Is it possible to walk with a child when he has a cough?

If a child has a cold, he needs not only medicine, but also frequent walks in the fresh air. When diagnosing respiratory and viral diseases, walks can be carried out regularly, but it is advisable to consult a pediatrician before doing so. Staying in the fresh air and regular ventilation of the room are used in a set of measures to cure the underlying disease.

Does the age of a child affect the ability to walk with him?

If the child is in infancy, you should pay attention to the weather conditions, and it is easy to believe that the general state of health will normalize. If the temperature rises, there are severe coughing attacks, breathing problems are diagnosed, or shortness of breath occurs, you should not go outside even if the weather is favorable. A sharp deterioration in health and an increase in unfavorable symptoms are possible.

You should not neglect walks with children under 5 years of age, even in the presence of frost, but going outside is permissible at temperatures above -5 degrees. You should not walk with your children if the wind is too cold, it is raining or the temperature is very high. When children reach the age of more than 7 years, you can hope for a safe walk even in unfavorable weather conditions. At this age, people have properly formed thermoregulation.

What kind of cough can you take for a walk?

Walking when coughing is necessary if the child is on the mend, the mucus is actively separated and expectorated, and the baby himself does not show signs of intoxication (fever, weakness, body aches).

A hysterical paroxysmal cough, especially without sputum production, is considered a contraindication for winter walks.

You can take a child with a runny nose out for a walk if the following important conditions are met:

• preliminary cleansing of mucus from the nose;
• absence of purulent discharge indicating sinusitis.

When breathing through the nose, cool air has time to warm up and does not cause harm to the respiratory organs, unlike breathing through the mouth. With proper nasal breathing, a walk will only benefit the baby, saturate all organs with oxygen and get rid of harmful microbes.

If a child has a cough and sniffles without fever, and the symptom worsens when going outside, the baby may be suffering from an allergy to cold. Mom needs to take a closer look to see if there are accompanying symptoms of the pathology - redness of the cheeks, watery eyes, itchy skin, sneezing. If you have a dry cough caused by an allergic reaction, prolonged exposure to the cold is prohibited. The baby should be shown to an allergist to select therapy and receive recommendations on the rules of walking in the winter.

You can go outside with a child with a cough or runny nose if he feels well, the illness has moved from the acute stage to the recovery phase, and there is no excessive flow of mucus from the nose.

When is it advisable to go for a walk with your child?

Going out into the fresh air in cool weather helps eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of bronchitis, since being outside dilutes the mucous secretions and facilitates the passage of sputum, which allows you to eliminate attacks of a dry, barking cough. If you live in a humid climate, don't skip walking. The reflex expansion of the lumen of the bronchi provokes a decrease in unpleasant symptoms, improves the breathing process, and sputum leaves faster than initially expected.

Don’t be afraid to walk with your child if you have a runny nose, as moist air helps moisturize the inside of the nose, which makes breathing easier. Please note that when you are in the fresh air, the amount of mucus secreted increases, but this temporary inconvenience subsequently facilitates the clinical picture and allows you to recover faster. Regular walks help prevent the formation of congestion in the nasopharynx and quickly clear the nasal passages of mucus, in which infection multiplies.

When going outside, the immune system improves and the functioning of organs normalizes. More oxygen comes in, blood circulation and metabolic processes improve. As a result, the elimination of toxins, waste products, and waste products of microorganisms is accelerated, which has a beneficial effect not only on the condition of the excretory organs, but also on the bronchi, and contributes to the overall health of the body.

Indications for the walk and basic rules

When the main stage of the disease has passed and the baby is on the mend, walking is possible and even beneficial, regardless of whether the cough remains dry or wet as a residual phenomenon. However, before making a decision, it is better to consult with a pediatrician, he will help determine whether it is worth walking with the baby in this condition.

As a rule, walking only speeds up the body's recovery process. At the same time, it is advisable to take some water with you outside and give your child something to drink, especially in the summer, since when there is a cold, the mucous membrane requires active hydration.

