What to give a child for immunity is 3 years. How to boost your child's immunity

Anna Mironova


Reading time: 5 minutes

A A

Indeed, in our time there are children who very often suffer from colds, and in many of them the illnesses are protracted (3-6 weeks), usually with severe cough, and temperature. Most often children early age get sick 6 times or more per year. Children over three years of age who are often ill are those who get colds more than 5 times a year, and those over five years old - more than 4 times a year.

What to do if your child gets sick often? How to strengthen your immune system?

Treatment of frequently ill children should be strictly differentiated and, naturally, first of all it should be aimed at eliminating external cause decreased immunity. Numerous experiments have proven that by carrying out stimulant therapies , you can achieve a reduction in the incidence of diseases for 6-12 months. But if the baby continues to live in an environmentally unfavorable area, if he constantly breathes dirty air, if he is overloaded in kindergarten or in educational institution or he does not have good relationships with his comrades, then he will often get sick again and again.
Of great importance varied nutritious diet and rational thoughtful daily routine . It is necessary to monitor and take action if. With frequent colds in the baby’s body, the consumption of minerals and vitamins increases, which will not be compensated by their content in food products. That's why Vitamin therapy is considered the main method of improving the health of frequently ill children., during which it would be advisable to use poly vitamin complexes, which are enriched with microelements ( undevit, multi-sanostol, revit, centrum, vitacitrol, glutamevit, betotal, bevigshex, biovital and etc.).

7 Best and Safest Ways to Boost Your Immunity

  1. The baby's nonspecific resistance can be increased by repeated course of biostimulating agents: linetol (flaxseed oil preparation), eleutherococcus, ginseng, apilactose (royal jelly of bees), Far Eastern or Chinese Schisandra, Leuzea, Immunal, Echinacea, pantocrine (deer antler extract), apidivirita (bee jelly with licorice), propolis (bee glue ). To make a decoction of 10 g of this collection, you need to pour 200 ml of cold water, boil over low heat for about 10 minutes, leave in a water bath for 1 hour and take 100 ml once a day after meals. Treatment with such decoctions is carried out twice a year for 2-3 weeks .
  2. The next method to increase a child’s immunity is wild berry extract. They contain a concentration of microelements needed by the child’s body, so it is advisable to check your local pharmacies for the availability of these syrups. Or, better yet, get your grandmother's supplies. Blueberry syrup, boiled for 5 minutes, which can be stored in the refrigerator, will become very useful.
  3. Balanced diet. There is no way to ignore this point. In winter, the child’s body needs fresh vegetables and fruits, or, even better, vitamin complexes and dried fruits as replacements. Missing something from the diet is considered undesirable; in the spring, such behavior can literally affect the body and face.
  4. Give it to your child more often massage with various oils, especially the legs. Take baths with berry infusions - sea buckthorn, lingonberry, rosehip. Give your baby plenty of honey and walnuts - these are natural vitamin stores. For example, there is this version of the decoction: take one teaspoon each of dried apricots and walnuts, then crush, add honey and a little lemon juice, then you need to mix everything thoroughly and give the child 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon.
  5. The most effective method of increasing immunity in both adults and children is considered hardening. Hardening of children must be carried out in game form, starting from 3-4 summer age. In no situation is it allowed to force a child to harden or carry out procedures against his will. Hardening should begin with morning exercises . During the training period, the baby should be well-rested and alert. Very good remedy To strengthen the child's body, pouring cool water over the feet every day is considered. You can start with water at room temperature, gradually bringing it to cool.
  6. Significant restoration of immunity is observed in children who spend a huge amount of time walk barefoot. On the sole of the baby there are a huge number of biologically active points, the stimulation of which greatly enhances the immune system. Walking barefoot is very beneficial. sea ​​pebbles, sand. In winter, walking barefoot at home. To prevent colds, simply put socks on your baby's feet.
  7. Rose hip is considered the best answer to the question of how to improve and strengthen the immune system. You need to replace all of your baby's drinks, except milk, with rosehip infusion. To make it, you need 200 grams of fresh rose hips, or 300 grams of dried rose hips, a liter of water and 100 grams of sugar. Next, you need to pour water over the rose hips and put them on fire. The decoction is simmered for several hours until the berries are completely boiled. After this, add sugar and boil for about 2 more minutes. Then cover the pan tightly and leave to infuse until the broth cools completely. After this, you need to strain the rosehip decoction using a gauze napkin. The child can be given this decoction to drink in unlimited quantities.

Immunity is the body's ability to resist various infections. Immunity is the result of the work of the immune system and is formed in the process of its interaction with various microbes or their fragments. In children, immunity has a number of features and deficiencies that make children more susceptible to many infections. Increasing immunity is necessary in all cases of immunodeficiency (decreased level of immune system functioning). In children, the causes of immunodeficiency can be: poor nutrition, stress, hypovitaminosis, chronic diseases internal organs. To stimulate the immune system in children, nutritional correction, hardening, and treatment with multivitamins and immunostimulating drugs are carried out.

