Boosting the immune system in children - 5 tips
In autumn and winter, bacteria and viruses often have an easy time: the weather is wet and cold, the heating air is dry, and our immune system is very busy. Children are much more likely to catch a cold than adults, and this is due to the over 200 different viruses that can cause a cold.
The immune system of children, especially babies and toddlers, does not yet know many of these pathogens. That is why it is all the more important to strengthen children's immune system. In this article, you will learn 5 tips on how to strengthen children's immune system.
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Table of contents
How can you strengthen children's immune system?
Children's immune system can be strengthened especially by these things:
Proper nutrition and drinking plenty of water: Children should eat a variety of plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and others. It is also very important to drink enough – especially unsweetened beverages and plenty of water.
Vitamins for children: A healthy diet provides numerous vitamins. Important vitamins for children include, for example, A, D, C, B6, and B12.
Lots of sleep. Sleep should not be too short for children, as it can weaken the immune system - just like in adults.
Exercise in the fresh air: Boosting the immune system and toughening up is quite simple: go outside every day and move around a bit, no matter the weather. Physical activity also gets the immune cells moving.
It is essential to strengthen the immune system in children. This can help prevent colds and not every pathogen - whether from sports, kindergarten, or school - is so easily dealt with. But how do children's immune defenses actually develop?
This is how children's immune defenses develop
In order to understand how the immune system development in children and how it works, one must take a closer look at the structure of the immune system. The immune system includes specific and nonspecific defense mechanisms.
The non-specific defense is innate and fights pathogens in general. The specific, also known as acquired defense, on the other hand, develops over time. And it is precisely this that often leads to children having to deal with colds and the like more frequently. Because the immune system first has to build up defense substances against a variety of pathogens that are all unknown to it so far. This type of learning process strengthens children's immune systems and leads to the development of a complete immune system.
Attention: In order for the child's immune system to produce antibodies against certain pathogens, it is important for it to come into contact with them. As the saying goes: A little dirt has never harmed anyone, but rather supports the development of the child's immune system.
Issue: Weak immune system in children
Is your child constantly sick? Then it may be that it has a weak immune system and you should boost the immune system. But that must not immediately be an immune deficiency. In children or toddlers, a weakened immune system can mean various things. Other reasons for a weakened immune system can include unhealthy diet, lack of sleep, or insufficient physical activity. To strengthen the immune system, parents should ensure that children have a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise. In the case of a monotonous diet, a possible cause could also be a lack of vitamins. However, this should be clarified by a pediatrician.
Things to consider: Strengthening the immune system in toddlers and babies
Especially with babies and toddlers, the immune system is not yet fully developed, which is why infections can occur more frequently. Strengthening the immune system of a toddler or baby is fundamentally the same as with older children. However, it is important to note that toddlers and babies generally need more sleep and rest than older children. This means that with our 5 tips, parents can also actively support the immune system of their toddler or baby.
Boosting the immune system in children - 5 tips
1. Strengthening the immune system of children with the right nutrition
Children's immune system is strengthen through the gut, more precisely through the intestinal flora. Why? Because a large part of all immune cells are located in the intestine, which fight against harmful pathogens. In addition, fiber in fruits and vegetables promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn is important for a strong immune system.
Therefore, it is best for you and your children to eat colorful and seasonal foods. Vegetables and fruits contain a large number of important vitamins and trace elements. But be careful: they should be fully ripe so that as many nutrients as possible are contained.
Our Tip:
Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good choice, especially in winter. They are shock-frozen when fully ripe, preserving all nutrients. This helps adults and children to support their immune system even during the cold season.
2. The right vitamins for children & the immune system
Those who eat healthily and balanced already consume a lot of micronutrients (vitamins and trace elements) through their diet. But which vitamins contribute to a strong immune system in children? All vitamins and trace elements that contribute to the normal function of the immune system are vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and D as well as zinc, copper, selenium, and iron. In this way, a healthy diet can strengthen the immune system's defenses in children.
All vitamins except for vitamin D can be well absorbed through diet. Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is formed by our skin only when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, it may not be produced in sufficient amounts during the autumn and winter months.
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) also recommends supplementation in case of insufficient or low sunlight exposure. During the winter months, the German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine recommends supplementing children's nutrition with vitamin D.
3. Drinking plenty and the right fluids strengthens children's immune system
Often, nutrition is the main focus. However, proper hydration is at least as important as eating, because of the mucous membrane defense. Strengthening the lymphocytes, which are a large part of the immune system, can be achieved by consuming plenty of fluids.
The cold, damp air outside in autumn and winter is in stark contrast to the warm heating air indoors. Drinking plenty of fluids and the right ones (e.g. water, unsweetened teas) protect the mucous membranes from drying out and prevent bacteria, viruses, and the like from taking hold.
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4. Strengthening the immune system for children: Plenty of sleep and more rest
Sufficient sleep and plenty of rest are crucial factors in order to strengthen the immune system in children. Only when the child is well-rested, the immune system has the power to defend itself against harmful pathogens. Sufficient sleep simply ensures a better immune defense.
At night, our immune system works at full capacity. Sleep promotes the production of antigens and plays a certain role in the formation of the so-called immunological memory. These memory cells remain in the body and store all information about the fought pathogen. However, the amount of sleep a child needs varies depending on their age:
Age of the child | Average sleep duration per 24 hours |
|---|---|
0-3 months | 16-18 hours |
3 months | 14.5 hours |
6-9 months | 14.2 hours |
1 year | 13.9 hours |
18 months | 13.5 hours |
2 years | 13 hours |
3 years | 12.5 hours |
4 years | 11.8 hours |
5 years | 11.4 hours |
6 years | 11 hours |
However, these guidelines do not apply universally to every child. The amount of sleep children need for immune support depends on many factors. Therefore, as a father or mother, you should consider the individual needs of the child.
5. To strengthen the immune system: Children need fresh air
For a strong immune system, children should spend a lot of time outside and play in the fresh air, which strengthens the immune system and keeps you healthy. A child should spend about 1 to 2 hours outdoors or in nature daily. Parents should not be afraid of a little dirt, as the immune system can only fully develop through contact with pathogens.
Strengthening the immune system in children: Juice, tablets or home remedies?
How else can you support the immune system? Here parents can resort to many home remedies depending on the preferences of the children. There are also numerous dietary supplements to strengthen the immune system available for children in pharmacies, drugstores like dm and Rossmann, or online.
When opting for a supplement with micronutrients, the quality and origin of the product are crucial for many people. In the case of children, the juice form is particularly popular for the immune system, as many children do not like swallowing tablets. If the juice also tastes good, it is easier to incorporate the valuable vitamins into everyday life.
Conclusion: Strengthening the immune system in children
It is important to strengthen the immune system in children. This doesn't have to be complicated and is best achieved through a healthy diet rich in vitamins and trace elements, enough sleep, rest, and plenty of outdoor exercise. Nevertheless, the child's immune system needs time to build up and develop before focusing on strengthening the defenses.
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