Dry and warm air in an apartment can cause frequent colds and contribute to the manifestation of various allergic reactions, especially in childhood. An air humidifier will help cope with this problem by creating a comfortable microclimate in the room, which is extremely important for the child’s life.
Why does a child need
I think no one will argue with me if I say that in the summer children are healthier: they get sick more easily and recover faster. Have you ever wondered why? Modern medicine has long proven that in the treatment of ARVI, the quality of the air that a small organism breathes plays a huge role. Namely, its purity, temperature and humidity. And just in the summer, these indicators are at their best due to the lack of heating, the abundance of fresh humid air outside the window, the presence of green trees, frequent ventilation in the apartment, etc.
However, unfortunately, the warm season does not last forever, and we have to think about how to bring these indicators closer to optimal in autumn, winter and spring.
And if everything is more or less clear with the cleanliness and temperature of the air: we remove excess dust accumulators (pillows, toys, etc.) and carry out regular wet cleaning, put regulators on the radiators and reduce their heat when necessary, then everything is fine with humidity more difficult. Simply because civilization is not reaching us quickly, as always. And domestic doctors have only recently started talking about the importance of this parameter for children’s health.
Normal air humidity is 40-60% if a person is healthy, and 50-70% if he is sick with ARVI, flu, colds, etc.
Why air humidity is important for a child:
- If a child breathes air with normal humidity, his mucous membranes are in a moist state and are able to effectively respond to viruses, bacteria, and allergens entering the upper respiratory tract and neutralize them in a timely manner. If a child breathes dry air, the mucous membrane dries out, the nose becomes crusty, local immunity does not work, and all the indicated things easily enter the body.
- In a cool room with normal humidity and moving air, viral particles entering the air die within a few seconds. In a room with dry, warm and still air, viral particles remain active for hours.
- In humid air, dust does not fly, but instantly settles on the surface, therefore, we do not breathe it and do not pollute the respiratory tract.
- If a child is sick with ARVI (with a cough and runny nose), normal humidity in the air he breathes, especially during sleep, as well as drinking plenty of fluids is 90% of the success of the entire treatment, the ability to do without unnecessary medications for coughing, and also a guarantee of the absence of bacterial complications. This is because mucus and phlegm do not dry out and are easy to blow your nose and cough up. I wrote more about this in the article snot in a newborn: what to do to quickly cure it.
- Normal humidity helps maintain youthful skin, increase its elasticity, and a healthier complexion (relevant for a young mother).
The need to humidify the airspace
It is believed that the relative humidity in the nursery should be at least 50%. With this indicator, the baby feels comfortable, which means his body is fully functioning. What's really going on? When the air temperature outside is 4°C, the air humidity is on average 78%, and in the apartment it is only 38%. And when the heating season begins, indoors it drops to 20%.
Our grandmothers and mothers also placed a large number of flowers in the room where the child was, put buckets of water, and hung wet towels. All this made the air moisturized and, accordingly, softer for our skin. But today everything has become simpler, and you can ensure the required level of humidity using a humidifier for a children's room.
Dry air “pulls” moisture from all objects in the room: furniture, flowers, and, of course, from our skin. Hence - flaky cheeks, snoring in sleep, headaches, allergies, dizziness and diseases of the respiratory system.
In addition, despite the amount of wet cleaning and ventilation, the air in the house contains dust, tobacco smoke, exhaust gases from the street, dust mites and other not very pleasant substances. In addition to the main function of saturating the air with moisture, a humidifier for children can also saturate oxygen with ions. The device cleans the air, freeing it from dust and other microparticles, and neutralizes unpleasant odors.
By installing a humidifier in the nursery, you will immediately notice positive changes in your baby’s behavior:
- the child will sleep better at night;
- his activity and performance will increase;
- he will get sick less.
The main thing is to remember that even the best and most modern device does not cancel the ventilation procedure.