What is immunity?
Immunity is the body's natural resistance to any infection. Immunity is the result of the immune system, which produces a number of factors that resist infection and block its development at the time of its penetration into the body.
There are two types of immunity. Immunity can be specific and nonspecific. Specific immunity is strictly individual for each person and depends on the diseases suffered by the person in the past or on the vaccinations he received. Specific immunity occurs after an illness (immunity against chickenpox) or after vaccination (immunity after vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, etc.). Specific immunity only works against one specific infection that causes the development of immunity, and cannot protect a person from other infections (for example, a child vaccinated against diphtheria will most likely never get diphtheria, but has a good chance of getting whooping cough).
Nonspecific immunity, on the contrary, is almost the same in all people. Nonspecific immunity protects the body from many infections of a nonspecific nature (most bacterial infections caused by opportunistic microbes - bronchitis, otitis, tonsillitis, pyelonephritis, etc.).
In children, the immune system is not as fully developed as in adults, which in turn explains the greater susceptibility of children to many infections.

What are the characteristics of immunity in children?
Children's immunity has a number of features that make them more vulnerable to most infections.
Newborns and children up to 6 months are protected from many infections by immunoglobulins G (IgG), which enter their blood during fetal development from the mother's blood. After 6 months, the supply of maternal immunoglobulins in the baby’s blood dries up, making him more susceptible to many infections. Normal production of children's own immunoglobulins in the body begins only at 6-7 years of age, and cellular immunity (cells of the immune system) is formed until puberty.
As the child grows and develops (mainly due to vaccinations), he encounters various microbes and acquires specific immunity to them.
Nonspecific immunity in children provides protection against many infections that a child encounters every day. The child’s predisposition to various diseases depends on the state of nonspecific immunity. Children with weakened immune systems get sick more often than children with strong immune systems.

What determines the strength of a child’s immune system?
The strength (effectiveness) of a child’s immune system depends on many factors. Thus, the state of specific immunity is determined mainly by the child’s vaccination. Nowadays, thanks to vaccinations, millions of children around the planet acquire natural immunity to many serious diseases. The state of nonspecific immunity (that is, the general resistance of the child’s body) is practically independent of vaccinations. For example, a child who has received a full set of vaccinations may often suffer from sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media and other diseases caused by ordinary microbes, against which vaccinations are not given. The state of the child’s nonspecific immunity seems to reflect general state his body and depends mainly on:

Quality of child nutrition– the child’s nutrition should provide him with all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals necessary for growth and development. A deficiency of one or more nutrients compromises the immune system and weakens the child's immune defenses. It should be emphasized that the quality of food directly depends on its diversity. Only a varied diet (products of plant and animal origin) can give a child the full range of nutrients he needs.

Child's living conditions, the psycho-emotional atmosphere in the family, in kindergarten and school, the comfort and arrangement of everyday life determine the quality of life of the child, and therefore the level of development of his immune system. Only a child who, in addition to all the necessary food products, also receives parental love, affection and care can be healthy.

Conditions of internal organs the child’s body determines the effectiveness of his immune system. The immune system cannot function normally if at least one of the child’s internal organs does not work as it should or is affected by disease. A persistent decrease in immunity is observed in children suffering from chronic diseases of internal organs (gastritis, pyelonephritis, enterocolitis, intestinal dysbiosis, etc.)

How can you tell whether your child’s immune system is working normally and whether he needs immunity-stimulating medications?
The use of immunostimulating agents is justified only in cases of immunodeficiency (an actual and long-term decrease in the activity of the immune system). The following phenomena may be signs of immunodeficiency:

    The child gets sick often (colds more than 6 times a year)

    Common colds in children are severe, with many complications (otitis media, sore throat)

    The child responds poorly to treatment, and the illness lasts longer than usual.

If a child does show signs of immunodeficiency, he should be shown to a doctor. A real assessment of the functioning of a child’s immune system is a complex task, which can only be solved by a specialist immunologist - a doctor who deals with immunity problems.
According to modern recommendations, the use of immunostimulating agents (see below) is indicated only in children with immunodeficiency proven by laboratory tests. At the same time, nonspecific methods of increasing immunity (multivitamins, nutritional correction, hardening) are recommended for all children.

How to boost a child's immunity?
General (nonspecific) measures to boost immunity. The human immune system is one of the most stable and protected from external influences systems of the human body. If all conditions are created for the development and functioning of the immune system, then immunity will automatically be maintained at the proper level. The main principle of stimulating a child’s immunity is to provide normal conditions for the development and functioning of the immune system (see above). Therefore, the first thing that needs to be done if signs of immunodeficiency are detected in a child is to check whether the child’s living conditions, as well as the style and quality of nutrition, correspond to its necessary standards? If yes, then you should show your child to a pediatrician and undergo a basic examination:

    General analysis blood

    General urine analysis

    Blood chemistry

    Consultation with an ENT doctor

    Stool analysis for dysbacteriosis and worm eggs

    In some cases, ultrasound of the abdominal organs

These examinations are not expensive and are often sufficient to establish the true cause of the dysfunction of the immune system (chronic diseases of the ENT organs (chronic sinusitis, adenoids, chronic tonsillitis), intestinal dysbiosis, chronic pyelonephritis), the elimination of which will bring the child’s immunity to a normal state.

