How to avoid diseases in kindergartens and preschool institutions? A Brief Review of the Best Humidifiers for Children's Health

Good afternoon, today the parent committee offered to buy a humidifier for the kindergarten. All were accepted with a bang. What worries me is how safe this device is. I am afraid that on the contrary, this will lead to an increase in diseases of the lungs and bronchi. After all, children will breathe all this air after humidifying the rooms, and in the water it may not be known how many microbes, salts, and some other impurities. In addition, they want to buy this humidifier for the entire kindergarten, which means transferring it from group to group, and I'm afraid this will lead to even more viruses in the water, which children will then get with moisture. On the Internet, I found not only positive but negative reviews from using these devices, for example: - you are right about bacteria and impurities in the air from the humidifier. Salts, from the mist of the humidifier bonds, penetrate into all the cracks. They also accumulate in the lungs, and when you stop using the humidifier, they irritate and dry the mucous membranes for some time. There are already plenty of bacteria in the poured water. Most of them are relatively harmless iron bacteria, but there are enough dangerous pneumobacteria. Duty officer, bacteria are different, and not always they will smell when the device is operating. Oz humidifiers cannot be cleaned sufficiently, especially the tank, and any cleaning of them is a very inconvenient task that can ruin them. The mucus from the tank cannot be completely cleaned, no matter how hard you try. Dezavid in the bonds of the humidifier can not be poured. - My friend had a humidifier, they actively used it, her daughter began to have attacks of obstructive bronchitis, after 2-3 attacks the humidifier was removed, there was no more obstruction ... I, too, am somewhat afraid of washing and a humidifier, maybe well, what for excess humidity ... Ventilate more often, since our city is small, the environment allows ... - A couple of weeks after buying an air washer and installing it in the nursery, the child began to have yellow snot. Then green. Then with blood. Then 38.8, some kind of infection, we are treated with antibiotics. My husband has bronchitis and antibiotics. I am 37 weeks old, I have a cough, what to treat - I don’t know yet, I’m calling the doctor tomorrow. So I’m sinning on a humidifier, we didn’t have such health problems before it! My husband didn’t get sick at all like that - we started sleeping better with a humidifier, but we coughed right away (((and a day later the snot went very strongly and immediately green ... So I’m thinking of linking it together or just a coincidence. And a lot of similar reviews. What worries me most is that the idea was voiced by a mother whose son coughs in kindergarten until he vomits and loses his breath. .. But on the other hand, she proudly declares that they have this apparatus at home and their son breathes normally at home, so the fault of coughing in the kindergarten is the absence of this apparatus. But looking at her son, doubts take me, because no one else in the group coughs like that, and in general, other children hardly cough at all. I ask you to clarify whether it is possible to use this device in a kindergarten, or I am not in vain afraid of buying this device ?. Thanks in advance. -- Thank you for your attention.

Insufficient air humidity in the room provokes health problems. With an unsuitable microclimate, dust with harmful bacteria accumulates, the mucous membranes of the eyes, the nasopharynx dry up, a cough, runny nose, and allergic reactions develop. Children are especially affected by the negative influence.

Many families have found a simple, effective solution - a humidifier for children. Which is better? What kind of modern device creates the most pleasant indoor climate? Find out how to choose the right humidifier for you.

general information

The device has a different design and size, fits perfectly into any interior. The device resembles a cone, a round or oval container, inside which there is a tank of water, a vaporization chamber, air purification cartridges, electrodes or evaporative elements.

The principle of operation is the same everywhere:

• water inside the unit is converted into hot or cold steam;
• during evaporation, the dryness of the air decreases;
• the device allows you to quickly achieve optimal indoor humidity.

Kinds

To create a suitable microclimate in the nursery and other rooms, it is important to take into account many factors. Experts offer parents several options for modern household appliances.

• steam. The electrodes inside the device heat up, the water is converted into steam. An excellent option for very low humidity: hot steam quickly normalizes performance even in a very “dry” room. Consumables are not needed, but a jet of steam can burn a child who is interested in the operation of the device;
• traditional. Optimum air humidity is achieved by cold evaporation. Water from a special container falls on the evaporator parts. The humidifier fan sucks in dry air, blows it through the evaporator, and exhausts it back with the right humidity. When the device is installed near the heater, the circulation of particles is accelerated, the air receives not only humidification, but purification. There is no hot steam, it is easy to use, the noise level is minimal, but constant replacement of dirty filters is required;
• ultrasonic. Steam is produced from water by high frequency vibrations. Dry air enters, cool, damp fog comes out. No hot steam, almost no noise, good performance. The device is more expensive than traditional models, it requires only distilled water, otherwise calcium salts will surely settle in a white layer on the furniture. Some models have a "warm steam" function for maximum space cleansing. Some pediatricians do not recommend this type due to ultrasonic waves, others believe that the minimum indicators do not affect the health of the child.

