The pediatric thermal cure benefits yearly about 35.000 childrens that receive medical treatment of respiratory and skin pathologies under the sanitary benefits of the French Social Security.

The magic of the thermal waters is a vivid feeling in the region of Auvergne. Here is the Bourboule, that is a thermal village par excellence owing its name to Borvo, Celtic god of the sources. Well-known as the "station of the oxygen" due to the quality of its thermal waters and the purity of the air to breathe, it is the first pediatric thermal station of France.

Auvegne, water and stoneAnother privileged place for the infantile population is The Roche - Posay, European centre of the thermal dermatology and one of the most important French pediatric stations with more than 10.000 curistas every year, of which 3000 are childrens starting from six months age.

France is one of the few countries of the E. U. that promotes the infantile thermalism and it has thermal stations specialized in pediatric therapies. In The Bourboule, Allevard, Luchon, the asthma and the respiratory insufficiency are treated. Others as Lons-him Saulnier, the therapy of the enuresis and in the village of The Roche-Posay, essentially dermatologic problems.

Some of these thermal stations have created " thermal houses for childrens" aimed to attend those sanitary neccesities, they are residences specially designed to welcome the youngest population, between 3 to 17 years, where the health and the leisure are conjugated during the 21 days of stay,established for the thermal cure.

These sanitary establishments are selected by the Ministry of the Health and they maintain agreements with the Social Security and the mutual insurance companies, establishing a global price for curista that covers the thermal treatment, medical tracking, the lodging and the recreation activities.

THE BOURBOULE

The magic of the thermal waters is a vivid feeling in the region of Auvergne. Here is the Bourboule, that is a thermal village par excellence owing its name to Borvo, Celtic god of the Sources. Built around the springs and following of the Dordona River, is located in the mountain mass of Sancy, well-known as the "station of the oxygen" due to the quality of its thermal waters and the purity of the air to breathe, it is the first pediatric thermal station of France.

The bridges painted in pink tone, the Fenestre Park and its surprising aromas, the Thermal Baths and the casino form an attractive group and that grants a special personality to this young thermal village.

Thermal specialization
It is specialized in the medical treatment of the upper respiratory tracts, rhinitis, allergic sinusitis, chronic laryngitis, otitis and relapsing rinopharingitis infantile. Middle or deep respiratoty tracts, asthma, bronchitis, respiratory and cutaneous allergies and other aggressions of the daily life such as the atmospheric and domestic pollution.

Affections of the bucolinguales mucous, dysfunctions of the infantile development and affections of the skin in constant progression. For each of one of these pathologies exits an effective answer, being the thermal cure a complementary treatment of the traditional pharmacopeia.

Among other therapeutic treatments, the following are applied:

• Aerosoltherapy individual and collective;
• Balneotherapy
• Specific Otorrino-laryngologic practices
  (insufflations, pharyngeal showers, tubular insufflations Proëtz)
• Hydropatic cure: drinking the waters

The thermal waters of the Bourboule, thermal-minerals and chloro-sodium bicarbonated, due to its unique properties of volcanic origin they stimulate the defenses of the organism. There are three springs: Choussy (58ºC) Perrière (58ºC) and Fenestre (16ºC) At the moment, the cures are shared among Les Grands Thermes and Les Thermes Choussy.

In order to preserve the conditions of the thermal waters, the validation of its explotation is intervened by 3 laboratories of which one is in charge of the official control of the waters, the laboratory of autocontrol of Auvergne Thermal and the internal laboratory of the Thermal Baths of the Bourboule, assuring the daily checking of the springs. It has 150 control points for the totality of the thermal residuum and they are carried out 6 bacteriological analysis on average per day during the thermal season.

In June of 2000 it came into force the applicable bacteriological norms to the thermal establishments. Among them that "in the thermal space a total asepsis of pathological germs is required (legionella, ferruginous pseudomonas, etc) The essential quality of the thermal baths is collected in a Letter that can be consulted by the public that frequents the French thermal station.

In The Bourboule are concentrated about 20 establishments or "infantile thermal houses" they are considered the best therapeutic option available adapted to the way of children's life. The experts are coinciding in highlighting the fact that all the persons taking water cures that lodge in these residences receive treatments for the same pathologies.