Hardening as a means of increasing immunity
Hardening is considered an effective means of increasing immunity in children and adults. Hardening of children should be carried out in the form of a game, starting from 3-4 years of age. Under no circumstances should you force a child to undergo hardening or carry out procedures against his will. Hardening begins with morning exercises. It is very important that at the time of classes the child is alert and well-rested. Parents should do the exercises at the same time as the child (the child learns from the parents). After 10-15 minutes of light general strengthening exercises, you can move on to water procedures: rubbing the torso, arms and neck with water for 3-4 minutes (less is possible at first). First, for water procedures, use water at room temperature (22-25 C). Then the water temperature is gradually reduced (to 18-16 C and below). After rubbing with water, the skin is blotted dry with a towel and rubbed until a feeling of warmth appears. During water procedures, you should ensure that the child does not freeze. After water procedures, dress your child in warm clothes (a loose woolen sweater is best).
Using multivitamin preparations to improve immunity. Numerous studies have shown that the state of the body's immune system and the body's resistance to infections largely depends on the intake of sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals. Children, as is known, need larger amounts of vitamins and minerals than adults (these substances are intensively spent on the growth process) and are therefore more at risk of developing hypovitaminosis with subsequent immunodeficiency. In view of this, for nonspecific stimulation of immunity in children, it is recommended to use multivitamin preparations adapted for children. Multivitamins should be taken during periods of greatest risk of developing hypovitaminosis (winter-spring). It is best to discuss the choice of a specific multivitamin preparation with the pediatrician observing the child.

Use of immunostimulating agents
By definition, immune-stimulating substances increase the activity of the body's immune system and help it fight disease. Nowadays there is a large number of a wide variety of immunostimulating agents, however, unfortunately, this does not solve the problem of their use. The main question associated with treating a child with immunomodulators is: does the child really need this medicine? As we said above, the prescription of drugs to enhance immunity is justified only in cases of actually proven immunodeficiency of the child. Due to the fact that only a specialist can determine the status of immunodeficiency, the prescription of drugs to stimulate the immune system is also within his competence.

Immunity boosters (immunostimulants)
There are the following groups of drugs used to enhance immunity:

Interferon group(human leukocyte, etc.). Interferons are biologically active substances that have the ability to inhibit and block the development of infections (mainly viral ones). The immunostimulating effect of interferons is especially useful in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections in children. Numerous clinical observations have shown that the use of drugs such as Viferon in the first days of illness can significantly reduce the duration of the illness and significantly prevent the occurrence of complications. For the greatest effect, drugs from the interferon group should be taken in the first hours of illness (at the moment the first cold symptoms appear).

Inducers of endogenous interferons( , ) represent a group medicines stimulating the production of the body's own interferon, which has a pronounced anti-infective and immunostimulating effect. Interferon inducers are recommended for acute respiratory viral infections (as well as interferon preparations starting from the first hours of illness), as well as for many other viral diseases (viral hepatitis, etc.).
Interferon preparations and inducers of the synthesis of endogenous interferons cannot be taken simultaneously. Typically, children are prescribed only one of the medications in the first hours of cold or flu symptoms. Treatment with the chosen medicine is continued for several days. Treatment with interferon drugs or inducers of the synthesis of endogenous interferons during the recovery period (in the case of ARVI) or for preventive purposes is ineffective - with the exception of the domestic immunostimulant drug, which has proven itself not only as an effective treatment, but also as a reliable prophylactic agent. The features of this drug include: a convenient form of administration (Derinat is instilled into the nasal passages), almost complete absence of side effects and the possibility of use in pediatrics, starting from the moment the child is born. The immunostimulant Derinat, in addition to increasing the production of its own interferons in the human body, enhances the effect of antiviral drugs taken together with it, in many cases reducing the duration of ARVI and influenza and protecting the child from the possible development of complications.

Means to enhance immunity of bacterial origin(, Broncho-vascom, Biostim,) - contain fragments of infectious bacteria (staphylococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus, streptococcus) that do not carry any infectious danger, but have a significant immunostimulating effect. These drugs increase both local and general immunity and are recommended for the treatment of acute respiratory infections (during the entire period of the disease), as well as for the treatment of chronic diseases of the ENT organs (pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, etc.). In addition, bacterial immunomodulators have been shown to increase the effectiveness of vaccinations, and therefore they are recommended during routine vaccination.

Immunity Boosters plant origin (Echinacea purpurea preparations, ginseng preparations, Chinese Schisandra, etc.) are made from medicinal plants with immunostimulating and adaptogenic effects. The most studied and effective are preparations of Echinacea purpurea (Doctor Taisa, Immunal, etc.). Immunal (and other Echinacea preparations) are given to children for the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections and for the prevention of colds. A course of preventive treatment with the drug Immunal is usually carried out in early autumn or winter, before the outbreak of a viral epidemic or before sending the child to hospital. kindergarten or to school. The duration of the course of preventive treatment with Immunal should not exceed 2 months.
In Russia, Immunal is the most popular immunostimulant. The effectiveness of Immunal in the treatment of ARVI in children has been proven by several clinical studies.

Treatment with Immunal

Indications

Age groups

Dosage

Treatment of acute respiratory infections (flu, colds, bronchitis)

Children over 12 years old

1 tablet 3-4 times a day or

2.5 ml syrup 3 times a day

Children from 6 to 12 years old

1 tablet 1-3 times a day or

1.5 ml syrup 3 times a day

Children from 1 year to 6 years

1 ml syrup 3 times a day

Prevention of upper respiratory tract diseases

Course 1-1.5 months, before the onset of the ARVI epidemic

For preventive purposes, Immunal is recommended to be taken 3 times a year in courses lasting 1–1.5 months (no more than 8 weeks). Since the maximum effect of Immunal develops after about 1 week, the course of treatment before seasonal or epidemic increases in the incidence of ARVI must be started in advance.

