More on how can we boost our child’s immunity?
☀️Sun and Sand
Outside time, messy play and controlled sun are so important for general health
• Controlled sun allows the child to produce Vitamin D, which increasingly has become known as a modifier of the immune system.
• Fresh air and exercise are beneficial to the immune system.
• Dirt and exposure to pets help to diversify healthy bacteria.
😓 Avoid excess stress
Stress challenges the immune system. We can reduce stress in children by:
• Giving them lots of healthy hugs and cuddles
• Promoting exercise
• Controlling screen time
• Avoiding over-commitment of the toddler and young child to structured activities/classes
💊 Avoid unnecessary medications
• Antibiotics can disturb the microbiome, so should be used judiciously.
• Anti-acids reduce stomach acidity- one of your first lines of defense against infection. Some babies with reflux disease really “deserve” their anti-acid, but most babies with a bit of colic or spitting up don’t.
• Systemic (oral or injected) steroids can weaken the immune response, especially if used at high dose for prolonged periods, hence should be used with care.
😴💤 Enable your little one to get enough sleep:
• Sleep is the body’s natural repair mechanism
• Sleep deprivation aggravates the stress response and can cause behavioral issues
• Not all kids “sleep like a baby!” They are all different with different sleep patterns and needs. Do what it takes to have the whole family sleeping adequately!