You should start walking after a cold gradually. The first exit should not exceed 20 minutes. The next day the time is increased slightly. The maximum allowable time for a child with a cold is 90 minutes. During this period, it is especially important to closely monitor the baby’s condition and stop walking if it worsens. At the same time, an increased wet cough is not considered a worsening of the condition, but rather evidence that the body will get rid of the infection sooner.

It is important to ensure that during this period the child does not become very aquatic, since any physical activity is still harmful to a fragile body.

It is better to roll your baby slowly in a stroller, but an older child should be explained that he is not yet allowed to run and jump. If the baby is not able to walk quietly, then it is better to limit himself to ventilating the premises or going out to the balcony.

Walking helps speed up recovery if done correctly and avoiding excessive physical activity or hypothermia of the baby. If your baby suddenly starts sweating, it’s better to immediately go home and change him before he catches a cold again.

You can walk with an infant under 6 months of age when the thermometer does not drop below -5 degrees. But if it’s -5 or below and there’s a strong wind, then it’s better to refrain from walking. If it’s sunny and windless at -5, then it’s quite possible to go outside and walk for half an hour at a calm pace. The main thing is that the baby does not sweat during the process, otherwise this may provoke a new round of colds. You can also walk in spring and autumn, provided that it is not cold outside and there is no rain.

In cold weather (when it's -5 or below), it's better to leave your baby to sleep on the balcony for literally 15 minutes instead of going for a walk.

Whether the outside temperature is acceptable for walking can be judged by the weather in which the child usually walks. For example, if you walked with a healthy baby at -10, then you can go outside with a residual cough in such weather, if there is no strong wind or snow.

During the period when the child is still coughing due to a cold, it is recommended to avoid playgrounds with large crowds of children, and in general places where there are a lot of people, because these are extra microbes that are likely to attach themselves to a still fragile body. It is also advisable not to visit kindergarten, where the child himself can infect others or pick up a new infection from others and get sick again.

You can walk in the summer even with a low temperature (around 37 degrees), it is only important to make sure that the baby calmly walks next to you and does not rush around. But at high temperatures, bed rest is definitely required.

If it's cold outside, be sure to wear a hat when walking.

In any weather, you should not dress your baby like cabbage in many layers of clothing, because overheating is no less dangerous than hypothermia, and a sweaty baby is likely to catch a cold again. In summer, you should wear light cotton clothing (and also be sure to wear a sun hat). In cold weather, you should use a hat that covers your ears, mittens, a scarf, and warm shoes. A sweater or jumper, like outerwear, should completely cover your back, protecting you from the cold. It is better to choose a jumpsuit or envelope for cold weather so that it does not fit tightly, but is a little looser; in the end, the child will be warmer. You should not cover your mouth and nose with a scarf, as this will create condensation in which pathogenic microorganisms will multiply.

A temporary increase in cough with more intense sputum production after a walk is considered normal. In this case, it is important to simply let the child clear his throat. But if, upon returning, the baby begins to cough more strongly, and the phlegm does not clear, or the throat turns red again, then you should refrain from walking until complete recovery, but for now limit yourself to a short stay on the balcony or ventilating the room.

Staying in the fresh air is necessary not only for residual symptoms of a cold, but also for such serious diseases as whooping cough and obstructive bronchitis. The air will promote increased mucus secretion, which will speed up recovery. In this case, the effect of walking will be even better than from medications.

It is especially useful to walk when there is fog or light rain outside, as high humidity will speed up the healing process. But in this case, you need to carefully select clothes and shoes for your baby. He should not sweat or get his feet wet.

It is best to take a walk with your child if they have a cough in a park or forest.

In extreme heat, when the thermometer even at home rises above 30, it is better to take the child for a walk in a green area - a forest or park, where it is cooler. It is extremely undesirable to walk with a child whose cold has not completely cleared up in smog or heavy smoke in the environment. And in general, the forest is best suited for taking a walk with a sick baby; the healing air there will have a beneficial effect on the general condition. If you can’t go into the forest, then you can go to a nearby side or park, but places with high gas pollution should be avoided.

When should you not walk if you have a cough?

