Whether it’s for combating flu season or setting their health up for success in later life, there are a variety of options available for boosting your child’s immune health. From dieting to exercise, below are a few steps you can take to keep your loved ones away from the doctor’s office.
Fruits and Vegetables
Of the many benefits fruits and vegetables provide to a child’s developing body, a strengthened immune system is among them. Items such as carrots, green beans, oranges, and strawberries all contain carotenoids, which are important phytonutrients1. These can stimulate the body’s production of germ-fighting white blood cells and virus-blocking interferon antibodies2. Make sure your child is receiving the recommend 1-2 cups of fruits and 1-3 cups vegetables each day3.
Sleep
While children seem to have endless amounts of energy, it is important that children receive plenty of sleep each night to keep their bodies fit for fighting germs and viruses. According to not-for-profit healthcare network Cone Health, children in the below age ranges should be receiving the following amount of sleep each day4:
- 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours of sleep
- 6-13 years old: 9-11 hours of sleep
- 14-17 years old: 8-10 hours of sleep
Clean Environment
As we’ve come to know over the past year, germs can be spread many ways. While we cannot always control what happens in the world outside our doors, keeping your home neat and tidy will create an environment that is difficult for germs and viruses to survive and multiply. Make sure you are regularly wiping down and disinfecting areas in your home that can be a breeding ground for germs, such as a shared family bathroom, or kitchen where items such as raw meat or eggs are handled. Toys that are regularly touched by younger children should also be cleaned consistently.
Lastly, ask that everyone in your household is washing their hands for 20-seconds when returning from work, school, or an afternoon out5. Doing so will not only protect them, but also the ones they love. For more guidance on proper handwashing technique, be sure to visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website for a variety of tips and tricks.
Physical Activity
Your child can only benefit from getting up and getting moving on a regular basis. Through the perspective of an adult, “exercise” could mean intense physical or cardio activity, such as lifting weights or running long distances. When it comes to making sure your child is getting the proper amount of movement each day, there are plenty of fun, non-intense options available that the entire family can enjoy. Go for a walk before or after dinner (dress warm and mask up!) or have a dance party to their favorite music6. If your child is tagging along for errands, such as shopping, try having them walk instead of riding in the shopping cart, or take the stairs over the escalator when possible7. These little things can go a long way in ingraining physical movement into everyday life.
Like most things in life, there is no one solution to boosting your child’s health. By making habits of the above practices, you can not only strengthen your child’s immunity to disease, but your entire family’s as well, including you! The decisions and practices we participate in our own homes also go further, directly contributing to building a stronger, healthier community in Hoboken.
Sources (AMA Citation)
- Gordon S. 7 ways to boost your child’s immunity. Parents.com. Published October 5, 2005. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.parents.com/health/cold-flu/cold/boost-childs-immunity/
- Gordon S. 7 ways to boost your child’s immunity. Parents.com. Published October 5, 2005. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.parents.com/health/cold-flu/cold/boost-childs-immunity/
- Children eating more fruit, but fruit and vegetable intake still too low. Cdc.gov. Published February 4, 2019. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0805-fruits-vegetables.html
- School-year sniffles: 5 ways to strengthen kids’ immune systems. Conehealth.com. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.conehealth.com/services/childrens-services/school-year-sniffles-5-ways-to-strengthen-kids-immune-systems/
- When and how to wash your hands. Cdc.gov. Published November 24, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
- Patz A. 10 ways to exercise as a family. Parents.com. Published October 3, 2005. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.parents.com/fun/sports/exercise/10-ways-to-exercise-as-a-family/
- Patz A. 10 ways to exercise as a family. Parents.com. Published October 3, 2005. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.parents.com/fun/sports/exercise/10-ways-to-exercise-as-a-family/