Why and how to avoid malaria in babies?. As parents you must have wondered about this and if not it is time to pay attention to this deadly disease because it could be problematic if it is left unaddressed. When it comes to ensuring safety for babies, Malaria is one of those diseases that need utmost considerations. According to various reports about 2.5 million malaria cases are reported in South Asia each year. The warm climatic condition of this region, un-hygienic atmosphere and huge population worsens the situation even more, thus, it becomes very important for parents to take care of their babies from Malaria, since, they are more vulnerable to this disease because of their weak-immune system and tender body parts.

Despite the fact that there are plenty of remedies available these days that can help parents avoid their babies being a mosquito buffet like mosquito repelling bands, Malaria is spreading at an alarming rate that needs extra care and consideration. Understanding the fact that prevention is better than cure we decided to come up with a guide that will help parents understand why and how to avoid malaria in babies.

Things to know before treating Malaria in Babies

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease that is caused by the Plasmodium parasite and is characterised by fever, chills and sweating and if left untreated could lead to death of the victim. The main culprit of Malaria is Female Anopheles Mosquito that injects Plasmodium parasite to the human blood through their needle-like appendages making human sick. The plasmodium parasite then completes its life cycle in two different hosts; one is blood vessels and second is Liver of the human.

Common Symptoms of Malaria in Babies and Toddlers

Malaria manifests itself through various symptoms and if your baby is showing any of these symptoms it is time to consult your doctor. Some common symptoms that babies can show after being infected by plasmodium are:

• Fever
• Chills
• Shivering
• irritability and drowsiness
• poor appetite
• cough and cold
• diarrhoea, often with green stools
• vomiting
• sleeplessness
• rapid breathing
• low body temperature (hypothermia)
• seizures
• vomiting
• stomach pain

How does malaria spread in babies?

Owing to its warm climate, un-hygienic condition and ever growing population, Malaria is widespread in India and is most common in states like Orissa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Malaria is caused in human due to the infection of “Plasmodium” parasite after being bitten by Female Anopheles Mosquito, a kind of mosquito that breeds and populates in moist, warm and un-hygienic conditions. Contrary to the prevailing perception Malaria is not caused by Male Anopheles Mosquito because they lack necessary appendages that can inoculate ‘plasmodium’ pathogens to the human blood.

Unlike those mosquitoes that cause dengue or chikungunya, female anopheles mosquitoes bite during night or evening. There are mainly four different strains of “Plasmodium” that cause malaria in human, however, among them “Plasmodium vivax” and Plasmodium falciparum are prevalent in India. Malaria parasite completes its life cycle in two different organs in human and these are the blood vessels and the liver.

Is malaria seasonal?

Malaria is a disease that can occur throughout the year but the number of cases may shoot-up manifold in the season following the rainy because the rainy season offers stagnant and humid weather that are favourable for breeding and growth of mosquitoes. So, parents need to take extra care during this period as chances of anopheles infection are more compared to the rest.

How to avoid malaria infections in babies?

There are plenty of means through which we can keep mosquitoes at bay and this could be the best means to avoid getting infected with malaria. Below are some of the common means through which we can avoid our babies from getting infected with malaria.

• Always use mosquito net while putting babies at sleep
• Use strong mosquito repellents that are effective in driving mosquitoes away
• You can use citronella oil as floor cleaning agents as they are effective in keeping mosquitoes away
• Alternatively you can use mosquito repelling bands and mosquito repelling patches that are safe and natural
• You can plant mosquito repelling herbs like Citronella, Lemon tree, Basil, Marygold, Peppermint and Garlic in your yard, garden or even inside the dwelling space

Putting things simply, Malaria is a deadly disease and parents need to take care of their little angels when it comes to ensuring safety for them. With some preventive measures and steps they can help their babies lead a malaria-free life. People these days are more inclined towards buying ready-made, safe and natural mosquito repelling products and if you are one among them then SafeoKid could be the best platform which you can refer to buy  baby safety products.