If your baby was born prematurely, you'll need to take special care during flu season. Your baby's immune system won't be fully-functioning for quite a while, which means they'll be susceptible to illnesses. It also means that your baby's symptoms will be more severe than baby's born at full-term. To help keep your baby healthy during flu season, here are four important safety tips for you to follow.

Insist on Hand Washing

When it comes to keeping your preemie healthy, it's important to start with clean hands. Promoting consistent hand washing is the best way to reduce the chances that your baby will get sick. Hand washing should be adhered to with you and with anyone who will be coming in contact with your baby. A good rule of thumb is to wash your hands whenever you come in contact with anything that could have germs, including doors and bathroom surfaces. Be sure to always carry hand sanitizer with you, for times when a sink is not available.

Talk to Your Pediatrician About the RSV Vaccine

If your baby was premature, you need to talk to your pediatrician about the RSV vaccine. This vaccine contains antibodies that will help protect your baby against the threat of the RSV virus, which can be particularly harmful to preemies. Your pediatrician will determine if the RSV vaccine will benefit your baby.

Take Care of Your Own Health

You might not realize this, but your health has a big impact on the health of your premature baby. In fact, every sickness you develop can be passed right on to your baby. Now that flu season is here, it's crucial that you receive your flu shot. It's also important that every member of your immediate family receive theirs too. If your extended family will be spending time with your preemie, be sure to request that they receive theirs as well. Insisting on flu shots will help keep your preemie healthy during flu season.

Limit the Visitors

When you have a baby, everyone wants to come visit. Unfortunately, when you have a preemie, that's not always a good idea. In fact, now that you have a preemie, it's a good idea to keep the crowds away, especially during flu season. Try to limit the number of people who come to visit, and insist on a "no illness" policy for all your visitors. Limiting the visitors who come to your home, and insisting that visitors be healthy when they come by, will greatly improve your baby's chances of staying healthy through flu season.

For more information, contact establishments like Advocare Haddon Pediatric Group at Haddon Heights.