i underdress her a little even with a singlet, a shirt and a sweater. That particular day was really winter indeed and she started to go to school and i brought her to the playgrounds that week so yeah many factors but one key factor indeed was the Exposure to public places which that what blurdad conclusion is she caught it from school. She started with running nose, blocked nose, slight fever and the most horrible thing the COUGH. *i know i know.. the worst is fever but to me cough is suffering enough for my stage* she cough the whole night and even vomitted few times due to the bad cough. We tried to let her recover herself due to what GP / Doctor advise but it seems it lasted more than 3 weeks the whole sage and we at the end surrender to antibiotics which help to recover in 5 days. Thank lord!!
In Summary: as a parent we should have a bit of east and west perception. Cloth them well, Watch their food and try to give them supplements for eg: tcm or fish oil to really boost their immune system. Nevertheless getting sick is a good thing to build immune but i personally think 2 colds a year is enough ... seeing my friends kid having cold, cough and fever average every 2 months, poor mom and poor kid indeed and taking medicine for each episode, isn't it worse than giving natural supplements? just a tought.
To young and first time parents : if you think it is not cold but it may be for the young one. vice versa don't over dress as well as they get skin irriation. In air condition places , make sure they have a sweater or not sleeveless. A short sleeve shirt wuld do. East believe we catch cold from the shoulders and the back of your body and from your tummy and lastly the chest. So do take note! =)
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