They offer the guarantee of a rigorous thermal tracking, a hospital control and the fulfillment of the sanitary obligations. The quality of the children's life is protected by a sanitary covering financed by different social organisms and a amusing stay in function of the age and the election of leisure and recreation activities.

Included in the sanitary covering, the childrens have the possibility to attend the School of the Asthma to learn how to measure their Inhalations, to prevent the crisis and to know how to control it . The Association was created in 1901 for patients of all ages. It is open from June to September.

Salted source in the mountain mass of Sancy The Bourboule is annually visited by thousands of childrens and adults due to the unique properties of its waters of volcanic origin, the high standard of its thermal facilities and for the local cultural riches, the healthy environmental surrounding, to practice sports and to carry out trips through this southern part of the Auvergne region.

One can enjoy pleasant moments not only in the summer season. Also in winter, since the thermal city becomes a station of slalom in that season. It has also been from many years ago a privileged place for the sport of mountain bicycle.

THE ROCHE - POSAY

Historical Villa and village of water, The Roche?Posay occupies a curious geographical situation, in the conjunction of three old counties of Berry, Touraine and Poitou, equidistant from the borders of the River Loire and the Central Mountains Mass.

The infantile population, starting from the six months has an outstanding place in The Roche?Posay, european centre of the thermal dermatology and one of the most important french pediatric stations. In the total of 10.000 annual curistas that going to take the waters, to relax and to receive thermal treatment, about 3000 are childrens and adolescents. Infantile thermal cure In the total of 10.000 annual curistas that going to take the waters, to relax and to receive thermal treatment, about 3000 are childrens and adolescents. .

With the same dermatosis that those of the adults (ezcemas, dermatitis atópic and scars) they recive a similar treatment from the first symptoms. The youngs have an SPA suitable to their age and from the first months they respond very well to the water and the thermal cure.

THERMAL INFANTILE CURE

The treatment that lasts 2 hours consists, according to the medical prescription, mainly of baths, Pulverizations and filiform shower.

The baths improve the blood circulation. The thermal water is used at 37ºC or 38ºC temperature to avoid the irritation of the epidermis. Its sedative and decogestant action prepares the skin to continue with the next treatment. The pulverizations consist on a fine projection of the thermal water thermal under pressure through a sieve pointed directly to the lesion. The filiform shower is technically dermatológic and it is specific of The Roche?Posay. It is the essential treatment of the thermal cure.

Infantile thermal cure 2 The mineral water of The Roche-Posay emerges with a temperature of 13ºC. Bicarbonated and calcic silicated is rich in minerals, especially selenium, unique in the all of France. Due its therapeutic properties, the treatment with mineral water produces an effective anti-pruritus, anti-inflammatory action and healing.

The hydropatic cure by drinking possesses detoxicant and diuretic properties. The water is take directly from the "buvette" inmmediately after emerging from the springs, several times a days. Aseptic natural it is very well tolerated by all the persons taking water cures .

The youngests arriving accompanied by their parents, the pediatric thermal cure is carried out combining the rest and the game. The team of monitors allows the presence of the parents during the treatment session that is carried out in services specially designed for the youngest.

Infantile thermal cure 1 When they don't go with family, they lodge in The Colline Ensoleillée. A service of specialists takes charge of assisting childrens from 3 to 17 years, programming the complementary entertainment activities complementary with their thermal cure.

To highlight that The Colline Ensoleillée is a house of rest and at the same time of thermal cure to which the children and adults go all the year round. There is a medical team, infirmary and teaching staffs that accompany the children to the thermal baths to follow the treatment.

During cure's period, the childrens enjoy a healthy atmosphere in the thermal park where they develop their entertainment activities, go in for sport (tennis, mini-golf..) or simply they go for a walk accompanied by their relatives.

The youngests have a Mini Club with entertainment activities without the surveillance of the parents two afternoons every week. During the months of July and August the families have pediatricians and psychologists for the care of the children. This way the stay in the watering station of The Roche-Posay and the thermal cure of the youngs becomes synonym of well-being and holidays.

Infantile Thermal Houses in The Bourboule

• The Grands Thermes
• The Residence Choussy
• The Thermes Choussy

MORE INFORMATION :
www.thermesbourboule.com
www.la-roche-posay.info/w_shrp7a/

MAYTE SUÁREZ SANTOS. scientific journalist, specialized in Medicine and Thermalism Chairwoman of Asociacion Española de Amigos de las Termas