Remedies to enhance immunity from the thymus gland(thymus) (, timaktide, thymostimulin, vilosen, etc.) are currently used to a limited extent. This is mainly due to the fact that the use of immunomodulators made on the basis of the thymus gland requires special preliminary examinations. These drugs can only be used under the supervision of an immunologist.

How to choose a drug to boost immunity?
The choice of a drug to increase immunity in a child and the initiation of its use should be based on the following principles:

    The child does have signs of immunodeficiency

    All were excluded possible reasons immunodeficiency

    Nonspecific measures to stimulate the immune system were taken (hardening, multivitamins, nutritional correction), but they did not bring results

    The immunostimulating drug is approved for use in children of this age (see age restrictions for the use of drugs)

    Treatment with an immunomodulator is carried out according to a scheme (dosage and frequency of administration) corresponding to the age of the child

    Your doctor approves the use of this drug, or at least has been made aware of your intention to give this drug to your child.

It is always best to discuss the choice of an immunomodulator for a child with a doctor.
The type of immunomodulator must be appropriate to the disease. (See Immune Stimulating Medicines). For example, interferon preparations and herbal immunomodulators can be used for ARVI. Interferon drugs (Viferon) or interferon inducers (Amiksin) are effective only at the onset of ARVI. Herbal preparations (Immunal) can be used both for the treatment and prevention of ARVI.

Video: drugs to improve immunity in children

Does your child often get sick due to reduced immunity? This material contains information that will help solve this problem.

There are now many drugs being advertised that boost immunity. They cost a lot of money, and their effectiveness is controversial and doubtful. Adults face a difficult task: how to boost a child’s immunity at home without medications? Solving it is quite possible, because previously there were no tablets and syrups of such a level as now. People were looking for other ways to improve their health and found them.

When can you start boosting your child’s immunity?

A weakened child’s body will open up to illness. In addition, the child constantly feels tired and apathetic. This is the signal “to fight.”

You can determine that a child’s immunity is not working at full strength by the following signs:

  • The baby is constantly tired and indifferent, his mood is depressed.
  • He often complains of headaches and is susceptible to colds.
  • The skin is faded, with a grayish tint, hair grows, nails crumble and break.
  • The child is either sleepy or suffers from insomnia.
  • Dark circles appear under the eyes.
  • Often complains of pain in muscles and joints.
  • Digestive function is impaired.
  • There is a tendency to allergic reactions.

A significant decrease in immunity is manifested by the fact that the child is constantly sick. How to boost immunity and break vicious circle incessant sick leave is the main issue for parents of such “sick” children.

How to boost immunity for a 1 year old child

Children are susceptible to colds and viruses during the cold season. And parents are thinking about how to boost their 1-year-old child’s immunity so that he gets sick as little as possible.

Protective ointments for colds

To increase the body's resistance one year old child, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

  • Before going outside, lubricate the child’s nasal passages with protective ointments (Oxolinovaya, Viferon).
  • Rinse your nose after every walk saline solutions(No-salt, Aqua-Maris or regular saline solution).
  • If you are sick, wear a gauze bandage to protect your baby from infection.
  • Walk outside as much as possible, with the exception of winter with temperatures below 10 degrees below zero.
  • Eliminate stressful situations and be as positive as possible.

Dress your baby according to the weather, do not wrap him up so that he does not rebel. Children are very active; excess clothing only disrupts heat exchange. These are the main points on how to boost the immunity of a one-year-old child.

How to boost immunity in a 2 year old child

The body's ability to resist external stimuli in two-year-old children is quite weak. How to boost the immunity of a 2-year-old child is a pressing question for all caring mothers.

To ensure that the little person gets sick as little as possible, they resort to the following methods:

  • Get preventive vaccinations, that's enough effective method avoid infectious diseases.
  • They correct the nutritional diet, maintain the body’s water balance, and take a course of multivitamins.
  • Use recipes traditional medicine. You should not resort to pharmacological agents, which can cause various side effects.

Teach your son or daughter the rules of personal hygiene. Washing your hands after returning from the street should become a habit for your child.

How to boost the immunity of a 3 year old child

When a child is three years old, a crucial moment comes when he goes to kindergarten. Parents should pay maximum attention to strengthening the child’s body’s defenses.

How to boost the immunity of a 3 year old child:

  • Find out the causes of regular illnesses (perhaps the problem is not in the immune system).
  • Follow the rules of dress. There is no need to wrap your child up too much; be guided by the weather and how you dress.
  • The children's diet should consist mainly of healthy, natural and fresh foods.
  • Perform hardening procedures (morning exercises, regular walks, cold and hot shower). Teach your child to a healthy lifestyle.
  • Children should not be given drugs that enhance immunity without consulting a doctor. Such drugs are indicated in cases of immunodeficiency. The doctor must conduct the necessary examinations and, based on the results, give appropriate recommendations.

By the age of three, a child’s immunity is already sufficiently developed. The main task is not how to increase the child’s immunity, but how to provide preventive support for the protective function. If your son or daughter gets sick no more than six times during the year, then this is considered normal.

How can you boost your child's immunity?

The main way to boost a child’s immunity is to saturate the child’s body with the missing vitamins and microelements.

An important role is played by the activation of the child’s motor activity, staying on fresh air. Temper your baby, but remember not to let the body become too cold. There are many options on how to boost your child’s immunity and keep it in good condition.

Proper nutrition

Remember, our immunity is healthy if our intestines are healthy. Correct menu one that provides the growing needs of a growing body for vitamins and other useful elements.

