Day care, school and other activities offer children stimulation, education as well as important social time. However, gathering in groups is particularly challenging for young children as they are more prone to infections, due to their immature immune system.
During an average year, a child gets sick 6 – 12 times with colds or influenza, which commonly cause runny nose, fever and coughing. The infections usually resolve in 7 to 10 days but lead to absences from day care for the child and work for the parents.
The immune system is the body’s way of protecting itself from pathogens, like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Multiple tissues and cells throughout the body work together to orchestrate an effective response to infections to keep your healthy.
The immune system has two main parts that complement each other: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system.
The innate immune system is your first line of defence. It is inherited and active from birth.
The innate immune system includes the skin, the mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose and digestive track, the gut microbiota and other general barriers to infections.
The innate immune system also helps detect the presence of pathogens, recruits other immune cells to attack and triggers inflammation and fever.
In contrast, the role of the adaptive immune system is to create a targeted defence against specific infections.
It is responsible for making antibodies that recognize and neutralise individual pathogens, or tag them for destruction.
It also involves memory cells that circulate for months or years after an infection ends so that your body can respond quickly if the pathogen returns.
A baby’s immune system doesn’t become mature until around two or three months of age, making babies especially susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. Fortunately, the foetus receives antibodies from the mother through the placenta, which protect the baby from infections during the first weeks of life. Breastmilk also delivers protective antibodies and can help prevent allergies.
Parents can help protect their baby early on by asking visitors to wash their hands before holding the baby and limiting exposure to people outside the family for the first six months. However, after this period, however, a baby needs to be exposed to harmless bacteria in the first three years of life to build up a healthy and diverse gut microbiota. These bacteria help the immune system identify pathogens and provide a barrier against infections.
While occasional colds and flu are inevitable, there are several ways to strengthen a child’s immune system.
Eating a varied diet that is low in fat but rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains will keep the body and immune system healthy. A high fibre diet will also feed the gut microbiota. Additionally, getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals ensures that the immune system can produce the cells, antibodies and other molecules needed to fight disease.
Most of the immune system is located in the gut and by taking care of your child’s digestive system you can help him or her to stay healthy and strong. A healthy microbiota reduces the risk of infections and offers an overall better quality of life.
Vitamin D is needed for normal growth and bone development in children and also is essential for a strong and well functioning immune system. It is important at every stage of life, but especially for rapidly growing infants and children.
There are more ways to help reduce the spread of infections, keeping your family healthy and minimising sick days.
