Index
Since we were little we heard our parents tell us not to drink ice water because it is bad. How true is this?
Like our parents, doctors are also categorical: the intake of cold fluids can negatively affect the natural defenses of the baby’s upper airways. This is because, low temperatures tend to inhibit some of the defense mechanisms especially of the nose, throat and bronchi .
Are you the right age to start drinking ice cream?
Due to the negative consequences, doctors recommend that babies take cold fluids only after the first year of life . And, only after 3 years of age and without infections in the respiratory tract, are children free to take cold liquids or even with ice cubes and ice cream, as long as it is not so often.
If the child is not in good health, the old recommendation of cold water mixed with natural water continues to apply . Before that age, the juices and teas that are given to babies, should be ingested at room temperature or slightly cool.
This is because babies who are breastfed only know the temperature of breast milk and will probably find it strange or even refuse a slightly cooler drink.
When the child is experiencing coughing fits, it is recommended to drink plenty of water, taking into account some considerations, if the outside temperature is low and the body is cold, the ice cream will make the cough worse.
The pulmonary cilia responsible for expectoration suffer from low temperatures and the movement of mucus changes. Sometimes, however, the cough is caused by irritation in the upper airways . In these circumstances, the cold can be beneficial, it will have a contraction action of the vessels.
The problem is not what you do when you have a cough, it is knowing if taking ice cream makes you cough. This depends on the cause of the disease and if it is an asthmatic attack, it makes no difference. If it is sinusitis , with secretion that descends from the sinuses through the retropharynx, falls into the glottis and causes coughing, the ice cream worsens the condition .
Does Eating or Drinking a Cold Thing Harm Your Throat?
There is no consensus among experts on this issue . Although some of them say that cold foods and drinks do not cause sore throats because only infectious agents that have the ability to cause an infection, the vast majority are categorical in stating that not only can, but will really harm the throat.
This is because both food and cold liquids cause a congestion of the respiratory mucosa. The respiratory mucosa is a protective layer that covers the respiratory tract (or tissue), which acts as a defense mechanism against infections.
When this mucosa becomes congested (or shrinks), it exposes the respiratory lining to possible infectious agents, making it easier for viruses and bacteria to attack it causing infections that lead to sore throat.
Also, when we drink cold drinks during the summer, it is very likely that we will have recurrent sore throats. This is because, in the summer, we tend to drink larger amounts of extremely cold fluids, leading to a constant attack on the respiratory system .
These infections also take a longer time to heal, since most people crave and drink ice cream, even if they are sick, delaying the entire healing process.
The only way to change this is to improve immunity and stay away from extremely cold foods and drinks. Another great way to keep throat infections away is to avoid taking things too cold when you return from a very hot place. For example, avoid drinking a glass of ice water as soon as you return from the heat outside.
Ice Cream Tip
Instead, allow the body to cool and then slowly drink the drink, allowing it to remain in your mouth for a while before swallowing. In this way, the liquid is heated a little and does not cause as much damage as drinking directly.
When we operate on the throat, doctors prescribe ice cream. Why does it happen?
Throat surgery consists of removing the tonsils. Then, immediately after this procedure, the place where the tonsils were becomes inflamed, swollen and painful.
And “ice” is an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic; therefore, it improves local conditions and takes away the pain. So doctors promise ice cream to children who operate on tonsils.
Having overcome the difficulties of the postoperative period, ice cream becomes one of the possibilities of food, since it is much more delicious to suck an ice cream than an ice cube, isn’t it?
Why does the throat inflame?
The “sore throat” is a popular term for throat infections. The inflammation of the throat can be caused by different factors such as exposure to cold, consumption of very cold food or drinks, during the flu or as a symptom of diseases such as pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other viral or bacterial infections.
The mucosa that lines the throat has a very powerful defense mechanism. When we do some damage to it, either by ambient temperature or by eating something very cold, or because we are breathing incorrectly.
It can also occur when we come into contact with something allergenic, this defense can decrease a little and the viral and bacterial agents can gain a chance to attack us and cause a sore throat.
Children usually have a sore throat when they refuse to eat, and this is a sign to be taken into account, as it means that they are in pain when eating.
When the sore throat is present for more than three days it can become a problem, because proper nutrition is also part of the treatment , combining anti-inflammatory foods and a lot of liquid.
See Also: How to Increase Immunity in Children
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