Benefit and harm

Ideal household appliances do not exist, but when certain factors are taken into account, it is not difficult to find an appliance with maximum efficiency and safety. Each type has its own characteristics, but many properties are inherent in all humidifiers.

Advantages:

• maintaining the correct humidity levels in the nursery at a level of 50 to 65%;
• additional air purification, elimination of harmful bacteria;
• regular use of a humidifier prevents the mucous membranes from drying out, reduces the risk of allergies due to dust accumulation;
• many models give out cold steam, which cannot be burned;
• modern devices economically consume water;
• most devices do not have a harmful effect on the baby's body. Some pediatricians are wary of ultrasound devices, but most consider them safe for health;
• original varieties often decorate the interior. If desired, it is easy to turn the humidifier into an aroma lamp: just add a few drops of valuable ether to a tank of water;
• it is easy to find a humidifier with a stylish design for the living room or bedroom, in the form of funny animals for the nursery.

Disadvantages:

• most models have replaceable cartridges that trap dust, dirt, bacteria. Regular replacement of elements is required, otherwise all microbes with humidified air will get back into the room;
• the cost of individual varieties is quite high;
• only distilled water should be poured into ultrasonic devices in order to avoid damage to furniture;
• steam humidifiers create a distinct noise in the room, which creates discomfort, especially at night. The water consumption in steam models is quite large. Hot steam is a source of increased danger for inquisitive children.

How to choose a humidifier for a child? Important parameters:

• unit performance. In an hour, the device must pass at least twice through the air streams in the room that moisten and clean the element;
• the volume of a nursery or other room. Multiply the height by the area, and you get the desired value;
• water consumption. The best option is from 8 to 12 liters per day;
• how much water can be stored in the night humidifier tank. At least 5 liters of liquid must be placed in the flask;
• noise level. A humidifier for children should create as few extraneous sounds as possible that irritate the ear. Choose a model with a minimum noise level: if necessary, the device can be left on overnight;
• filters. An important detail, without which there is no sufficient cleaning in the room. Specify how often to change, where to get consumables, how to perform the operation without the help of a specialist;
• parameters that can be set automatically. Check if there is a timer, the ability to turn off without your presence;
• hygiene certificate. Always ask for this document, especially when purchasing an ultrasonic humidifier for a nursery. You will be sure that you have bought a device that is safe for the health of the child;
• manufacturing company. Buy an electrical appliance for humidifying the air of well-known brands. Many manufacturers offer a wide range of models. Specify which options you need and which are unlikely to be needed. With this factor in mind, you will buy a device with sufficient functionality and reasonable cost.

Overview and characteristics of models for children

Parents' feedback speaks of the benefits and comfortable use of ultrasound models. Pediatricians lean more towards traditional cold vapor humidifiers. This option has some disadvantages, but is completely safe for the health of children.

Ultrasonic

Many parents and professionals consider an ultrasonic humidifier to be the best option for installation in a nursery. Choose models from well-known manufacturers with the maximum range of useful features. To prevent the influence of high frequencies will help to install the device away from the crib.

With ionizer

Pediatricians are advised to choose models of air humidifiers with an ionizer and with additional purification. Ion filters for cleaning - maximum protection against harmful bacteria, which often accumulate among dust particles during increased dryness in the room.

Polaris Puh 2650

Polaris humidifier features:

• popular model, tank volume - 5 l, passes 400 ml of water per hour;
• suitable for serving an area of ​​24 sq. m;
• there is a timer, low water level indicator;
• ion filters, no pre-treatment of water;
• the average price is 2500 rubles.

Boneco 7135

Peculiarities:

• high efficiency, unique cleaning system;
• electronic control;
• built-in humidistat;
• cartridge with silver particles;
• durable membrane;
• two modes: warm and cold steam;
• liquid heating up to 80 degrees, effective disinfection;
• tank - 6.5 l;
• timer for 9 hours of continuous operation;
• steam output can be adjusted;
• the average price of a Boneco humidifier is 10,000 rubles.

ballu

The UHB - 550 E series is suitable for creating a pleasant microclimate. Models of air humidifiers ballu have a stylish design, original shape, suitable for any room. There are spectacular color schemes: a combination of white with green, black, a shade of “under the tree”.

Convenient control, electronic system, sound and light indication. Effective air humidification. The average cost is from 4900 rubles.