Having understood the need for a humidifier for children, we choose the appropriate option.
Who else needs
Children's health is perhaps the most significant reason for eliminating the problem of dryness in the room, however, it is not the only one. How is a humidifier useful for an adult?
Almost all adults note an improvement in the quality of sleep after purchasing it. Also, judging by the reviews, the problem of dry mouth and sore throat disappears, and migraines occur much less often.
Normal air humidity is necessary for a house in which high-quality natural wood parquet is installed. Since it is known that with insufficient moisture, the wooden canvas is deformed and cracks.
Fans of home plants note that a humidifier is necessary for flowers, since plants grow poorly in dry air, bloom less often and often die altogether. Once the moisture problem is solved, the flowers will grow with renewed vigor.
Hot steam appliance
The next option is a humidifier (air purifier) with hot steam. Similar to the previous one, but has a small heater that evaporates water, similar to an electric kettle.
Its advantages:
- inexpensive;
- does not require changing filters;
- moisturizes faster than cold steam;
- sterilizes the passing air, killing some microbes;
- makes it possible to use medicinal essential oils, acting like an inhaler, which is useful and important for frequently ill children.
The disadvantages include:
- the possibility of getting burned by a hot steam jet;
- increase in room temperature;
- excessive waterlogging;
- You also need to add water more often so that the device does not work in vain.
How to humidify the air in a children's room
Remember the main thing: batteries, lamps, lamps, air conditioners, and an open window dry the air in winter!
If the temperature outside is below 0 degrees, there is no humidity in it, since water freezes at temperatures below 0!
To achieve and maintain air humidity in the room, you need to:
- Reduce the temperature in the room not with the help of an open window, but with the help of regulators on the radiator. You also need to ventilate, but not as often as you are used to, wanting to “make it cooler.” You need to “make it cooler” by reducing the batteries. This way we eliminate 2 sources of dry air at once - a heating device and dry frosty air. If there are no regulators on the batteries, you should cover them with something heavy and dense, at least reducing their heat.
- Purchase a special device for determining air humidity - a hygrometer, which is sold separately (similar to a thermometer), or as part of an electronic gadget - a home weather station (pictured above), which looks like an electronic clock: shows the time, temperature at home and outside the window, humidity air and other useful data. What is it for? To achieve normal humidity, we must know what it is now and be able to measure it.
- Buy a special device - a household humidifier for your apartment. Since only it is able to effectively and regularly provide normal humidity in the room. No basins of water or wet towels hanging around the apartment can cope with this task.
Criterias of choice
Each of the three types of humidifiers has its own set of pros and cons. In order to choose the right device, you must first understand which criteria are most important.
Safety is probably the most important thing to consider when purchasing any devices for your child's room. Ultrasonic and traditional humidifiers meet this parameter.
If you choose by noise level, ultrasonic devices are considered the quietest.
If the tap water is quite hard, and it is not possible to install a filter or buy distilled water, then it is better to purchase a traditional or steam device.
Budget models include steam and traditional humidifiers.
When you need to increase the humidity level in a room in the shortest possible time, it is better to turn to steam humidifiers.
In addition to these parameters, there is a list of requirements that a humidifier that is safe for a child must meet:
- it should not arouse interest in the baby - bright and toy-style devices can attract unwanted attention from the child and make him want to play with it;
- It is desirable that it automatically turns off when the water runs out;
- The device should not contain small parts that the baby can tear off or unscrew.
Types of humidifiers
Modern air humidifiers come in three main types:
- steam;
- ultrasonic;
- with natural hydration;
- nano-humidifiers.
Steam
A steam humidifier is the simplest and most uncomplicated one. Humidification in it occurs due to hot steam, which appears as a result of heating the water. It is able to humidify very quickly even a room of a decent size.
However, it has several significant drawbacks. Firstly, it is very dangerous because it evaporates hot steam, which can burn the baby. And if the baby manages to knock over this device with boiling water, it’s scary to imagine what kind of injuries this could result in!
