How to Strengthen Your Child’s Immune System

As a parent, it’s natural to be concerned about your children’s health. But did you know that it’s perfectly normal for children to get colds, flu, and ear infections about six times a year? Although your child may feel miserable at the time, they’re building up antibodies and strengthening their immune system while fighting off the infection. There are a number of things you can do to help ensure your children’s immune system can handle these situations.

Get Enough Sleep

A child’s body grows and heals during sleep cycles. According to numerous studies, children that don’t get enough sleep are more susceptible to infection because their immune systems are weaker than those who do get enough sleep. Typically, a baby should be sleeping up to 18 hours a day (if you’re a lucky parent!), while toddlers needs up to 13 hours and children in preschool should be getting up to 10 hours of sleep.

Personal Hygiene

Teaching your children good personal hygiene from a young age will help to reduce stress on your child’s immune system. This means teaching them to wash their hands before and after meals, after playing outside, and after using the bathroom or blowing their nose.

Diet

Organic fruit and vegetables have many immune-boosting properties like carotenoids and vitamin C. These properties may aid in the production of leukocytes and antibodies that fight pathogens and also protect against heart disease and cancer.

Medications

Antibiotics can kill healthy gut bacteria along with the bacterial infection. Moreover, taking antibiotics for a viral infection does not work and could potentially result in gut dysbiosis. A good vitamin C supplements may be more effective for cold and flu prevention and as a remedy.

Pollutants

Besides being a potential cause of cancer, secondhand smoke, contains thousands of toxins that can target cells in your child’s body. They may affect a child’s immune system more than an adult because the natural detoxification processes and immune systems are still developing in children. Also take care with chemicals you use at home, as many of these could adversely affect your child.

Exercise

According to research, exercise promotes leukocyte production. Taking the family for a walk, hike, or bike ride can therefore boost both you and your child’s immune system.

Breastfeeding

Many antibodies are passed from the breastmilk of a mother to her baby, which can enhance a child’s immune system during the younger years. In addition to its immune-boosting properties, breast milk may also enhance your little one’s brain power while protecting them from certain forms of cancer, diabetes, colitis, and other health conditions later in life.

Exposure

Don’t be afraid to expose your child to some germs. In other words, while keeping your home clean and tidy is important, a sterile environment may do more harm than good. Minimal exposure to potential germs means your child won’t build up the antibodies required to fight off infections. This can lead to future health problems. A cold or flu now and then will strengthen your child’s immune system allowing them to become immune to certain viral and bacterial strains. Thus, making it easier for your child’s immune system to stave off disease as they get older. A robust immune system can easily identify and fight off potential health threats to your child’s body may encounter.

In Closing

While considering threats to your child’s immune system, it’s important to remember that not all ‘germs’ are bad and immunity is something built up over time. If your child gets a cold or the flu it does not mean you’re a bad parent or that you’re not meeting your child’s needs. Rather, it is a perfectly normal part of growing up and allows your child’s body to develop the antibodies it needs to fight infections. Of course, there are certain precautions you should take in terms of looking after your child’s immune system including those mentioned above. And overall, they are pretty easy to implement. If your child has a history of recurrent infections or a weak constitution, you can take steps to help boost their immune system. For instance, eating healthy unprocessed foods can help prevent inflammation. If your child experiences recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, consider a nasal rinse or halotherapy but try to avoid frequent use of antibiotics. Children with fatigue can benefit from non-stimulatory adrenal support if properly supervised. However, it’s important not to overload children with too many supplements since this can create dependencies and tolerances which can end up being dangerous in the long term.