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Young children are especially vulnerable to various illnesses, especially during the change of seasons. Parents sometimes feel that as soon as their child recovers from an illness, another one follows. So they keep having a runny nose until spring ... which can be a cause for concern. Have you ever asked yourself:
Why is my child constantly sick?
Could there be a more serious problem related to their immunity?
What can I do to improve my child's immunity so they don't get sick so often?
Find out what is and isn't considered normal in the lines below.
What you need to know about children's immunity
In adults, the immune system is fully developed. In children, however, it begins to develop after birth. Newborns can therefore be compared to a blank sheet of paper, on which the first lines of text are written at birth itself - that is, through exposure to antigens while passing through the birth canal and direct contact with them.
During the first months of life, the baby is still protected by antibodies passed into its bloodstream by the mother. These, however, gradually disappear, and the child begins to form its own antibodies against individual antigens after being exposed to them.
That's why it's very important for birth to take place naturally, when the baby's sterile digestive tract is colonized by the mother's physiological flora as it passes through the birth canal. This is not the case for babies born by cesarean section.
Children born by C-section who are not breastfed have a different bacterial flora in their digestive tract compared to those born naturally and breastfed.
As a result, they may be at a disadvantage when it comes to the further development of the immune system, especially when it comes to allergies.
When illnesses are necessary for the child!
Starting daycare is an important moment for a child for various reasons. It's also important from the standpoint of the development of their immune system. The transition from the relatively closed environment of the family to exposure to a group of people means that the child is suddenly surrounded by many new sources of infectious diseases they haven't yet been exposed to. That's why it seems to us that children at daycare are constantly getting sick. However, this also depends on how well the child's immune system has developed. If it's already well developed, the likelihood of infection is much lower. When the immune system is weakened, the child is more susceptible to infection and gets sick more often.
The good news in all of this is that, thanks to the various illnesses, the child's immune system develops better. The immune system is naturally strong enough to ensure that when we come into contact with a viral, bacterial or other infection, we're able to respond to it, go through the illness, but not succumb to it. As a result, we'll become immune to it. Repeated exposure to the same antigenic structure (for example, chickenpox) will mean that the illness no longer develops. Of course, the situation changes when exposed to an illness with a somewhat altered antigenic structure - for example, the flu, where the antigenic component is different each year, and the flu virus's antigen is slightly different. In that case, the illness will appear again.
When should we worry about our child's immunity?
Generally speaking, immune disorders lead to increased susceptibility to infections, which tend to recur. They usually last a long time, and those affected respond poorly to treatment, which often leads to other complications.
A chronic, untreated and improperly managed infection weakens the immune system, leading to an overall weakening of the body. An example of this would be a child who suffers 6 acute infections within 6 months. In this case, it would be a good idea to visit a pediatrician, who will have enough time to devote to the child and the parents, to understand the child's medical history and how the illness has developed.
The doctor should also determine whether the child regularly attends preventive check-ups, as well as check-ups in case of illness. With the help of specialized examinations, it's possible to identify the causes of frequent illness and prescribe appropriate treatment.
What can we do to improve our child's immunity?
The body's level of immunity is related to how well the child is nourished, as well as to the environment they're exposed to. All of this affects their immune system. When someone lives in a heavily polluted environment, the primary defense mechanisms are damaged, which further facilitates the entry of bacteria and viruses into the body. Overall weakening, when the body is exposed to cold and isn't resilient enough, will make the body more prone to infection.
Especially during the winter months, it's possible to strengthen children's immune systems by using herbal remedies and taking the appropriate vitamins. These can be various extracts derived from mushrooms, plants or yeast, based on specific recommendations from experienced pediatricians. Adequate and sufficient nutrition, together with intake of vitamin D and Omega-3, plays an irreplaceable role. They affect not only the child's growth but also the immune system during periods with very little sunlight. This applies to both adults and children.
Rosita fish oil is a good source of Omega-3 and vitamin D, while also being suitable for children.
