Despite diarrhea killing about 72,000 children under the age of 5 in Nigeria and 525,000 globally. Most mothers still don’t know there are easy ways to prevent diarrhea and that is what we intend to show you.
#1 Good handwashing practices are not negotiable. Caregivers and everyone in a household that lives with your little infant including the maid you hired should practice handwashing with soap regularly. Ensure you have a handwashing place in your house. Most diarrhea-causing microorganisms are transmitted from the hands and then to your baby’s mouth.
#2 Don’t let visitors carry your child without washing their hands or making use of a hand sanitizer (at least), refusing is not an act of embarrassment, it’s necessary for your baby’s health. For goodness’ sake you only know what you have done with your hands, you can’t speak for the other party. Imagine a visitor just shook hands with someone who just used the toilet and then meets you and out of excitement stretches the same hands to carry your little angel, better imagined than experienced.
#3 Ensure your floors are always clean and disinfected regularly. Most mothers think that teething causes diarrhea, but that’s not true! It is the micro-organisms such as (rotavirus, norovirus, small round structured virus, Giardia amongst others) that your baby picks from your floor and puts in his or her mouth during their teething phase as they try to relieve themselves of the discomfort caused by the growing tooth that causes diarrhea or loose stool.
#4 It is important to ask if it is part of a Creche requirement that children accepted are children that are being vaccinated, if not your baby stands the risk of contracting diseases in daycare centers where infection prevention and control measures aren’t prioritized.
#5 Practice exclusive breastfeeding this will help your baby, as it will reduce his or her exposure to contaminated food and water, and also strengthen his or her immune system.
#6 Dispose of human waste properly. Poorly disposed human wastes will one way or the other cause harm to us or others in our environment. This includes how you dispose of your baby’s used diapers.
#7 Vaccinate your baby against Rotavirus infection. Chances are high at 6 weeks and 10 weeks you did not vaccinate your baby against rotavirus, and you will justify that by saying ”I wasn’t told at the health facility,” clap for yourself! Most acute diarrhea cases in under 5 children are caused by rotavirus, and some can be so severe and life-threatening.
The first dose of the oral rotavirus vaccine should be given at 6 weeks or before your infant turns 14 weeks 6 days old. The second dose of the vaccine should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose but before your baby clocks 8 months old. There are two brands of the vaccine in Nigeria; Rotarix (Your baby requires 2 doses) and Rotasil (Your baby requires 3 doses), always ask the type of rotavirus vaccine your child received as though rotavirus vaccine has been shown to protect against the most common strains of rotavirus (G1 and G3) the benefits of the vaccine are dependent on the type of vaccine used, with rhesus and human rotavirus the most efficacious.
For more information on how to access Rotavirus vaccine at a more affordable and faire price from CBPI Foundation feel free to reach us on 08160962414 (Call/WhatsApp).