Electrolux EHU-1010

Features of the electrolux humidifier:

• room area - up to 30 sq. m, power - 25 W;
• there is a preliminary cleaning, humidified air flow adjustment, liquid level indicator;
• container volume - 4.5 liters, 300 ml of water is consumed per hour;
• there is no ionization function, there is no built-in hygrostat;
• estimated price - 5000 rubles.

Timberk

Features of timberk air humidifier:

• excellent level of air purity control;
• tank with a volume of 4 l, power - 110 W, consumption - up to 250 ml of liquid in 1 hour;
• room area - up to 25 sq. m;
• there are ion filters, hygrostat;
• the average cost of the device is from 1900 to 2500 rubles.

Bork

Features of bork humidifier:

• ion filters;
• phytoncides;
• special coating Nano Silver;
• stainless steel membrane
• easy control;
• minimum noise;
• auto-off timer for 1-9 hours;
• plastic body, elegant design;
• suitable for large areas;
• when draining the tank, the device automatically turns off;
• Estimated cost - from 10700 rubles.

Vitek

Several models with different functions. Vitek ultrasonic humidifiers have a stylish design, the size depends on the volume of the tank inside the device, the electrical appliance is powered from the mains. Power - from 25 to 140 watts.

More expensive models have not mechanical, but electronic control, remote control, display. Expensive appliances are equipped with conventional and NANO cleaning filters, which not only moisturize, but also soften and purify the air. The cost of Vitek humidifiers is from 1600 to 6300 rubles.

Redmond

Redmond Humidifier Features:

• high-quality ultrasonic device;
• service area - 40 sq.m.;
• reservoir capacity - 4 l;
• power for warm steam - 130 W, for cold - 40 W;
• there is a built-in ionizer;
• effective cleaning and disinfection due to ionic filters;
• Estimated price - from 1700 rubles.

Philips HU 4801

Philips Humidifier Features:

• popular model of compact size;
• tank with a volume of 2 l;
• area - up to 25 squares;
• cold steam (traditional method);
• water consumption - 200 ml / hour;
• ionization, no warm steam;
• you can buy an air humidifier at a price of 6,000 to 6,900 rubles.

How to make a do-it-yourself humidifier for a nursery

Home craftsmen offer to make a humidifier with their own hands. The device is inexpensive and efficient. Of course, there is no ionization and a timer here, but the device copes with its “direct duties” perfectly.

You will need:

• translucent bucket or plastic container;
• cooler from the cooling system of any computer;
• mobile phone charging.

How to proceed:

• make a technological hole in the lid of the container: you will install a fan here. So the air flow will come out of the plastic container;
• put a few long grooves on top of the box. This is where you will hang the non-woven material that will become the evaporator;
• mount the cooler, carefully close the plastic container;
• to control the liquid level, mark the walls of the container. So you will notice in time that it is time to add a new portion of water;
• it remains to connect a homemade humidifier to the mains.

A home master will certainly cope with such a task as making a humidifier with his own hands. Of course, the appearance of the device is far from perfect, but the functionality is good. If it is not yet possible to purchase a device worth 4-6 thousand rubles, for a temporary replacement, make the simplest device, be sure to remove it away from children.

Now you know what a humidifier is intended for, what advantages and disadvantages different types and models have. Choose a modern device, taking into account the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room, indicators of cleanliness, air humidity.

Listen to the opinion of doctors and craftsmen serving humidifiers. When buying, evaluate which type is best for children, and you will always be sure that the son or daughter in the room has optimal air humidity.

Watch Dr. Komarovsky's video tips on which humidifier is best for a child:

The correct air humidity in the room where the child lives allows not only to provide him with protection from viruses and allergies, but also to recover faster if the illness does happen. Yevgeny Komarovsky, a respected pediatrician and author of many books and articles on children's health, repeatedly told parents about this.

Many mothers and fathers, listening to the doctor's advice, try to humidify the air in the children's room with the help of basins of water, an aquarium, steam, wet towels hung on radiators. Sooner or later, the understanding comes that it is easier and more profitable to purchase a special device - an air humidifier. Evgeny Komarovsky tells how to choose it and how to use it correctly.

Benefit and harm

The mucous membranes of the nose and nasopharynx perform important protective functions. They produce mucus that can bind viruses and slow their spread.

If the mucus dries up due to the fact that the child breathes dry air or breathes through the mouth during a runny nose, then the biological fluid that has changed its consistency becomes dangerous for the baby. Pathogenic bacteria begin to feel great in dried nasal mucus.

Many parents have noticed that the current snot one day turns into thick and green. This is the result of improper air humidity.

A child who constantly breathes dry air is more likely to suffer from acute respiratory viral infections.