The ideal option is to feed babies breast milk. It can only be replaced with mixtures with probiotics and prebiotics. The child's diet includes dishes made from vegetables, fruits, and dietary meat. It’s good if these products are natural and home-grown.

Fatty, sweet foods, as well as flour products, should not be offered to young children. Such food contributes to the accumulation of excess fat, which negatively affects the immune system.

Drugs to enhance immunity

A caring adult is looking for a way to safely and quickly boost a child’s immunity. There is no single approach, everything is individual.

Drugs that normalize immunity include:

  • Herbal: Immunal, Schisandra chinensis, Ginseng, Echinacea.
  • Bacterial origin: Imudon, Broncho-munal, Ribomunil, IRS19.
  • With nucleic acid: Kavesan, Ridostin, Deritan.
  • Immune interferon: Viferon, Arbidol, Anaferon.
  • Immunostimulating: Vilozen, Taktivin, Timalin.
  • Synthetic stimulants: vitamin complexes.

The doctor will tell you how to boost a child’s immunity after an illness using medications after an examination and passing the necessary tests.

Daily walks in the fresh air

How to boost a child’s immunity without drugs? The effect of O 2 on the human body is invaluable. Oxygen has a beneficial effect on nervous system, improves appetite and sleep. Walks should be included in the baby’s daily routine for at least three hours.

Walk in the fresh air

Impossible normal development child with a lack of sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D 3 is produced, without which calcium cannot be absorbed.

Active lifestyle

Active lifestyle helps boost immunity. It is good for children to swim, walk a lot, run, and engage in sports - dancing, gymnastics. Teach your child to do morning exercises every day.

Let him ride a scooter, a bicycle, and play with children on the playground. Physical activity increases blood circulation, while leukocytes move more intensely and do not “ignore” viruses and bacteria that have entered the body.

Vitamins for immunity for children

A child's body needs the required amount of vitamins.

Essential elements for health include:

  • Vitamin A, C, D3, E.
  • B vitamins (B2 or riboflavin, pantothenic acid - B5, pyridoxine - B6, cyanocobalamin - B12)
  • Selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium.
  • Omega-3.

Children who do not suffer from vitamin deficiency are much less likely to get sick.

How to boost a child’s immunity using folk remedies

How to boost your child’s immunity using folk remedies yourself?

Use popular tools:

  • Infusions of medicinal herbs, adaptogens of plant origin - echinacea, ginseng.
  • Vitaminized mixtures.
  • Propolis.
  • Decoctions of immunostimulating herbs - chamomile, calendula, lemon balm, linden.

Give all these remedies to your child with caution, preferably under supervision or after consultation with a doctor.

How to boost a child’s immunity after an illness

In order to restore immunity after an illness, you must adhere to the following rules:

  • Immediately after recovery, avoid contact with sick people.
  • Dress warmly, do not freeze.
  • The baby needs to get a good night's sleep, at least 8-10 hours a day.
  • To walk.
  • Eat fully and correctly. The child's appetite and stool should be normal.

Do not overload children with physical activity, follow a daily routine.

How to boost immunity after chickenpox in children? Follow the recommendations listed above, and your baby will quickly recover from illness.

How to boost a child’s immunity after antibiotics

The question remains relevant: how to boost a child’s immunity after antibiotics. Taking such drugs has an extremely negative effect on the intestinal microflora.

You can restore it:

  • Pharmacological drugs - Acidolac, Bifiform.
  • Consumption of fermented milk products, vegetables and fruits.

Talk to your doctor about how to boost your child’s immunity using folk remedies. For infant Mother's milk will be an indispensable product.

Good afternoon, dear readers. The health of the child always comes first for parents. We begin to pay special attention to the child when he is often sick. Today we will look into the issue of increasing a child’s immunity.

We will not speak in complex words or recommend various types of drugs. Firstly, we are not doctors ourselves, so we are simply sharing our personal experience and the opinion of many parents.

Secondly, everything that will be said below is just informational information and in any case it is necessary to consult a pediatrician.

Thirdly, after reading everything to the end, you will understand the mechanism of how immunity works and how to increase it using folk remedies. Looking ahead, I will say the most important thing - you should not, without a doctor’s prescription, stuff your child with various drugs such as immunomodulatory or related drugs. The immune system of a person, especially a child, must itself fight the disease and develop.

Everyone has their own immunity, and it works better in some places and worse in others. For example, two children in the same family with the same conditions may have different immunity. Some people get sick more often, others much less often. It all depends on many factors. Mostly from the parents themselves, I think by the end of the article you will understand why.

Let's start with simple things.

This is a whole complex of measures that the body takes as soon as something begins to threaten it.

The defense mechanism recognizes a foreign “guest” (it can be a virus, bacteria, toxins, etc.) and activates “special forces” - immunocompetent cells for special purposes, whose task is to block and destroy the stranger - this reaction is called an immune response.

Sometimes an autoimmune reaction occurs in the body, when the immune system destroys cells of the body’s own, but not healthy ones, but those that have undergone a mutation, for example, tumor cells.

The immune system is much “smarter” than it seems, it is well versed in the concepts of “friend or foe”, and also has a long-term “memory”, since after the first contact with a new virus, it “remembers” it, and next time quickly identifies and takes immediate action.