With colds, children in many cases suffer from decreased physical activity, weakness, and local manifestations such as swelling of the nasopharynx, rhinitis, and cough. Sometimes the temperature practically does not rise or reaches low-grade fever. In case of severe disease, poor body resistance, or the action of dangerous viruses, the temperature may rise to 40 degrees.

Factors indicating the inability to go outside with a sick child:

1. The baby is in serious condition, the symptoms are constantly worsening.
2. Rising temperature, unstable condition.
3. During the examination, the doctor indicated the need for bed rest.
4. Severe frost, other unfavorable weather factors.
5. High humidity, snow and rain.
6. Deterioration of the air condition due to smoke due to seasonal burning of grass and leaves.

A categorical ban is imposed under the following circumstances:

1. Severe fever that cannot be reduced by taking appropriate medications.
2. A sharp change in temperature when the temperature reaches above 40 degrees, which indicates the presence of serious respiratory diseases.
3. Severe shortness of breath, which developed due to worsening of the disease, severe cough, which cannot always be relieved with medications.
4. Excessive weakness, a state of overexcitement, indicating worsening symptoms.
5. When quite severe diagnoses are made, such as asthma, laryngitis, in the presence of pus, serious sore throat, as well as other diseases that require complete rest until recovery.

How to dress a baby?

If you decide to take a coughing child out for a walk, it is advisable to choose options that do not restrict movement and are comfortable in any situation. Take weather factors into account first. You should not wear clothes that are too warm to prevent your child from sweating while walking. Ensure sufficient temperature levels for your feet to reduce the likelihood of drafts, and protect your ears, throat, and upper back from cold penetration.

It is advisable to use a fairly comfortable jacket, overalls, wear a scarf, and a hat that protects your ears. It is recommended to use such options in cold weather, and take special care in strong winds. If a child’s cough appears in the summer, it is necessary to ensure regular walks. Dress your baby in light, light clothes made from natural materials, protect his head with a hat from direct sunlight.

What to take with you?

If you decide to take your child for a walk, take with you a convenient container in which you put all the items that are important for the child. Required accessories:

1. Several handkerchiefs made from natural material.
2. Clean water for drinking.
3. Lozenges containing antibacterial additives are quite effective cough tablets.
4. Convenient drops, medicines in the form of a spray, with which you can almost instantly eliminate severe nasal congestion.
5. For small children, a special pacifier is needed, thanks to which the baby breathes only through his nose.

How to choose a place for a walk?

If you want to go for a walk, which has positive health effects, it is advisable to take your child to the forest. It is there that there is an excellent level of humidity, an optimal amount of oxygen, air with the presence of phytoncides important for treatment, which significantly alleviates the child’s condition. You can choose an area on the outskirts, in a clean park; it is also advisable to walk in gardens and squares.

Avoid places that are heavily polluted due to large amounts of exhaust gases located after hazardous industrial plants. Avoid going to areas where there are a lot of people. A child can not only infect other children, but also become infected himself. There is always a high risk of infection, which is especially dangerous for a weakened child.

Make sure your child is not exposed to too intense physical activity. Even if it is in satisfactory condition, work overload is harmful to health. Possible deterioration in health, the occurrence of new, unexpected coughing attacks, increased shortness of breath, and general loss of strength. It is in this case that the question arises whether it is possible to walk with a child when he has a cough. The answer depends on whether parents can competently organize their leisure time. It is advisable that your child jumps, runs less, and limits his climbing on slides and other attractions. Organize a calm, moderate walk, look at interesting, unusual objects, talk to the child, calm him down.

When walking can be harmful

Doctors allow a child with a cough to walk if the disease is in remission. In other cases, parents should take walks with their children, taking into account the degree of illness, the age of the child and the weather. It is not recommended to leave the house if your cough is accompanied by:

• bad feeling;
• temperature;
• weakness;
• headache;
• chills;
• severe runny nose;
• a sore throat.

If at least one of these symptoms is present, you need to stay home and stay in bed. Before you go for a walk with a coughing child, you need to take into account the weather conditions.

