How to Boost your Child’s Immunity

My best friend got blessed with a baby girl 👶 last month and he was happy 😇 as well as nervous in concern for the baby’s health. However, after consulting a pediatrician, all of his doubts were dispelled, but he was still curious to learn more about a child’s health.

He was ecstatic, and I was perplexed because I saw a father of a one-month-old infant on the internet reading immunity tips for a 12-year-old child 😝. He was so curious that he wanted to know everything at once.

Reading some parenting advice on the internet, he learned how important the immune system is for our health (especially for children) because every source on the internet mentioned immunity as a major parenting tip.

I’ve divided my 10 immunity booster tips into two sections: the first includes basic things, and the second discusses the five most overlooked things that can boost a child’s immunity.

The Five Things We Know:

He was getting the same immunity booster tips all over the websites and ended up saying “Even my mother says the same, but I want to know something beyond”. The five most important things are listed below, but we already know what they are.

#1. Balanced Diet

From the individual level to herd immunity, a balanced diet always plays a significant role. We must monitor the diet of the kid to ensure aspects such as nutrition, hydration, and so on.

It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, green vegetables, nuts and seeds, and dairy products to meet vitamin, protein, carbohydrate, mineral, probiotic, and prebiotic needs.

#2. Adequate Sleep

Sleep rejuvenates the body and replenishes all of the energy expended on various activities. According to the age and activities we do throughout the day, different sleep duration is suggested by experts, the same applies to the kids. When children get enough sleep, their immunity improves.

#3. Proper Hygiene

We always teach children about hygiene as it is directly linked to our health and hence extremely important to maintain. Poor hygiene habits can have a negative impact on the immune system.

#4. Physical Activity

Keep your children active throughout the day by taking them to a park or playground; this is the most commonly recommended parenting advice because it improves the child’s overall health, including their immune system.

#5. Regular Check-Ups

Since kids are more susceptible to diseases, we must closely monitor their immune systems. As a result, regular check-ups are essential, and most parents already do so.

The Five Things We Mostly Ignore:

The aforementioned factors are common, and parents already take precautions to boost and maintain a child’s immunity. Here are some other factors that affect a child’s immunity; you may be aware of them, but these are mostly overlooked.

#1. Cut Down Usage Of Gadgets

How do gadgets like the iPad, smartphones, and other electronic devices affect a child’s immunity? When kids are addicted to gadgets, they don’t pay attention to hygiene, posture, hydration, diet, or sleep, which has an impact on their immunity.

#2. Limit The Usage Of Antibiotics

Some people think antibiotics can treat everything from sore throats to mild colds, but that’s not the case. Antibiotic overuse can develop resistance in bacteria, so you need to lower your child’s antibiotic intake. Antibiotics are not useful for all infections, and they do not work on viruses.

#3. No Harsh Chemicals Around

We keep hazardous products away from children in our homes, but there are still harsh chemicals around you might not be aware of. Alcohol-based sanitizers, artificial room fresheners, cosmetics, etc., can contain harsh chemicals, but how do we replace them, since they are also important? If possible, find organic substitutes such as replacing alcohol-based sanitizer with HOCl (Hypochlorous Acid) based sanitizer that is free of harsh chemicals.

#4. Look Closely At Seasonal Effects 

A change of season doesn’t only mean adding suitable clothes to our wardrobe. Our bodies also undergo changes during the change of seasons. In such a situation, you need to carefully monitor your kid’s health as the seasons change. With the change from summer to winter, kids may experience issues like Winter Hand Blues, dehydration, etc. As a result of seasonal changes, viruses thrive more in winters and infections spread more, so we need to closely examine these effects to maintain and boost the immunity of the kids.

#5. A Chaperon With The Kid Outside

Taking care of your kid at home is one thing, but what about outside? You can’t afford to send a chaperon with your child to the park or playground (Sorry for the heading😅), but you can keep them safe from germs and viruses with a product that acts as a chaperon. Give your kid a safe, natural, and pocket-friendly hand sanitizer when they go out.

The Checklist is Endless…

While the first five points are crucial but common, the five on my list are crucial but overlooked (most of the time), but both lists have an endless number of boxes. You can keep adding to these checklists to ensure your child’s immunity is boosted from all angles. Share your checklist too!

Pankaj Rai