The best thing you can do for your baby is to help him not get sick in the first place. This isn't always easy, as children very easily catch germs and don't have strong immune systems to fight them off. However, you can do a number of things to help your child stay clean, which is the best way to fight infections.

The Basics of Infection

Infections are virus germs that make their way into the body through the nose, eyes, and mouth. People usually come into contact with viruses by touching something contaminated with their hands, and they become infected by putting their hands into their nose, eyes, or mouth. This is why it's so important to wash your hands — and your baby's hands — often. Antibacterial wipes are great for this, because you don't have to use a public restroom or get your child into the bathroom of your house to clean her up.

If someone physically close to your one-year-old is sick, whether it's an adult or a child, be sure that person doesn't breathe, cough, or sneeze near your child. Unfortunately, you have to rely on other parents to keep their sick children home from day care and to cancel play dates when necessary. This is sometimes awkward, as not all parents are equally responsible about protecting the health of other children. If you suspect a child is sick and you want to keep your child away from her, you'll need to tell the other parent that you don't want to expose your child to a virus.

It is up to you to stay on top of the situation. If you need to, ask the other parent why the child is coughing or sneezing and if they are using medicine. If you feel that your child is being exposed to a virus or germs, you'll need to wipe off her hands and mouth, and any toys the children have shared.

Disinfecting

While cleaning is helpful, overcleaning, especially with antibiotic cleansers, is actually too much of a good thing. There are such things as healthy germs, and those germs fight infections and viruses. If you overclean your baby and your house, you will also get rid of the infection-fighting elements. Cleanliness is important because it does reduce the risk of infection and illness, but recent research has shown that overcleaning can actually lead to other, more serious illnesses, such as asthma. This is because a healthy body develops a healthy immune system when it encounters and fights off common germs.

In fact, the best things you can clean in order to keep your child healthy are toys she shares with other children. Simply wipe them down with a damp washcloth (using just a little bit of soap) and let them dry. You do not need to boil toys or use an antiseptic or antibacterial cleanser on them.