Even when a child has only a slight cough, a walk can be harmful if:

• air temperature below 10 degrees;
• it is raining heavily or a snowstorm has begun;
• gusty or cold wind blows;
• heat in summer more than 30 degrees or frost in winter below 10;
• there is smog or smoke in the air.

You can’t walk for too long, just go out for 20-30 minutes, slightly increasing the walking time every day. Children are highly discouraged from running or jumping during illness, especially outdoors, so as not to worsen their health. You can play quiet games or take a slow walk.

You need to make sure that the child does not sweat or become wet, otherwise he will blow out. The child's clothing should be appropriate for the season and air temperature.

It is extremely undesirable for infants with a cough to be outside in winter at temperatures below minus five degrees. The thermoregulation system in babies has not yet been formed, so they can become hypothermic. In hot weather, it is enough to put only cotton clothes on your baby. In summer, it is recommended to go outside in the evening so that dry hot air does not irritate the child’s respiratory tract.

When children are sick, you should not take them to playgrounds; you can easily catch a new infection. Most often, re-infection occurs during the seasons of greatest virus activity - spring and autumn.

If the cough is caused by allergies, then you should not walk in dusty areas or on streets with busy traffic. It is undesirable to be near flowering plants, for example, in a park or forest belt; such a walk will not be useful, but will only aggravate the situation. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the child takes allergy medications on time.

Under no circumstances should you go for a walk immediately after treatment procedures. You must wait at least 30 minutes after inhalation, massage, warming up and only then go for a walk. It’s even better to take a walk in the first half of the day, and do all the procedures in the evening before going to bed.

What to do if a coughing attack occurs on the street?

In order not to worry when a coughing attack begins during a walk, you need to prepare the necessary medications in advance. First, give your child water and use restoratives such as tablets or spray. It is necessary not only to quickly use therapeutic measures, but also to calm the baby. If a child is diagnosed with bronchitis or tracheitis, a patting massage can be done while exhaling. This ensures improved sputum discharge and rapid expectoration of viscous mucus.

Many parents want to make sure that they have the opportunity to walk with their child, if there are strong enough coughing attacks and a runny nose appears. There are factors that make it prohibited to take a child outside, but they rarely occur. Pay attention to how your child is dressed, choose the best place where spending time will not be dangerous. Prepare means with which you can quickly stop a coughing attack before getting home.

In order to be able to go out with your child without fear, it is advisable to first prescribe the optimal treatment regimen in consultation with a specialist. It is necessary to make a diagnosis after examination, determine the form, stage of the disease, as well as the characteristics of its course. In most cases, in order for the moment of recovery to come as quickly as possible, frequent walks in the fresh air are recommended. When you go outside with your child, it is necessary to ventilate the room where he is usually located. Carefully regulate the duration and features of the walk, and also choose suitable places to rest.

Is it possible to walk with a child with a runny nose and cough? Basic rules for walking

Rules for parents to follow:

• in any case, before going for a walk with your child, you need to show him to the pediatrician and find out what caused the disease;
• even with a low-grade fever (37.5 degrees), it is better to refuse to go outside;
• if there is severe weakness and malaise, it is better to postpone the walk until you recover;
• hardening does not mean that you can walk with your baby in any weather, if it is raining, windy and severely cold outside, you do not need to do this;
• walking in the rain is just as dangerous as in freezing temperatures - if a child’s feet get wet, he risks getting even more sick;
• You should not put a lot of clothes on your child, as children are very active and can sweat, and with an existing cough or nasal congestion, this can very quickly lead to a cold;
• it is acceptable to walk with a runny nose, but if the baby may be exposed to additional irritants on the street, then it is better to protect him with a special gauze mask;
• if a mother is walking with her baby in a stroller, you should not cover it with a curtain, otherwise the baby will not be able to get a sufficient portion of fresh air;
• to determine how a child feels, just touch the back of his neck - if the baby is hot, it will be hot;
• It is always better to walk away from public places, including large crowds of people; you should not take a child with a stuffy nose to the playground, where he can not only become infected from other children, but also become a carrier of the infection himself;
• if it is not possible to go outside at all, you can at least take him out to the balcony so that his body can get enough fresh air.