7 ways to strengthen the immune system in children
Strengthening the immune system is a good practice useful for the whole family and not just for children. How to prevent seasonal ailments?
Autumn, winter, spring itself, are seasons in which it is easier to get sick with infectious diseases. Our children are targeted every day by a host of bacteria and viruses and, given their immune systems are not yet fully mature, they are easily prey to germs.
Children gradually improve their immune systems by coming into contact with and fighting off an ongoing array of bacteria, viruses and other organisms, which is why many pediatricians consider 6-8 colds, bouts of the flu or ear infections a year to be completely normal. .
Are there some good habits we can adopt to help our children’s immune system?
Of course yes!
There are also good habits to adopt at home to avoid contagion, especially when there is a newborn.
1. More fruit and vegetables at the table
Carrots, green beans, oranges, strawberries—they all contain carotenoids, which are phytonutrients that boost immunity (source: The Family Nutrition Book). Phytonutrients can increase the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and interferon. Studies show that a diet rich in phytonutrients may also protect against chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease in adulthood.
Try to get your child to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. (A serving is about two tablespoons for toddlers, 1 cup for older kids.)
2. More hours of sleep
Very often parents underestimate the hours of sleep of their children, especially when they start school.
We know from studies conducted on adults that sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to disease, due to a decrease in Natural Killer (NK) cells, which are nothing more than “weapons” of the immune system that attack microbes and cancer cells.
The same goes for children. Children who attend daycare are especially at risk of sleep deprivation because activities can make napping difficult for them.
How much sleep do children need?
From WHO guidelines , we know that
- from 0 to 3 months they should sleep 14-17 hours (including naps) while from 4 to 11 months 12-16 hours (including naps).
- 1 to 2 year olds should sleep a total of 11-14 hours a day (between night sleep and naps)
- 3 to 4 year olds should sleep a total of 10-13 hours a day.
If a child can’t sleep during the day try to put him to bed earlier, the time varies according to the time of the morning alarm .
3. Breastfeeding
We won’t tell you anything here that you don’t already know.
Mother’s milk provides the newborn with a large number of antibodies to defend his body from the attack of viruses and bacteria. For example, the Immunoglobulins A (IgA) contained in mother’s milk protect the intestinal and respiratory systems which are the most vulnerable in the first months of life. IgA also have an anti-allergic action.
The mother’s antibodies also pass through breast milk , those that she had manufactured on the basis of vaccinations (pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy), or on infections she had before pregnancy.
We also find white blood cells in milk . Colostrum (the serous liquid that is produced in the first days after childbirth before the actual milk froth) contains many, about one million per millilitre. Then the milk gradually changing contains less and less; however, as the child grows, he no longer needs it as before as he begins to build his own immune defenses. It should also be said that the more the child grows, the more he takes milk from his mother and therefore the quantity of white blood cells he takes remains high.
In breast milk we also find some important enzymes such as lysozyme and proteins such as lactotransferrin which both have an important action against germs.
4. Physical activity
Research has shown that exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in adults and that regular activity can equally benefit children.
To accustom children to a healthy lifestyle, set a good example as parents, take them with you for walks, swimming, skating, training in the park, playing football, basketball, tennis… Practice with them in home . In this way, training and physical exercise will also become a normal routine for children to share with the family.
5. Good (hygienic) habits
Fighting germs doesn’t technically boost immunity, but it’s a great way to reduce the stress on your child’s immune system. Make sure children wash their hands frequently and with soap. You should pay particular attention to their hygiene before and after each meal and after playing outside, after playing with pets, after blowing their nose, after using the toilet and when they return from nursery or school.
When you are away from home, always carry disposable wipes with you for quick cleaning.
To help children get into the habit of washing their hands at home, let them choose their own towels, soap with bright shapes and colors, and with the scent they like.
If the child gets sick, throw away the toothbrush, or change the head if he uses an electric one. A child cannot catch the same cold or flu virus twice, but the virus can pass from one toothbrush to another, infecting other family members. If it’s a bacterial infection, such as a sore throat, your child may become reinfected with the same germs that made him sick the first time.
6. No to passive smoking
Everyone in the family quit smoking. Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 harmful chemicals. Children are more sensitive than adults to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke because they breathe at a faster rate; a child’s natural detoxification system is also less developed.
Passive smoking increases the risk of SIDS , bronchitis, ear infections and asthma in children. It can also affect his cognitive abilities by interfering with neurological development. If there is no way you can stop smoking, you can considerably reduce your child’s health risks by only smoking outside the home.
7. Antibiotics only when needed
Asking your pediatrician to prescribe an antibiotic every time your child has a cold, flu or sore throat is wrong. Antibiotics only treat illnesses caused by bacteria, but most childhood illnesses are caused by viruses.
Many parents think that an “extra” antibiotic doesn’t hurt. They are wrong. Also because of this belief, the strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics have increased in recent decades
As a result bacterial infections that previously could be treated with antibiotics now become more complicated to manage if they are caused by these resistant bacteria that do not respond to standard medications.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.