This ability can be clearly demonstrated in the familiar chickenpox. The virus that causes it practically does not mutate, so after a person has been ill chicken pox, his immunity knows the causative agent of the disease well, and suppresses any of its attempts to cause the disease again. A person usually gets chickenpox only once in his life. But influenza and acute respiratory viral infections are caused by viruses and their strains, which are constantly changing, so we suffer from these ailments much more often.

Several important organs and systems take part in immune defense. Red bone marrow creates stem cells and is responsible for lymphocytes. It is actively helped by the thymus (thymus gland), which differentiates lymphocytes. A considerable burden also falls on the lymph nodes, which are located very “thoughtfully” - along the course of the lymph vessels. The largest organ of the immune system is the spleen.

Types of immunity

Each of us has two immunities: one innate, the other acquired. Innate acts only in a generalized way, understanding foreign agents as one undesirable factor. He cannot “remember” viruses and bacteria that are new to him. Acquired - more active immunity. He “learns” and “trains” all his life, starting from the first days after the birth of a child.

In children after birth, the maximum load falls on the innate defense. And gradually, with each new disease, with each unfavorable factor from environment, an initially weak and imperfect acquired immunity is formed.

How to understand that a child has a weakened immune system?

In young children, as we have found out, acquired immunity (which is very important in diseases) is very weak and is still developing. The younger the toddler, the weaker his defense. If the doctor says that your child's immunity is weakened, this means that the deficiency of protective functions is below certain age norms.

The doctor comes to this conclusion after studying the patient’s card. If the frequency of illnesses, mainly colds, in a child exceeds 5-6 times a year, we can talk about weakened immunity.

Parents can notice this condition on their own, because the external manifestations of immunodeficiency are quite clear: the child has disturbed sleep, he often complains of fatigue, headaches, poor appetite, depressed mood, increased moodiness. Enough characteristic feature- weak hair, nails, dry and problematic skin . Children with reduced immunity may develop dark circles under their eyes, and they are more likely than other children to have allergies.

Modern medicine offers a special study of immune status. To do this, they do an immunogram - a comprehensive diagnostic that will allow you to determine the composition of the blood, the presence of antibodies to certain diseases, immunoglobulins in it; specialists will analyze the cellular components of the immune system. The doctor will receive all this data from a special blood test of the patient.

The reasons that cause immune weakness are different:

  • Congenital pathologies of organs involved in the protective mechanism.
  • Congenital defects of the respiratory and digestive systems, as well as HIV infection that the child received in utero from the mother or independently (through blood transfusion or untreated medical instruments).
  • Previous infection, especially if it was not treated properly.
  • The state of hypoxia that the baby experienced during the mother’s pregnancy.
  • Premature birth. Premature babies are more susceptible to infection.
  • Unfavorable environmental conditions, living in a region with increased background radiation.
  • Long-term and uncontrolled use of antibiotics and antiviral agents - immunostimulants and immunomodulators.
  • A big journey, during which the child changed time zone and climate.
  • Severe stress.
  • High physical activity.

This is far from full list, but common. During the manifestation of these factors, it is worth paying close attention to boosting the child’s immune system.

But it is best to do this with natural ingredients.

Folk remedies.

Children with weakened immune systems need to be given more vitamins, everyone knows this. Moreover, it is better if these are seasonal vitamins, fresh, and not in the form of tablets and capsules. In summer, fresh black currants, raspberries, cherries and apples are useful for general strengthening. IN winter time years, you can give your child compotes, teas and decoctions of frozen berries, dried fruits and medicinal herbs.

It is better to avoid alcohol infusions; they are contraindicated in childhood. It is best to prepare the products yourself, at home. If you don’t have the skills to collect and prepare healthy herbs, you can always buy them inexpensively at any pharmacy.

more vitamins

Below, in the list of the best folk remedies there is nothing complicated and nowadays they can be found everywhere, and will be useful not only for children, but also for adults.

Honey and propolis.

Bee products should not be given to children with acute allergies and a tendency to allergic reactions in general. It is not advisable to give honey to children under three years of age. To boost immunity, you can add honey to any tea you prepare for your child, to milk, and to almost any decoction and herbal infusion.

honey and propolis

It is better to purchase propolis at a pharmacy in the form of an aqueous solution. Children are given a few drops, depending on age, 2-4 times a day.

Although, my parents always gave me propolis once, in the morning and only in winter. This component should also not be abused.

Echinacea.

We gave this drug to the child only when seasonal epidemics of ARVI and influenza began.

Echinacea preparations should not be given to children under one year of age; other children are allowed to take this medicinal plant orally in dosages that are appropriate for their age.

pharmacy version in drops

Raises a lot of questions home cooking agents and their dosage regimen.

To prepare homemade tincture you need to take 50 grams. chopped herbs and 100 ml boiled water. Mix everything and hold for steam bath about a quarter of an hour. Cool, strain using gauze or a strainer. The child should be given the tincture one-fourth of a glass, cool.

For a more pleasant taste, you can add dry leaves of black currant, raspberry, strawberry and lemon balm to the tincture. Phytoenzymes, which are found in abundance in Echinacea, have a beneficial effect on the quantity and quality of immunocompetent phagocyte cells. This is due to its effect on the immune system.

Aloe juice.

Available to everyone indoor plant rich in vitamins and other substances that stimulate the immune system gently, without unnecessary pressure. To get the juice, you need to cut off the fleshiest and juiciest leaves, put them in the refrigerator and keep them at low temperatures for a couple of days. Then finely chop the leaves, put them in a “bundle” of gauze and squeeze out the juice. You can add a little water to it and store it in the refrigerator for no more than 12 hours. Over time, the product will lose its therapeutic effect.

