Preventing Illness

Protecting Your Child from Illness

A baby receives antibodies from the mother through the placenta before birth. These antibodies help to protect the child from illness. However, an infant is still susceptible to many infections. Always wash your hands before touching your baby or touching anything that might end up in your child’s mouth, nose or eyes. We recommend that you keep your infant away from children and adults who are ill. If other family members become sick, have the baby sleep in a separate room. Do not allow sick people to cough in your infant’s face.

Daycare centers and nurseries are common places where illnesses are spread among children. The more exposures that your child has to other children, the more likely your child will come down with an illness. Obviously, it would not be wise to separate your child from all other children, but small babies and children will have fewer illnesses if their exposure to illness is reduced.