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2022
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How to enhance children's immunity to reduce illness?
Winter weather is cold, and some children often catch colds and cough, largely due to weak immunity. It is said that having a weak immune system makes one more susceptible to illness. So, if you want to boost your child's immunity, what specific steps should you take?
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Winter weather is cold, and some children often catch colds and cough, largely due to weak immunity. It is said that weak immunity makes one prone to illness, so how can we specifically enhance children's immunity?
Four Stages of Children's Immune Development
① Before six months: Newborns can obtain immunity from their mothers and are less likely to suffer from infectious diseases.
② From six months to one and a half years: The antibodies received from the mother gradually disappear. Although the ability to produce antibodies has begun to form, it is far from the adult level, and the incidence of infectious diseases increases during this stage.
③ From one and a half to three years: The antibody levels in children reach about 70% of adult levels, and white blood cells gradually mature. However, as their exposure to different environments increases, the chances of infection also rise.
④ From four to six years: The antibody levels in the body have basically reached adult levels, immunity improves, and the frequency of illness gradually decreases.
Five Key Elements to Enhance Children's Immunity
Adequate Sleep: From 10 PM to 2 AM is the peak secretion time for growth hormones in children. If they get enough sleep, their growth rate will significantly increase, and their immunity will also improve accordingly. Insufficient nighttime sleep disrupts the normal secretion of growth hormones and other hormones, damaging the immune system, causing endocrine disorders, and leading to metabolic issues. For preschool children, the recommended sleep duration is 10-12 hours.
Balanced Nutrition: The human immune system is composed of immune organs, immune cells, and immune molecules. The formation of a child's immune system requires nutritional substances as a foundation. Insufficient nutrition inevitably leads to weakened immunity and reduced immune function. Therefore, nutrition experts advocate breastfeeding, as the nutrients in breast milk cannot be matched by any food, including infant formula. After six months, start introducing complementary foods to ensure balanced nutrition.
Reasonable Exercise: Exercise is one of the effective ways to strengthen the body. For children under one year, a combination of active and passive exercise is recommended. Active exercise involves helping the baby practice lifting their head, crawling, and rolling over. Passive exercise includes doing infant exercises and massages, which are beneficial for growth and development. From one to two years, children can practice running, jumping, and ball games. From two to three years, activities like trampolining and one-legged jumping can be introduced, with outdoor activities such as exercises, ball games, and light running being preferred for preschoolers.
Good Emotions: Immunity is closely related to a person's emotions. Negative emotions such as tension, anxiety, and sadness can lead to a decrease in a baby's immunity, while happy, joyful, and relaxed emotions can help maintain optimal immunity in children. Babies living in warm family environments tend to have more stable emotions and better health, making them less prone to illness.
Suitable Environment: Severe air pollution can affect a baby's lung function, leading to decreased disease resistance. It is necessary to create a clean environment for children, but being overly clean can have adverse effects on their health. This is because a child's immunity gradually strengthens through natural training, gaining experience by fighting against pathogens. If they are exposed to fewer bacteria, their developing immune system has fewer opportunities for normal exercise against bacteria. Therefore, maintaining a clean home environment is sufficient, and frequent disinfection is unnecessary.
Helping children improve their immunity and stay away from diseases is the greatest hope of every parent. Therefore, parents can assist their children in enhancing immunity through the above aspects, helping them develop a healthy and strong body.
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