England has a cold and damp climate even in the warmest parts of the year. But many people take an approach to dressing which is modern and fashionable but not healthy. The problem stems from ignorance of the delicate nature of certain areas of the human body.

First, is the neck and the area around it, where it joins the top of the body. Second is the top of the head. People rarely cover these areas but they are surprisingly sensitive to cold or damp air or extreme heat. The immune system is weakened if these areas are not protected and ailments become more likely in both these and other areas. If you see a young baby in a pushchair of a few months old in coldish weather then most probably the baby will have a hat. But not if the weather is a little warmer, even with some wind blowing. Then again if the baby is a little older, but barely more than a year or two, the hat disappears altogether. As for the mother, she didn't wear a hat at any time.

The neck benefits from the protection of a scarf. And again that is not fashionable. But catching flu and various throat infections is fashionable, as is dying at a young age from Meningitis. Cause and effect is hard to prove. Just note that the brain is largely composed of fatty material and the scalp is somewhat porous and certainly conductive to heat. If brain cells come close to freezing or melting under extremes of temperature, for example during sunbathing - well, frankly, it does not help!

Third is the knees and fourth the shoulders plus upper arms. This tends to be more an issue for young women because they like to be seen in short skirts or with cut-away tops. Maximum body exposure equates roughly to maximum 'fashion'. Unfortunately these areas are unhappy to be exposed in a poor climate.

So, you have a choice, to be old-fashioned and healthy or to be fashionable and susceptible to increased ill health. And you can make that choice on behalf of your children when they are far too young to deserve it.