Healthy Immune Systems = Healthy kids
Healthy Immune Systems = Healthy kids
Children are more susceptible to infection and disease because their immune systems are still in the process of developing. Their body’s resistance to illness such as colds, flu and viruses are often weaker than those of adults. They are constantly fighting against germs that they come into contact with, at home, school and when playing outside. However, if the immune system is healthy, the body heals quicker and is able combat infection and disease. For this reason, it is essential to keep your child’s body and immune system functioning at optimum level.
How your child’s immune system develops
Your child’s immune system is made up of different cells, substances and organs including the tonsils, lymph nodes and bone marrow. The components of your child’s immune system all work together to protect his/her body against a wide variety of infections.
At birth all healthy infants have the capability to develop antibodies against foreign invaders such as bacteria or viruses. Babies are also born with some antibodies already in place that have been passed from the mother during pregnancy.
Immediately after birth, newborn babies begin to produce their own antibodies as they are exposed to a whole new world outside of the womb. Additional immunity is also passed on through breast milk. As your child grows up, his/her immune system will be affected by many different things in the environment. Exposure to different infections and organisms will stimulate your child’s body to produce new antibodies and strengthen the protective abilities of the immune system. In this respect, some illness and infection is not necessarily a bad thing!
However, there are many factors in your child’s environment that can negatively affect the strength of their immune system. Hazards to a healthy immune system include cigarette smoke and environmental pollution, poor diet and junk food as well as certain drugs like antibiotics and steroids which are commonly used for allergies in children. Once established, it is not easy to break the antibiotic cycle in susceptible children!
When is a healthy immune system most important?
Children who attend kindergarten, day-care or aftercare are exposed to a wide variety of infections and easily-spread illnesses on a daily basis. This can put your child at increased risk of falling ill. Keeping your child’s immune system strong and healthy is therefore particularly important.
Some children may be prone to recurrent infections – often of the ears, tonsils or chest. Each new infection seems to weaken the immune system and exposes affected children to yet another virus or secondary infection. To some parents, life with young children just seems to go from one round of antibiotics to another with the doctor’s rooms somehow feeling even more familiar then home! Keeping children’s immune systems in peak condition will help to prevent these infections from returning over and over again
The Natural Way
There are several steps that you can take to strengthen your child’s immune system and keep it healthy. Feed your child a healthy diet that contains all the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients from each food group. Encourage little ones to drink plenty of fresh water and eliminate caffeinated and carbonated beverages from their diet.
Regular exercise is great way to combat infection and illness, keep active, get rid of excess energy and uplift mood and spirit. Make sure your child gets enough sleep every night to keep the immune system in tip-top shape. In addition, it is also very important that you teach your child good hygiene habits such as washing his or her hands before eating, after using the bathroom and playing with pets.
Michele Carelse M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