During illness, they have a significantly higher risk of complications. The fact is that if, when coughing in the bronchi, which also actively produce a protective secret against viruses, bronchial mucus begins to dry out, this will most likely lead to bronchitis. If dried mucus begins to interfere with pulmonary metabolism, then pneumonia will begin.

Moist air during the flu or SARS is generally one of the main “medicines”: viral infections recede faster, and the immune system learns to recognize viruses and resist them when the patient breathes humid air, drinks a lot of liquids. At the same time, you usually do not need to buy any other medicines from a pharmacy.

Children who breathe insufficiently humidified air are more likely to suffer from various allergic reactions. They are more difficult to tolerate the high temperature that accompanies various diseases, they get sick longer, their immunity is much weaker than their peers who breathe air with relative humidity ranging from 50 to 70%. It is this level of humidity that Komarovsky recommends maintaining for the children's room.

To find out how much the air in the room is saturated with moisture, you should take a device - a hygrometer. If the indicator does not “reach” up to 50%, then you should think about purchasing a humidifier. It will help, without too much fuss, running around with basins, jars of water and wet towels, to create the right microclimate in which the child will grow up healthy.

Harm from the humidifier will only be if the parents grossly violate the rules for its operation. If there is a humidity in the child's room that exceeds 75-80%, then this will negatively affect his well-being and health.

Types of humidifiers - pros and cons

There are three types of humidifiers on the market today:

1. steam;
2. ultrasonic;
3. "cold".

Steam humidifiers are similar to kettles in terms of operation: in order for the water to begin to evaporate, it is heated to a boil in the device by two electrodes. This is the cheapest and most affordable option for home appliances.

When choosing a steam humidifier, you should make sure that it is equipped with a special humidity sensor, which instructs the device to turn off immediately after the desired set humidity is reached in the room. If this is not included in the humidifier, then you will have to buy it separately, which is not very convenient and expensive.

Among the disadvantages of a steam appliance, one can indicate a high level of energy consumption. But otherwise, this type of humidifier is very suitable for children's rooms - it is the most productive, quickly creates the desired microclimate, there is no need to buy consumables for it. The product works simply: water is poured and the container is plugged into an outlet.

It should be remembered that humidification occurs with hot steam, and therefore it is necessary to place the humidifier so that the child cannot reach it under any circumstances.

Ultrasonic humidifiers are more expensive than steam humidifiers, but they have more benefits. So, with lower power consumption, these devices show a fairly high performance.

The principle of operation of such a device is more complex: ultrasonic radiation is applied to the piezoelectric crystal, electrical vibrations become mechanical. The advantage of this technique is in its small dimensions, the mobility of the atomizer, with which steam can be directed from any direction.

With all the advantages, ultrasonic humidifiers are quite capricious: if too hard water is often poured into them, the filter quickly fails. This can lead to the fact that a white precipitate will fall on furniture and wallpaper. In addition, replacement filters for appliances are expensive.

"Cold" humidifiers are the most expensive. They got this name for the principle of operation, according to which the dry air that is currently in the room, entering the inside of the device, is cleaned. Inside there is a wet cartridge, passing through which the air cools and is saturated with moisture.

The performance of such equipment directly depends on the initial humidity. The higher it is, the slower the device will work, because there is no point in intensive moisturizing. Therefore, such a "smart" humidifier will always maintain the optimal level of humidity by itself, without the intervention of household members.

Such a device is very demanding on the quality of the water that will wet the filter. Too hard water will damage the filter. Therefore, it is better to use distilled water or, for extra money, buy special cartridges that “know how” to soften hard water and demineralize it.

This humidifier does not release streams of steam, like the previous two types, and therefore the child will not be interested. Another advantage is that the humidifier not only saturates the air with water, but also purifies it, since it works with smaller particles.

Cold humidifiers consume the same amount of electricity as ultrasonic humidifiers. However, their performance is lower than that of ultrasonic ones, but they are on self-regulation.

The disadvantage of the device is that it is not able to raise the relative humidity above 60%. In addition, the filter service life is no more than 3 months, so consumables will have to be purchased and changed at least 4 times a year.

Where to start choosing

You should start choosing a device for a nursery by measuring the room.

You must come to the store with a piece of paper, which will indicate:

• room area;
• ceiling height;
• a brief description of the type of room (how many windows, what the walls are made of, how many upholstered furniture, plants are in the room).

It is also advisable to tell the seller how often you can change the water in the appliance. If you are sitting at home, then the tank may be small, but if the parents are at work all day and the child is in the kindergarten, then it is better to take a device with a large capacity in order to add water less often.

Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that the most difficult thing when choosing in a store is to evaluate the noise effects that a humidifier emits. In the space of a large shopping center, not a single type of device seems to make noise. But after all, it will be used in the bedroom, including working at night. It is important that the device is as quiet as possible.

If you have to choose a humidifier for the first time, you should not immediately take an expensive and technologically complex model, says Komarovsky. Beginners do not need an instance with a control panel, an “on-board computer”, and a host of additional functions. To begin with, you just need to understand how the device is used and why this particular family needs it.

Optimum indoor climate

With the birth of a child, we immediately think about the microclimate in the house, we try to create the most comfortable conditions for the baby. Common truths, replicated in pediatrics brochures, say that the air in the children's room should have a humidity of at least 40% (ideally 50-60%) and a temperature not higher than 22° C (ideally 19-20 ° C). Taking care of the baby at home, it seems to us that we have done everything necessary.

The danger of dry air in kindergartens

How to choose a humidifier for kindergarten

What to do? Until childcare air quality becomes part of the federal child welfare program, take matters into your own hands. Each group has a parent committee that resolves the pressing issues of the children's team. In general, it doesn’t take much, to begin with, install a thermohygrometer in the group (a special measuring device that records the temperature and humidity of the air in the room), it will help you find out how serious the situation is, and what parameters to focus on when choosing a humidifier.

So, the first (ideal option): thermostats are installed on the batteries in the group, with the help of which the educators make sure that the room is not very hot, the group is constantly ventilated. In this case, you can setThere are two types of humidifiers: ultrasonic humidifier or air washer.

The second option (the most common): there are no battery thermostats, the room is rarely ventilated. Here can only cope.
The fact is that the performance of an ultrasonic humidifier does not depend on environmental conditions, it releases a certain amount of moisture in the form of fog. The performance depends on its technical characteristics (membrane oscillation speed, water tank volume, fan power that expels water mist to the outside, etc.). Considering all these and other parameters, most companies indicate the overall performance of the device, measured in g / h; the higher it is, the more efficiently the device humidifies the air, and the larger the area it can serve.
Ordinary tap water can be quite hard, and since the caretaker will not be able to pour bottled or filtered water into the humidifier, it is best to take care of purchasing an anti-calcium cartridge in advance, which is inserted inside the device and prevents sediment and impurities from escaping along with water mist out.

To prevent children from reaching the device, it is better to install the air humidifier outside the children's play area, or at a high level, for example, on a shelf.
Well, the only thing left is to choose an air humidifier that will not only effectively humidify the air in the kindergarten group, but also be able to decorate it.

According to modern sanitary standards, relative humidity in preschool institutions should not be lower than 40-60%. In practice, in winter, in groups, humidity often does not exceed 25%, which is comparable to dry air in the Sahara desert. In Russia, the heating season lasts for half a year, which means that all this time children in kindergartens are forced to breathe insufficiently humidified air, because the higher the temperature in the rooms, the drier the air.

Experts say that dry air is dangerous and can cause considerable harm to children's health. The fact is that the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract of a child are in daily contact with a huge number of pathogens. However, not always a meeting with the causative agent of the disease leads to the development of infection. Mucous membranes are able to trap and destroy bacteria at the site of their introduction - this is how local immunity manifests itself.

What happens to the body of a child who is forced to spend a lot of time in a dry microclimate? Insufficiently humid air leads to drying of the mucous membranes, and, therefore, to a violation of local immunity. Dried mucus is an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms, and, therefore, the cause of bronchitis, sinusitis and otitis media.

In addition, under the influence of dry air, the susceptibility of the mucous membranes to allergens and dust increases, and the child's risk of developing allergic pathology increases - up to asthma.

Excessively dry air in the kindergarten dries out the delicate baby skin, thereby not only creating discomfort for the baby, but also reducing its natural protective properties.

Compared to adults, young children are more in need of the right microclimate, because due to a more intensive metabolism, the child's body produces more heat. A dry atmosphere contributes to increased sweating and loss of fluid from breathing, which, in turn, leads to thickening of the blood and even disruption of the kidneys.

If we take these factors into account, it becomes clear that a humidifier in a kindergarten today is not a luxury, but a reasonable concern for the health of children. Experts do not recommend installing steam humidifiers, but ultrasonic devices will be the best option for DDU.

To date, ultrasonic humidifiers are considered the most effective and safe. Their action is based on the following mechanism: water from the tank is supplied to a plate vibrating at high speed, where it is split into small splashes. Tiny droplets form a cloud through which the fan drives the surrounding air. In other words, an ultrasonic humidifier generates mist at home. The device works almost silently and is safe for both children and adults.