All parents fear viruses. Especially those with young children. Often, families postpone sending their little ones to nursery until spring or summer. However, according to doctor Justina Aleksaitė, it is not the time of year, but the child’s readiness to separate from their parents and become a member of a community of peers that should dictate the most appropriate choice for the child.
“The past summer alone was full of infectious diseases: COVID, flu, and other illnesses do not spare young children during the warm season. So there is simply no clear-cut answer. I have encountered patients who, fearing illness, did not enrol their children in kindergarten, but later they were frequently ill in preschool and primary school, which poses considerable educational challenges,” says the doctor and head of the family medicine clinic “Džiaugsmo klinika”.
After analyzing the experience of ten countries in the field of early childhood health, Birutė Mačiulienė, founder of the Eureka early education school, notes that when comparing our country with the US, Australia, China, the United Kingdom, and Finland, one key factor stands out: in Lithuania, recommendations for educational institutions are still focused on managing disease outbreaks, while disproportionately less attention is paid to building children’s resistance.
“Viruses are around every corner: in shops, playgrounds, birthday parties. Therefore, it is unlikely that isolating young children from the outside world will help them grow up healthier. Children improve most rapidly when interacting with other children. And in the field of health, examples from progressive countries show that educational organizations can make a significant contribution to strengthening children’s immunity,” says the head of Eureka.
Healthy nutrition – a source of vitamins
According to Justina Aleksaitė, one of the most important elements in preparing a child for educational institutions, as proven by numerous scientific studies, is a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. It strengthens the immune system, helping the body fight disease.
“Adequate consumption of protein, fruit, and vegetables, a varied diet, eating with peers, and curiosity about new foods determine children’s physical development and the strength of their immune systems,” says Dr. Aleksaitė.
According to the doctor, another positive trend is emerging in Lithuania: more and more families are not relying solely on basic health checks, but are also choosing additional medical services, such as vaccinations against seasonal illnesses such as influenza or chickenpox, annual mole checks, or more extensive blood tests.
“Folk wisdom says that you need to prepare your sleigh in summer. Health is no exception. If we want to be more resistant in winter, we need to monitor our body’s data and replenish our reserves when necessary. We see quite a few children who are deficient in iron and vitamin D, which can weaken their resistance to disease during the cold season,” says doctor Justina Aleksaitė.
Children eat most of their weekly food intake not at home, but at educational institutions. A balanced diet for children is not only about organic menus and a nutritious menu, but also about developing healthy eating habits.
“When creating seasonal menus, we pay a lot of attention not only to the main dishes, but also to side dishes and healthy snacks, which children receive twice a day. Modern children are picky eaters, they eat what they like. Teachers need to be actively involved in getting children to eat vegetables and other healthy foods. Did you know that eating carrots will improve your eyesight? Did you know that eating vegetables makes your hair grow faster? Carefully selected information and answers that children can understand motivate even the youngest ones,” says B. Mačiulienė, founder of the Eureka school, sharing her experience.
Outdoor exercise
Outdoor exercise is one of the most effective ways to strengthen the immune system. Even on cold, rainy days, being outdoors helps children adapt better to temperature changes and reduces illness.
Light rain is no excuse for children not to go outside today. This is the opinion of the founder of the Eureka early education school, who reminds us that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
“I am a supporter of Finnish philosophy – children must be outside in all weather conditions. Will we get wet? Will we get dirty? No problem – we’ll just change our clothes. In our organization, parents must leave a change of clothes suitable for the weather conditions with the teachers. Besides, rain and snow are excellent tools for education. It’s not just about learning about the environment. Creative use of puddles or snow can help teach arithmetic, foreign languages, or even teamwork skills,” says B. Mačiulienė.
Health begins with quality sleep
Parents should remember one of the most important ways to strengthen immunity: quality sleep. According to Justina Aleksaitė, scientific research has shown that even one hour of sleep significantly shortens the course of illness and shapes the response to viral attacks.
As an example, the doctor cites the insights of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes recommendations for daily sleep duration. For newborns (0-3 months), the recommended sleep time is 14 to 17 hours. For infants (up to 1 year old), it is 12 to 16 hours, for children aged 1-2 years, it is 11 to 14 hours, for children aged 3-5 years, it is 10 to 13 hours, and for children aged 6 years and older, it is 9 to 12 hours.
However, not all kindergarteners manage to achieve these results at night. Therefore, afternoon naps help them accumulate the necessary number of hours.
What should be done if a child does not want to sleep during the day? According to B. Mačiulienė, despite the fact that families can choose whether to sleep or not, educational institutions can always create conditions for quality rest.
“Parents ask how you managed to put their child to sleep if they don’t sleep at home during the day. Professional educators create conditions that would make it difficult even for an adult to resist falling asleep. This is facilitated by calm music, poems, classroom design, window blackouts, and the example set by classmates. Even for those who choose not to sleep, we organize educational activities focused on mental and physical rest. These can be quiet games, listening to fairy tales, or simply drawing on a free theme,” says B. Mačiulienė.
The challenges of appropriate hygiene
Another source of concern for parents is close contact with other children. Kids touch objects and various surfaces and do not cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing. According to doctor J. Aleksaitė, it is naive to expect young children to strictly follow rules that not even all adults follow.
“Young children’s routines are very dynamic. It is impossible to separate children from other children. The only solution is to try to ensure as clean an environment as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to ventilate classrooms and other spaces at least several times a day. In addition, it is recommended to regularly clean and disinfect surfaces that children can reach. This is not so easy, because there are many objects, toys, and books in kindergartens,” says the head of the family medicine clinic.
Mačiulienė, head of an early education school, adds that hand washing is an extremely important habit in educational institutions, which should become a pleasant routine rather than a chore. Various playful elements can be used for hand washing, or children’s songs can be adapted to explain the benefits of hygiene in a language that children can understand. Meanwhile, there is an unwritten rule among employees – wash your hands everywhere and always.
“Those working in early childhood education must wash and disinfect their hands as often and carefully as surgeons do. Not only when arriving at work, but also after any action: leaving the classroom, before serving food, accompanying children to the bathroom, even after a break in the staff room,” says B. Mačiulienė.
The main tool is awareness
According to doctor J. Aleksaitė, despite all these essential routine measures, it has been observed in recent years that diseases are progressing rapidly and a slight runny nose or cough can develop into much more serious illnesses.
So-called atypical pathogens (e.g., Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and, less commonly, Bordetella pertussis) often spread in educational institutions. For this reason, it is important to assess the situation responsibly when the first symptoms appear among family members.
“If you have a runny nose or a slight cough, it is recommended that you stay at home for a few days and assess whether the seemingly simple symptoms are hiding a more serious illness. You need to observe whether the child has an appetite, a fever, or is sleepy. If the illness lasts more than 3 days, it is necessary to consult a doctor,” says J. Aleksaitė.
From a practical point of view, the school principal also emphasizes the importance of sharing information. According to her, community responsibility is based not only on avoiding contact when feeling unwell, but also on informing others.
“It is much easier to control outbreaks of disease in classrooms when parents immediately inform teachers or the administration about the onset of illness. When we receive a signal from community members, we can quickly disinfect the premises, warn other parents to monitor their children’s well-being, and activate other algorithms,” says B. Mačiulienė.