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Building Your Children’s Immunity

Building Your Children’s Immunity

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A child’s immunity is sensitive and delicate. Exposure to germs and bacteria could easily cause your child to fall ill if your child does not have a good defense system. The good news is, there are simple yet effective steps that you can take to boost your child’s immunity and ensure that he or she has a healthy immune system.

 

We highlight the few importance steps of ensuring that your child has a good immune system.

 

But First, Why Is It Important For Children To Have A Good Immune System?

 

A strong immune system provides a child with a powerful natural defense system against diseases. The immune system can fight organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. All children are continuously exposed to these pathogens. Though, exposure to these organisms does not necessarily mean a child will get sick. However, if a child has a weakened immune system, he or she is vulnerable or more susceptible to colds, flu and other more serious illnesses.

 

What Are The Signs That Will Indicate If A Child Has A Good Immune System?

 

Germs are abundant everywhere, especially in situations such as daycare or preschool. However, it is impossible to germproof your child. Exposure to different viruses and bacteria can actually strengthen a child’s immune system. Furthermore, acquiring innocuous childhood diseases such as chicken pox, measles, mumps and rubella can help to build immunity and give your child lifetime protection against these diseases.  If your child gets sick and gets over it within a couple of days this is usually a sign of a strong immune system. This shows that your child’s defenses are strong and the immune system is working in a timely and efficient manner.

 

What Are The Signs That Will Indicate If A Child Has A Poor Immune System?

 

If your child gets sick often and takes a long time to recover, or if a child tends to experience a low grade cold or flu but rarely fever, this may be a sign of a weak immune system. You may want to take steps to enhance your child’s immune system and make it as strong as possible.

 

What Can Parents Do To Improve A Child’s Immune System?

 

Prevention is the way to avoid subjecting your child to continuing cycles of antibiotics or other medications. The powerful tools of prevention include breastfeeding, good nutrition, nutritional supplements, a healthy mental attitude and emotional well-being, a non-toxic environment, avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, low stress, and plenty of rest and exercise.

 

How Do Supplements Play A Role In Improving A Child’s Immune System?

 

Good nutrition is essential to developing and keeping the immune system healthy and strong. Nutritional deficiencies may be responsible for chronic immune problems as it is easier for bacteria or viruses to take hold when important nutrients are missing.

 

Critical nutrients that stimulate a strong immune system include vitamins A, C, E and essential fatty acids.

 

The most important minerals include manganese, selenium, zinc, copper, iron, sulfur, magnesium and germanium. These nutrients can be obtained from an organic whole foods diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains.

 

Unfortunately, most of our food supply is artificially manipulated and processed with many ingredients and additives that contribute to poor nutrition. Especially processed foods, sugar, and soda can weaken the immune system.

 

As such, in addition to feeding our children, wherever possible, with natural wholesome food, supplements play an important role as a healthy dietary supplement for children.

 

Generally, How Would Parents Know If The Supplement Is Suitable For Their Child?

 

Consumers should be very careful when it comes to the supplements given to their child. They should choose only high-quality supplements from verifiable sources. Plus, monitor your child for any side effects.

 

Does Medication Help To Boost A Child’s Immune System?

 

No, it is a temporary solution which helps to relieve the sign and symptoms of the disease.

 

Are Antibiotics Harmful To A Child?

 

Antibiotics can affect a child’s immune system. Generally, it is best to avoid overusing antibiotics unless necessary as it can compromise a child’s gut health – gut makes up 70 percent of our child’s immune system. One round of antibiotics can effectively killed of 80 percent of the gut flora where the main good bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium resides. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium act to prevent malabsorption and gut permeability then in turn increase immune function. They also help decrease food sensitivities and environmental allergies.”

 

Lastly, it should be noted that children usually get sick more than adults because when the immune system meets new microbes, the body will react and create antibodies.  This is called specific immunity.  When your child enters daycare, or starts school and begins to fall sick more frequently, this phase is an important part of developing specific immunity to individual microbes. Keep maintaining a healthy lifestyle and balance nutrition for your children. With this they will definitely grow up healthily.

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Norshilah Kamaruddin

A regular contributor to YesMyWellness.com, Norshilah who graduated from from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (MSc of Clinical Psychology), is a seasoned counselor working with individuals, group and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults on an inpatient and outpatient basis. A devoted parent of 3 bubbly kids, Norshilah loves to collect, try out and share life hacks (only those that really works!) and occasionally works on her little garden, growing traditional herbs like Misai Kucing, Pegaga, Cekur, Daun Kesum, Lengkuas, Lemongrass and many others.

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