Diet in children with chickenpox
Chickenpox is one of the most common diseases in babies. 9 out of 10 children must go green speckled. Children of preschool age often become ill. With chickenpox, the doctor prescribes a special therapeutic diet (in addition to symptomatic drug therapy). It helps to quickly restore the body and cope with the infection.
How does it manifest itself?
Kids aged 3-4 years old when they visit the kindergarten often get chickenpox. This disease is viral. The causative agent refers to a variety of herpes viruses. His favorite localization is the skin, as well as mucous membranes. This explains the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease:
- The appearance of a minor rash all over the body. Rash covers almost the entire body, including the face. Elements of the rash are red, itchy.
- Increased body temperature.
- There is a pronounced weakness, in some cases - chills, headache. Painful rash elements can also appear on the lips or mouth mucosa. If a wound is formed at this place, it may be the cause of the development of secondary infection with staphylococcus or streptococcus.
Like any infectious viral disease, chickenpox does not manifest itself immediately. Symptoms are preceded by a rather long incubation period (from 7 to 10 days).
When you visit the kindergarten and contact with a sick child, your baby will get sick not immediately, but only after a week. If the child’s immunity is weakened or there are concomitant chronic diseases, immunodeficiency, the disease manifests itself much earlier.
If you suspect chickenpox in your child, you should immediately call a doctor. Be careful, the virus is very "volatile." If there are other children at home, it is very likely that they will also get sick. If you have not been ill in childhood and did not put inoculationmost likely you can also get infected.
After examination, the doctor will prescribe symptomatic treatment and diet therapy. In severe cases, it may even require hospitalization in an infectious hospital. Treatment is usually limited to home stay and the implementation of all medical recommendations.
Need for diet
Medical nutrition for chickenpox will restore immunity, it has a positive effect on the whole complex of treatment as a whole.
To quickly cope with the virus, the kid needs enough strength and energy. Proper therapeutic diet helps to cope with this and leads to recovery in a shorter time.
Principles of nutrition
All food that enters the child’s body during the infection should provide the child’s body with enough energy to cope with the fight against the virus.
The appointment of a diet with chickenpox is one of the most important treatment conditions and includes several basic principles:
- Food should contain enough protein., fats and carbohydrates. The diet should be rational and balanced. During infection, it is worthwhile to increase the amount of proteins - up to 60% of the total diet. 40% is given to carbohydrates, 10% - to useful fats.
- As sources of protein foods it is better to use meat products of low-fat varieties. Veal, turkey, rabbit are perfectly assimilated and suitable for the child's body. Chicken and pork are less beneficial. During infection, the body does not need products that are difficult to digest, since it carries an additional load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The inclusion of dairy products. The fresher they are, the better. It would be ideal if you cook yogurt, kefir or cottage cheese at home on your own.
- It should increase the consumption of fresh fruits and berries. They contain a huge amount of useful vitamins and minerals. This, for example, selenium, which is contained in raspberries. It helps the work of immune cells and raises immunity. The berries and fruits contain a large amount of a natural natural antioxidant - ascorbic acid or vitamin C. Large concentrations of this substance have a detrimental effect on the virus that caused the infection.
- Cook for a side dish of grits. Slow carbohydrates contained in cereal products allow the child to feel full for quite a long time. They perfectly saturate, give the child’s body the strength to fight infection. Slow carbohydrates are long enough processed in the body, gradually releasing all the nutrients and energy.
- Be sure to include in the child's diet fresh vegetables. If the baby has inflammatory elements in the mouth or on the tongue, then you should use boiled vegetables, chopped to a state of mashed potatoes. This will not damage the injured mucosa. In other cases, cook fresh salads.
For details, see below in the transfer of Dr. Komarovsky.