Therefore, you should not make a lot of juice at once.

Aloe juice can be mixed into tea or compote for children, or given in its pure form 3-4 times a day, a tablespoon half an hour before meals.

Eloi juice

Rose hip.

Berries and leaves are found wide application V alternative medicine. For a child with a weakened immune system, you can prepare a compote with rose hips, you can make an infusion, but the most popular among parents is a decoction. To prepare it, you will need five tablespoons of berries (can be dried), a liter of boiled water.

rosehip decoction

The berries are poured into boiling water and kept on low heat for about a quarter of an hour. Then pour the broth into a thermos, close the lid and leave for 10-12 hours. Children are given the decoction warm 4 times a day, a quarter cup.

Ginger.

Ginger root will help the child cope with illness when the illness is at its peak, and will also strengthen the immune system if it is weakened after illness. Finely chopped root is added to tea in small quantities; you can also make a decoction from it and give it to your child a tablespoon twice a day. Ginger jelly is very effective for immunodeficiency conditions. To prepare it, you will need a root weighing about 250 grams, one lemon and a teaspoon of gelatin.

ginger with lemon

The root needs to be washed and peeled, the lemon is also freed from peel and seeds. Both ingredients are passed through a meat grinder, gelatin and sugar to taste (or honey) are added. The jelly is placed in the refrigerator, and after hardening, it is given as a dessert 3 times a day, a teaspoon after meals.

Cranberry.

This berry is rich in vitamins and acids, which is why cranberry juice is so popular for colds. To boost your child’s immunity, it is better to prepare a delicious dessert from cranberries, which the child will regard as a delicacy, and not as an unpleasant and obligatory medicine.

SONY DSC

For this recipe you will need 200 grams of cranberries and 400 grams of apple slices. Everything needs to be mixed and poured with syrup made from 200 grams of honey and half a liter of water.

Keep the resulting mass over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly. After which the delicacy is cooled, poured into a jar and stored in the refrigerator. The child is given a teaspoon three times a day.

Garlic.

In terms of its effect on the body, garlic can be compared to ginger. But the drinks and infusions made from it are not very tasty, and children rarely like them. You should not unnecessarily stuff your child with a decoction of garlic; it is enough if you add it fresh to salads and other dishes that are included in the child’s diet.

Chamomile and linden.

These medicinal plants can be bought at a pharmacy and brewed according to the instructions. To prepare a homemade decoction you will need 10 grams of raw materials per 300 ml of water. Children can be given decoctions of linden and chamomile, one tablespoon three times a day.

decoction of chamomile with linden

Children over 3 years old can be given combined herbal remedies, in which several plants will be mixed. The combination of chamomile with lemon balm and St. John's wort, as well as chamomile with sage and violet flowers, is very useful for strengthening immune defense.

We lead a correct lifestyle.

Normalizing lifestyle is half of a successful campaign to increase a child’s immunity. The child’s nutrition should be complete, balanced, rich in vitamins and microelements.. After all, when the intestines are healthy, then the immune system is not weakened!

The child should walk every day, in any weather, at any time of the year. Walking in the fresh air saturates the blood with oxygen. Even if the weather is bad outside, go out for 10-15 minutes and get some fresh air.

healthy image life

A baby with a weakened immune system should get more rest, make sure that the baby gets enough sleep, if necessary, after consulting a doctor, use soft sedatives to normalize the child’s sleep and mood.

A fashionable trend in medicine today - psychosomatics - claims that all diseases are caused by nerves. I don’t know about everyone, but problems with immunity are very closely related to the psychological state, so limit stress, let every day for your little one be filled with something positive, kind, limit computer games and watching TV.

restorative massage

For children of the first year (the period when immunity is formed at the fastest pace), it is advisable to undergo systematic courses of restorative massage aimed at improving blood circulation and developing the muscular and skeletal systems.

Breastfeeding is an important stage.

Separately, I would like to note that at the very beginning of a child’s life, he has only innate immunity. In addition, antibodies are transferred to the child with mother's milk, which increase the child's immunity.

A breastfed baby is well protected from intestinal infections. And all this thanks to maternal antibodies.

So be sure to breastfeed your baby and take care of your health!

Recovering after taking antibiotics.

The use of antibiotics helps to cope with diseases, but it does not go away completely for the body. The protection of the immune system is reduced, the microflora of the stomach is killed, so the child’s strength needs to be restored even after taking medications.

What measures should be taken after a course of antibiotics:

  • Consult your doctor about taking medications that restore intestinal microflora and the body's defenses. These are not only medicines, but also fermented milk products.
  • Natural remedies are among the most effective. These are: decoctions and teas (schisandra, rosehip, ginger, echinacea); honey; aloe; lemon.
  • Review your diet: feed less foods high in fat, sugar, and spices. It is better to balance the diet and use only the cooking or steaming process for processing.
  • There should be more dairy products and dishes on the menu.
  • The morning should begin with exercise, and during the day there should be outdoor games.
  • Temper your child, do not avoid walks in the fresh air, visit the bathhouse. Removal of toxins is perfectly accomplished by drinking plenty of water.

Boost immunity at 3 years of age before kindergarten.

Love is something that an adult parent can give to their baby at any time and it will be the best cure for infections. When a child feels cared for and warm, then kindergarten is not scary for him, he will not get sick, and stress does not threaten him.