Secondly, a steam humidifier is very energy-consuming, which will affect meter readings and electricity bills. And considering that during the heating season it is reasonable to keep the device on around the clock, this will cost a pretty penny.
Thirdly, the price for this kind of humidifiers is steep, and starts from 5,000 rubles. in metropolitan online stores.
Therefore, I would definitely not recommend a steam humidifier for a child.
With natural hydration
Such devices are essentially a container of water and a built-in fan that blows out moisture and produces so-called natural evaporation.
What can I say, judging by customer reviews, these devices are the least efficient. Many people complain about the unreasonably inflated price of such a unit, and also say that later they had to purchase a second device, since the first one could not cope with the humidification function to normal levels.
And this is not surprising. The very concept of “natural” hydration does not inspire confidence in advance, because we know that basins of water and wet towels are ineffective, although they are typical examples of “natural” hydration.
The second disadvantage of such humidifiers is that due to the operation of the fan, these units have an increased noise level. You may be willing to put up with this during the day, but in the quiet of the night it can create inconvenience for a newborn baby and a person with a light sleeper. The price of such humidifiers in online stores starts from 3,000 rubles.
Ultrasonic
This is a leader in terms of price, quality, and ease of use.
How does he work? Completely safe, unlike their steam counterparts. Water at room temperature is poured into a special bowl, the device is turned on, and humidification occurs due to steam broken up by ultrasound. These are very small grains of moisture at a neutral temperature. The baby can touch this steam with his hands, inhale it, it’s completely safe!
What’s nice is that the device consumes very little electricity, 13 times less than a steam unit, and can work around the clock without any harm to your wallet.
In addition, the ultrasonic humidifier is completely silent, and even when turned on, does not interfere with the sensitive sleep of the baby and his parents.
The price of such a humidifier is another of its advantages, because it starts from 500 rubles.
Nano humidifier
This is a kind of novelty, the latest technology, they are also called climate complexes. Undoubtedly, this is the most expensive humidifier, but is it worth overpaying for it?
This device is capable of breaking water into even smaller particles than an ultrasonic humidifier. According to manufacturers, such particles are not capable of carrying bacteria and viruses.
However, as you and I know, if the air in a room is humid, cool and moving, then viruses and bacteria cannot survive in it in principle. Therefore, I would say that this statement is nothing more than a publicity stunt, and not a real competitive advantage.
As a rule, nano humidifiers are equipped with an air purification function. How it works? It's simple. Dirty air is driven inside using a special fan, cleaned, and released back - already cleaned of dust and other harmful impurities.
Among the disadvantages, one can note the rather high price for this type of device, from 4000 rubles.
So that you do not make a mess in your head from the knowledge you have acquired and can answer the question of which is the best air humidifier to buy, we will collect all the pros and cons of these devices in a table.
| Index | Steam | Natural | Ultrasonic | Nano |
| Safety | — | + | + | + |
| Efficiency | + | — | + | + |
| Energy consumption | — | + | + | — |
| Noise | — | — | + | — |
| Price | — | — | + | — |
Thus, after weighing all the pros and cons, we see that the ultrasonic humidifier is the leader in the rating and the best in all respects. Actually, this is the type of humidifier I recommend for installation in a children's room.
How to choose and which one is better
Once we have decided on the main thing – the type of humidifier, we need to choose a specific model.
Here you should start from the area of the room in which the device will operate, and be sure to take it into account when purchasing. So, there are devices with low efficiency. They are able to humidify a room of 10 square meters. m, but the room is about 30 sq. m will be useless.
The size of your humidifier's bowl will affect how often you have to refill it. That is, you will only need to fill a 6-liter cup a maximum of a couple of times a day and forget about it. While a bowl with a volume of 1 liter or 1.5 liters will have to be filled every 2-3 hours. This is definitely inconvenient at night.
