How to strengthen your child's immunity?

Did you know that a child's immune system continues to develop until age 12? If your little one gets sick occasionally, there's no need to worry. Minor colds or infections are normal—after all, the body has to learn to respond. Is there any way to protect a young child from health problems? Find out how to boost your child's immunity naturally.

Contents:

1. How a child's immune system develops
2. What effect does physical activity have on immunity?
3. Does sleep affect a child's health?
4. What is the impact of diet on immunity and what foods boost it?
5. How to toughen up your child at home
6. How stress affects your child's immune system
7. How to Dress Your Baby to Prevent Sickness or Overheating

Natural ways to strengthen your child's immunity

Worried your child is getting sick too often? Don't worry – during the first 12 years of life, the immune system is still learning how to respond to bacteria and viruses arriving from all directions. It's normal that your little one won't be the picture of health right away.

Tip: Children spending time in daycare or preschool may get sick about 6-8 times a year. If the infection lasts no longer than 1-2 weeks, there's nothing to worry about. Your child's immunity will improve over time.

Find out when to take your child to the doctor. Many factors influence the immune system, so it's important to know how to strengthen your child's immunity. However, you don't have to resort to medications or dietary supplements. Just learn natural ways to strengthen your child's immune system. Changing your habits will definitely improve your child's well-being. Remember, you are their role model and authority – so try to act according to the same principles.

Active lifestyle – sport is health!

Do you spend a lot of time watching TV and cartoons together? Inactivity is one of the reasons for a weakened immune system. The body is accustomed to constant temperatures, making a child more susceptible to colds and more severe infections. Exercise strengthens muscles and bones, giving your little one more energy to play. Physical activity also has a positive impact on heart function and respiratory function .

How to strengthen your child's immunity? Get up from the couch often and take at least an hour a day for a walk. You can also replace the walk with a visit to the playground or a bike ride .

Playing in the local park is not only a natural way to strengthen a child's body but also a great way to socialize with peers. However, remember to choose blouses for boys and T-shirts for girls made of breathable fabric. This will prevent excessive sweating, and your little one won't feel uncomfortable while playing. This will also prevent the effects of overheating.

Sleep and natural ways to strengthen your child's body

The immune system is also affected by the quantity and quality of sleep. Overtiredness and lack of sleep can weaken the body, making your child more susceptible to both bacterial and viral illnesses. How can you strengthen your child's immunity?

• Babies up to 12 months of age should sleep up to 16 hours a day.
• Between the ages of 1 and 3, the amount of sleep is reduced to a maximum of 12-14 hours.
• Preschoolers and primary school students, on the other hand, need 10-12 hours for full regeneration.

Also remember to stop watching cartoons before going to bed – such activities are distracting and will make your child need more time to calm down.

How to strengthen your child's immunity? Remember to eat balanced meals!

A diet rich in vitamins and nutrients is a key answer to the question of how to strengthen a child's immunity. Of course, overdoing it isn't recommended – your child doesn't have to eat only fruits and vegetables, or reach for sugar only on special occasions. If you approach this too restrictively, every meal will become unpleasant for your child. Above all, meals should be varied. Protein , such as in the form of meat, dairy products, grains, nuts, or fish , is essential. Vitamins A, C, D, and E are crucial, as well as iron, zinc, potassium, and unsaturated fatty acids .

Natural ways to strengthen your child's body with diet:

• eating honey,
• eating raspberries,
• adding garlic and ginger to meals.

Meal regularity and consistency are also important. Of course, a single day of changing habits won't negatively impact a child's health.

Dressing your baby – not too cold, not too hot

Your little one won't tell you if they're too cold or too hot. What can be considered a natural way to strengthen your child's body? Dressing your little one in layers ! This way, you can remove the sweater or sweatshirt whenever necessary. Most heat escapes through the head and feet, so a natural way to strengthen your child's body is to choose a hat and shoes that won't get wet, even in heavy rain.

Tip: Want to check if your child is too cold or too hot? Forget about touching their forehead or hands. Only the temperature of their neck will help you make the right decision.

Take care of the atmosphere in your apartment

A natural way to strengthen a child's body is to harden it. Therefore, it's best not to maintain a high temperature in the home. It's best to ventilate rooms so that the body can adjust to the changes and adapt its response. This will prevent autumn colds from being so surprising. Humidifying the air will also be helpful – too dry air can dry out the mucous membranes, which can put your little one at risk for a respiratory infection.

Avoid stressful situations

Separation can cause significant stress in a child, especially during preschool and early school years. Anxiety also has a significant impact on the immune system . Lack of stability can make a child more susceptible to illness.

Fun fact: Excessive production of cortisol during stressful moments and moments of separation can cause a significant decrease in immunity.

Try to prepare for any changes together so that nothing happens too suddenly.

Dressing your child, or how to strengthen their immunity

Diet and physical activity are natural ways to strengthen a child's body. Although seemingly simple, dressing a child properly can still be a challenge for some. Before a toddler starts preschool or school, it's easier to control the situation, but what if a parent is out of reach for several hours? It's worth considering and planning carefully. It's best to pack a warm sweatshirt in the fall and winter, or a thin sweater when the temperature rises. Tops should always be breathable, so choose natural materials like cotton . Pants and leggings for girls are comfortable during physical activity. For boys , shorts are definitely a good choice on sunny days. If you're worried about sudden weather changes, prepare an extra change of clothes – it will give you peace of mind.

Effects of overheating in a child

The body's reaction may vary depending on the degree of overheating and the child's age. This is certainly not healthy, especially since the body is still learning to respond appropriately to its surroundings.

The most common effects of a baby overheating:

• heatstroke,
• dehydration of the body,
• weakening of immunity
• vomiting and diarrhea,
• breathing problems,
• dry skin,
• loss of consciousness.

The effects of overheating pose a significant threat not only to a child's health but also to their life . Therefore, it shouldn't be underestimated. Dressing your child appropriately is essential to protect you from difficult times and anxiety.