The aces of info | Why are many children sick these days?

Every Sunday, The Press broadcasts the content of Les As de l’info, a new youth digital platform entirely devoted to daily news.

Have you been sick recently? Do we cough at home? If so, you are not alone. There are a lot of sick children these days. But why ?

Since the pandemic, some viruses no longer behave as they used to. Usually they appear in winter and spring. This year, they appeared in the fall and infected many children.

At the end of last week, emergency rooms in children’s hospitals were overflowing. These days, many parents bring their children to the hospital because they have complications caused by respiratory viruses, such as the common cold, the flu or even COVID-19.

A nasty virus

It is the famous respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) which particularly monopolizes hospital resources: this highly contagious virus normally reaches children for the first time before the age of 2 years. And with its small airways, a young child is less well equipped to expel secretions caused by infection. If you are over two years old, you have most likely caught this virus several times in your life.

RSV is very often the reason babies are hospitalized. But don’t worry, it’s still quite rare, since only a tiny proportion of children who catch the disease will have to go to hospital.

After COVID-19

Thanks to the sanitary measures that protected us from COVID-19, RSV has circulated very little since 2020. At this time, a large number of toddlers who had never been exposed to it have caught it.

The physical distancing measures imposed since 2020 have limited the circulation of all viruses. They started circulating again when the measures were lifted.

The good news is that the disease does not appear to be more severe than before the pandemic. The length of stay in hospital for children in need of care is no longer than before. There are only more babies in the hospital right now, because they are all catching the virus at the same time.

Is COVID-19 weakening us?

In addition to the effects of physical distancing, could COVID-19 possibly weaken the immune system, the system that fights viruses?

This is a hypothesis brought up by some scientists. An infection with a virus such as measles, for example, can weaken the immune system for a few months. Are people who have had COVID-19 more vulnerable, for a certain period, to other viruses? We don’t know yet.

On the other hand, other infections are known to protect against other viruses. For example, the flu can block a COVID-19 infection for a few days.

It is not yet known if the RSV peak has passed or if the number of cases will rise a little further. Faced with this uncertainty, some are wondering if the mask should be brought back to class. It doesn’t appeal to many, but it could help reduce the number of cases or slow the transmission of viruses, especially if everyone wears it.

Being ecological in winter is possible!

With winter approaching, it is getting colder and our lifestyles are changing. We want long showers, fireplaces, to travel only by car… but it’s not always very ecological, all that! Today, I’m giving you some tips to be eco-responsible even in winter!

Wear warm clothes

My first tip is to wear warm clothes indoors. Instead of turning up the heating to a very high temperature in the house, it is possible to wear an extra layer of clothing to keep warm.

This practice, in addition to being ecological, will allow your whole family to save money.

If you live in Montreal, you know that fireplaces are prohibited because of their environmental impact. If you live outside the metropolis, it’s a good habit to get into using them only on special occasions.

Reduce shower time

Then, it is very important not to take too long showers in winter.

With the temperature dropping, we tend to want to stay longer in hot water. But taking a slightly shorter shower saves water and is more environmentally friendly.

Be eco-responsible in your purchases

Since cold weather often prompts us to spend more time indoors, our hobbies change. During this period, it is more tempting to do activities such as shopping in a mall, for example. However, we must not forget that consuming and buying a lot of things is not an eco-responsible practice!

If you still need to buy clothes, thrift stores are a good option. But otherwise, window shopping never killed anyone either.

Cycling, even in winter

In winter, one thing is certain, it is much more difficult to move around. However, several possibilities exist. There is of course public transport. Otherwise, the City of Longueuil announced this week that it would clear more than 60 km of bike paths this winter. By 2026, more than 116 km of bike paths will be cleared of snow during the winter period.

This project will allow many people to travel safely by bike throughout the winter. Hopefully this will inspire other cities to do the same in the years to come!

Do you know how to manage your money?

Understanding the basics of money is as important as knowing how to read and count. It is even essential! As we often say, “money doesn’t grow on trees”. Which means you have to earn it, either by working or through gifts! It is therefore very important to know how to spend the money you have earned well and also how to save it.

And precisely, the month of November is the month of financial literacy. A somewhat complicated title to say that it is the month of money education.

Tips that can help you

We’ve thought of a few tips to help you make the right decisions about your money. Here they are !

• Start by setting limits for yourself. When you receive money and you want to buy something, always check the prices and set yourself a precise amount not to exceed. You must not be influenced by others. By wanting to buy the same items as your friend or your neighbour, for example, you could be led to exceed the amount you set at the start.
• Then, you have to pay attention to all the advertisements you see on the street, on television or on the internet. Keep in mind that the images you see are created to provoke new desires or new needs.
• Finally, we must remember that the more we spend, the more companies are encouraged to produce. And who says production, also says ecological problems since components such as plastic or cardboard used for packaging can be a source of pollution for the planet. Although most are recycled, not all are.

When we keep all this in mind, we tend to make more thoughtful, less impulsive purchases. And we are also often more satisfied with the things we end up buying!

Savings, your best friend

The most important thing is to think about saving. Saving money to treat yourself later or to save for a particular project is always a good idea.

You don’t have to keep everything you receive, but you might decide to set aside a few dollars each time! You can tell your parents about it and make yourself a personal piggy bank. Some banks also offer special programs for children.