As for additional functions and whether they are needed.
- Air cleaning. In principle, it won’t be superfluous. But you can do without it. Still, the main task of a good humidifier is the actual humidification. It can affect the noise level and energy consumption, so if a silent device and low power consumption are important to you, it is better to abandon it. At the same time, when answering the question of what is better: a humidifier or an air purifier for a children's room, it is worth remembering that both of these functions can be successfully combined in one device.
- Air ionization. The importance of air ionization for the human body is exaggerated. The ionization function does not have any effect on the course of ARVI and the general state of health.
- Built-in hygrometer. A pointless waste of money, it has no practical value, since it measures the air humidity near the source of moisture. Accordingly, the indicators will be incorrect. It is much better to purchase a separate hygrometer and place it next to the crib or on the other side of the room from the humidifier to get a reliable reading.
- Remote control. It’s also an extra function that you shouldn’t overpay for, since the device will most likely work around the clock and won’t need to be turned on and off regularly.
The first humidifier is like the first car or the first cell phone. You shouldn’t chase the most sophisticated models with a bunch of additional bells and whistles. You still won't use half of it. So why overpay for them and complicate your familiarity with the equipment and the process of its operation?
I recommend purchasing the simplest option possible, focusing on:
- type of humidifier (ultrasonic),
- its performance (for the size of area you need),
- appearance (here the taste and color, as they say),
- price.
Perhaps these are all the necessary characteristics with which you can choose what you need.
How to use
So, we already know that in order for the device to work effectively, we must reduce the batteries and open the window less often in winter. In addition, control the humidity level not by eye, but using a special device for measuring it - a hygrometer.
Of course, you shouldn’t go to the other extreme and make your home damp. Dampness occurs where humidity remains above 80% for a very long time. Not to be confused with normal humidity!
Air humidity in the range of 40-60% and 50-70% is considered optimal for the human body and has nothing to do with dampness!
The humidifier can work around the clock, without interruptions. As a rule, most devices are equipped with water level control sensors. And if the latter runs out in the tank, the device automatically turns off.
What kind of water should be poured into a humidifier?
Most manufacturers recommend using distilled water for appliances, in fact, as for any equipment (irons, steamers, etc.). Of course this is the best option. However, it is very expensive.
An alternative is to use boiled and settled water. This is the least expensive option, close in composition to distilled water.
You can also try using filtered water, but most filters do not remove calcium salts from the water. Therefore, the use of such water, over time, can lead to the appearance of a white coating on the floor, furniture and household appliances.
A humidifier, like any household appliance, must be used correctly. Rinse, clean and dry regularly according to the operating instructions supplied with the device. In this case, it will successfully serve you for many years, preserving the health of all family members.
I bring to your attention a very short, succinct and informative video on how to choose a humidifier for a children's room with comments from the famous children's pediatrician E.O. Komarovsky.
Climate complex
The climate control complex (CONVAIER) is a serious multifunctional unit that is much better than its predecessors. It is designed for cooling, purification, ionization, heating, and humidification of air, depending on the need. The advantages are undoubted:
- multifunctionality - replaces at least three necessary household appliances: humidifier, air conditioner and heater;
- mobility - it can be easily moved to the desired room;
- can automatically change the direction of air supply for even distribution;
- has a remote control;
- as a cleaner it is simply incomparable. The air passing through the device is purified repeatedly: first with a HEPA filter, then with a carbon and antibacterial filter, and with water;
- consumes little electrical energy;
- you can choose a relatively inexpensive model for such a wide range of functions;
- It has a nice design that will suit any interior.
Disadvantages can be considered:
- the need to regularly replace filters and cassettes;
- the degree of humidification is limited to 60 percent, however, no higher is needed for a children's room.
As you can see, the choice is wide. Although each type of humidifier has its advantages and disadvantages, any parent will be able to choose the best options for their newborn baby.
