Hi mums, hope you will find this article useful.
Practical Tips for boosting the immune system
The best way to support your child's immune system and overall health is to provide a healthy environment and proper nutrition. This is critical as children are constantly exposed to an endless array of germs and viruses - in the playground, at the daycare centre, even at home. Did you know that?
An average toddler may be sick up to 8 times per year from the germs that she has acquired?
4 out of 5 of all illnesses are spread by touch?
Germs found in public areas can cause deadly illnesses?
The no. 1 habit that we can cultivate to break the path of germ transmission into our body is to wash our hands thoroughly before feeding?
Becoming ill is dependent on the type of germs, number of germs acquired and the person's immune strength?
Although it is impossible to prevent your child from getting sick, there are many things you can do to strengthen her immune system. Let's look at some great immune boosters:
Immune Booster 1 Combat Stress
Studies have shown that stress can lower the defences of an immune system, and love and positive feelings actually stimulate the cells of immune system. Four great ways to fight stress:
Provide TLC (tender loving care)
A loving and caring home environment is the best nurturing your child needs for her mental and emotional wellbeing. Give her lots of love and affection and watch her flourish as a healthy and happy child.
Massage your child
Children thrive on touch because it helps them feel loved and carded for. This is why massage can be a great way to relieve stress as well as stimulate the immune system.
Provide sufficient sleep
Sleep is essential because this is the time the body regenerates and renews itself. Newborns need 18 hours of sleep, infants need 13 to 14 hours while toddlers 1 to 3 years old need 12 to 13 hours. 4 year olds until the age of 6 need between 10 to 12 hours a day.
Have fun and laugh more
Researchers have found that laughter can be good therapy for stress and correspondingly, strengthen the immune system. Some clinical studies have found that there was an increase of natural killer cells after a bout of laughter. So having fun and playing with your child is enjoyable and wonderful for her well-being and immune system!
Immune Booster 2 - Get physically active
Too little physical activity can be detrimental as obesity can depress the immune system. Studies have shown that overweight babies tend to get twice as many infections as lean babies.
Exercise keeps your child active and fit and helps your child's immune system to function properly as it increases the white blood cells' ability to fight infection. Tips for getting fit:
Make exercise a part of your child's daily routine. Let your child have at least one hour of physical activity everyday.
Make it as fun as possible so that your child associates it with positive feelings and memories.
Exercise together as a family swimming and jogging are good examples.
Go for walks in the park.
Dance.
Let your older child take up a sport she loves.
Immune Booster 3 - Getting into the habit of washing hands
Some infectious diseases like colds, eye infections and diarrhea seem more common in childhood. These infectious diseases can all be passed from the hands to the mouth, nose or eyes.
Children are prone to touch a lot of objects and respond to touch. As such, it is important that they wash their hands often, as that is how germs spread. Ensure that your child washes her hands thoroughly, including the palm, back of her hands and under the nails, for at least 15 seconds with soap.
One study found that children under 24 months put objects to their mouths 81 times an hour and children over 24 months do this 42 times per hour.
Immune Booster 4 Keep the environment clean
It is important to keep the physical environment as clean as possible. As you child grows older, she will also be spending more time with other children her age. This is why when one child gets flu, her classmates or friends will also start coming down with it.
