Keep your child’s immune system strong

With the outbreak of the Corona virus outbreak and no cure or vaccine in sight, experts have warned that the best ammunition is our immune system. Not only does a strong immune system help fight off something more serious diseases, it keeps flus and a colds at bay. There are many ways to boost your child’s immune system other than some freshly squeezed orange juice, giving them vitamins and making sure they eat their greens. There are techniques that are not related to food that can help boost their immune system. Following just a few of these tips should hopefully boost their immune systems and see them safely out on the other side.

1. Get rid of bad sleeping patterns

Sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce the release of proteins in your body called cytokines, and these are what your body needs to fight infection or inflammation. You need to enforce that your children get enough rest and not just for strengthening their immune system but for brain development. Over lockdown your children may have fallen into bad sleeping habits – going to sleep later than usual, as there was no school to be up early for, you need to get them back into a proper sleeping routine if they are used to bad sleeping patterns.

2. Encourage exercise

Schools have suspended physical education at the moment due to rules around social distancing. During the hard lockdown, they were locked into the house with a lack of exercise. This might have continued due to fears of contracting the virus. The rules have been relaxed a bit so when you go for a walk or run, encourage your children to tag along. If you can’t be involved due to a hectic work schedule, encourage them to run or walk around the complex, if you live in one. Otherwise, there are You Tubes videos of exercises they can do around the house or yard.

3. Continue going for immunisation

The Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has encouraged parents to continue taking their children for scheduled immunisations as these prevent other infections. Your children should have been aware of personal hygiene from a young age but more than ever, it applies now. Children learn by example, so when you wash your hands, encourage them to do so with you, especially before meals, after touching surfaces and pets and playing in the garden. If they do it alone, ask them to sing happy birthday twice during the wash. You can also show them how to sanitise their hands, covering all areas of the hands, including nails.

4. Limit stress

We are living in a very stressful time and as adults we are feeling the pinch and are overwhelmed- what more about our children? Your children are no doubt dealing with a lot of change. Communication is key, bearing in mind that any unusual behaviour on their part may not be because they are intentionally being naughty, but more because they are unable to articulate their anxieties. Encourage them to speak about why they are sad and also suggest some mindfulness or children’s meditation exercises – as these will give them useful tools to deal with their stressors.

5. Limit exposure to second-hand smoke

Second hand smoke is dangerous so If you’re a smoker, do not expose your children to the smoke. This pandemic attacks the respiratory system and it would be a good idea to protect not only your children, but yourself as well by quitting. Cigarette smoke irritates important cells in the body and unfortunately children are more susceptible to the damage caused by this smoke. Problems caused in children by the inhalation of second-hand smoke include frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections and ear infections, among others.