Be sure to start your morning with exercise, give more vitamin C and fresh berries, vegetables, and fruits. Rest and active games alternate, you definitely need to take a walk in the fresh air.

Be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene; after every walk outside or visit the toilet, teach your children to wash their hands.

Also, when the child first starts kindergarten, the adaptation period will begin. This is a stressful time for a child. Be attentive to your child and try not to upset him, talk to him and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary for the child to be more happy.

Strengthening the child’s immunity after illness.

After an illness, the immune system is weak and there is a risk of getting sick again. To be honest, our child and I suffered very, very much when we managed to get sick 2-3 times within a month. This can be attributed to the fact that viruses and bacteria have become more aggressive, as many people say today, but not everything is so, in fact.

It is necessary to follow a few simple rules and help the body restore its strength.

  • Ventilate the rooms in the house, do wet cleaning thoroughly, and wipe off dust.
  • Monitor your child’s hygiene at home and on walks so as not to replenish the “reserves” of viruses and pathogenic bacteria.
  • You need to drink more fluids, eat right, eat less sweets, fried foods, fatty foods, and starchy foods.
  • A good mood greatly affects the strength of the body's defenses, so use active games that your baby likes.
  • Before going to public places, including kindergarten or school, anoint your nose with Viferon-type ointment. But no more than 2 weeks, that's enough.

Doctor Komarovsky about immunity (video).

The opinion of the popular doctor Komarovsky will help even more; I advise everyone to watch it and draw some conclusions.

Let's summarize.

Now we want to summarize a little. What immunity is, I think it’s clear, you need to understand that from birth the immune system is very weak and it is only learning.

Therefore, be sure to breastfeed your baby from birth, this will significantly increase his immunity.

Also observe the “correct” microclimate: air temperature - about 19 degrees, air humidity - 50-70%. And only so.

Under no circumstances should you wrap your child up, dress him the same way you dress yourself, just make sure that the child does not become hypothermic.

Temper your baby from the very beginning of his life, go for walks, ventilate the children's room more often.

Do not give folk remedies that contain allergenic components to boost immunity. If you are not sure whether there will be a reaction, initially give a dose that is 3-5 times less than prescribed. If no negative manifestations appear within 24 hours, the drug can be given.

And don't forget to get all the necessary vaccinations. We ourselves have heard many times negative reviews on vaccinations. But this is an increase in immunity, and an important strengthening.

In any case, a child will get sick more often than an adult. The parents’ task will be to help the body fight the disease itself, monitor the baby’s condition and do everything to restore the body as quickly as possible after the disease.

Give your child vitamins, it is better if they are natural. If this is not possible, you can purchase vitamins appropriate for your age at the pharmacy.

That's all for us, leave your comments below, join us on Odnoklassniki and stay with us, it will be even more interesting.

Materials used from the sites: o-krohe.ru, sovets.net.

Updated: October 19, 2018 by: Subbotin Pavel

The immune system is often weakened by the viruses and bacteria that try to attack it every day. Children's immunity is more vulnerable to pathogens than adults. A growing organism undergoes constant changes, consumes more energy, often becomes exhausted if he is not supported from the outside. Pathogenic factors ultimately become the cause of frequent viral and infectious diseases.

You can protect the body if you know what and how to properly boost a child’s immunity, and what products are allowed to be used at home.

Means to boost immunity in children

Parents should not be negligent about the health of their children. The formation of the body's protective functions occurs from an early age, and their final formation is completed at 22-25 years. It is not necessary to buy expensive pharmaceuticals, as it will strengthen the child’s immunity folk ways possible cheaper, but no less effective. They do this in several ways:

  • changing habits and daily routine;
  • diet correction;
  • vitamin therapy;
  • folk immunomodulating agents;
  • hardening.

These are the most effective methods, which, with a competent approach, will ensure a healthy future for the child.

Anti-inflammatory and restorative herbs

Among the plants with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties:

  • periwinkle;
  • smoker;
  • elder;
  • heather;
  • St. John's wort;
  • strawberries;
  • centaury;
  • Melissa and others.
  • citrus fruits;
  • apples;
  • currants;
  • cranberries;
  • rosehip.

Cranberry juice

Compotes, despite the loss of some vitamins during cooking, are healthier than juices. Some fiber remains in fresh fruits and dried fruits, and beneficial microelements, when released into the water, last longer. You can drink compotes every day, since the concentration of vitamins in them is low and is unlikely to cause hypervitaminosis.

Infusions

Vitamin and immune-strengthening infusions are useful at any age. They are prepared from fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, adding spices, bee products, etc. According to the name, the infusions are kept for a certain time before use (from a day to 2 weeks). In the process, beneficial substances are released from the ingredients, which make the product concentrated.

Just 1-2 spoons of homemade infusion, taken daily, helps prevent colds, flu and infectious diseases in the autumn-winter period.

How to boost a child’s immunity with folk remedies in the off-season

Unofficial medicine identifies many ways to strengthen the body, the effectiveness of which is not denied by doctors. Folk remedies for immunity, combine with a proper diet, increasing the child’s activity. Only comprehensive actions will bring results.

In the off-season, a mixture of lemon and honey, diluted 1 to 1 with water, will help protect children 4-5 years of age and older. Before going outside, a child should be given 50 ml of a drink to prevent rotavirus infection. After walking, it is useful to drink 100 ml of kefir or homemade yogurt, which will help establish the microflora in the intestines if the virus does enter the body.