Green Treehouse

Have you ever wondered about the differences between humidifiers, dehumidifiers and vaporizers?  Or tried to figure out why other parents get so pumped up when they talk about their child’s adorable animal or Thomas the Train character humidifier?

Until the pediatrician suggested I pick up a humidifier a couple of years ago to relieve my child’s congestion, I didn’t really understand the value of a humidifier.  In fact, I didn’t even think they were safe, especially around children.  That’s when I did a little homework to figure out what I didn’t know.

I learned that humidifiers and vaporizers add moisture to the air.  Dehumidifiers do the opposite.  They take moisture out. When your little one is congested due to a cold and has trouble sleeping comfortably, infusing moisture into the air can be a good thing.  Moisture even helps ward off dry skin and chapped lips.   

The notable difference between humidifiers and vaporizers is the temperature of the released mist.  Humidifiers tend to release cool or warm mist, but vaporizers (i.e. steam vaporizers) release hot mist. 

Hot mist poses a burn danger to children.  That’s why cool mist humidifiers are the choice for children’s rooms or when children are around the house.      

Cool mist humidifiers can provide instant relief from stuffiness and are often useful throughout the year–they can even eliminate those static electricity zaps!  Given the number of colds children will likely have in just the first few years alone, a cool mist humidifier is practically an essential.       

Wondering what to look for in a humidifier?  Here are a few features to look for:

–cool mist

–variable humidity control

 –quiet motor

–auto shut-off

–energy efficiency

–if special filters are required, ease in finding “replacements”

Yesterday, I took my baby to the pediatrician. She’s plagued with a cold. I suspect a sibling brought home the pesky virus-so I’m guessing based on the number of tissues that have been consumed in my house lately.

Cold and flu season has arrived. Frequent and vigorous hand washing (for at least 20 seconds) is considered the best way to prevent the spread of infections, like colds and the flu. You can help keep your children healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands frequently, especially upon returning home from an outing and before meals. Consider teaching your kids to sing the ABCs while hand washing-hopefully, that should be long enough to do some decent scrubbing.

Besides hand washing, parents can also help keep their children healthy by:

–considering flu shots
–taking antibiotics as directed (keep in mind, antibiotics don’t cure viral infections, like the cold)
–cleaning frequently used surfaces, like counters and toys
–avoiding people with colds or the flu
–using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially useful when you can’t get to a sink
–using shopping cart or high chair covers