Protecting children from the attack of the
bacteria in the environment is always a matter that parents concern.
Enhance
resistance for children
For healthy children, you need to pay
attention to the strengthening of the immune system by
following healthy habits.
Let children eat more vegetables and fruits
Carrots, peas, oranges, strawberries contain
plant nutrients that help improve the operation of the immune system such as
vitamin C and carotene. These plant nutrients stimulate the body to produce
more white blood cells to fight the infection and interferon, an antibody was
produced when the body is attacked by virus in order to prevent virus
development.
Many research results show that a diet which
is rich in plant nutrients also protects against chronic diseases such as
cancer and heart disease in adulthood. Therefore, children should eat about
five servings of vegetables and fruit per day (each diet is two tablespoons for
a child who has just learned to walk and ¼ cup for an older child).
Sleep more
The results of studies in adults show that a
lack of sleep can make your body more susceptible due to the decline in the
immune system's ability to defend themselves before the attack of bacteria and
cancer cells, the amount of the cancer cells destroyed spontaneously reduced.
In the opinion of Doctor Kathi Kemper, Director of the Center for research and
educational children's health in Children's Hospital Boston, USA, the same
problem also occurs in the body of children.
Children need to be cared for carefully to
avoid the risk of losing sleep because all the activity may become more
difficult when children sleep naps during the day. How much do children need
sleep enough? Newborns should sleep about 18 hours a day, toddlers need about
12 to 13 hours. Preschool-age children need about 10 hours. If children do not
sleep during the day or a nap, you should have them go to bed earlier in the
evening.
Breastfeed children
Breast milk contains antibodies that help
strengthen the immune system and white blood cells. Caring for children by
breastfeeding is the prevention of many diseases for children, such as ear
infections, allergies, diarrhea, pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract
infections and sudden infant death syndrome.
Breastfeeding helps the brain of children be healthy
and protect children before the onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, Crohn
disease (a chronic inflammatory disease at the bowel), colitis and some common
forms of cancer.
Colostrum, the yellowish milk secreted during
the first days after birth is especially rich in antibodies which are capable
of preventing disease. As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric
Research, mothers should breast feeding within one year. If there are no
conditions, should try breastfeeding for at least the first two to three months
to strengthen the immune system that the child had been received in the womb.
Exercise regularly
Results of research done at the University of
Newfoundland, Canada shows that exercise increases the number of natural killer
cells (a major component of the immune system, which has functions to destroy
the tumor and the virus-infected cells in the body) in adults.
Regular
physical activity will also bring similar benefits to children.
Regular physical activity will also bring
similar benefits to children. Therefore, parents should try to practice the
habit of exercise for children by having children participate in training with
them.
According to Dr. Renee Stucky, a professor
assistant of physical therapy and rehabilitation of the Medical University of
Missouri, USA: "Exercising together will be good for the health of the
entire family than letting children go out and play on their own." The
most popular family operation is fun such as cycling, walking, skateboarding,
basketball and tennis.
Protect children from diseases
Defeating pathogenic bacteria is not seen as
strengthening the immune system activity, but this is a pretty good measure
helping to reduce stress on the immune system of children. You need to remind
children to wash hands frequently with soap, particularly pay attention to
hygiene before and after every meal, after the outdoor play, stroking a pet,
picking the nose, using the bathroom or just returning home from school…
When going out, you should bring tissues, wet
towel to clean the stain for children. To help children in the habit of washing
hands at home, let them choose the bright-colored handkerchief and the soap
with shapes, colors, scents that they love.
When children get sick, you should replace new
toothbrushes for them. They cannot have a cold or the flu twice in a row, but
the bacteria can spread between the toothbrush with each other and cause
disease in other family members. In the case that children have signs of
bacterial infection such as a sore throat, they can be re-infected with the
bacteria which made them sick before. Therefore, replace the toothbrush will
protect both your child and the rest of the family members.
Avoid tobacco smoke
"Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000
toxics and most of these toxics can irritate or kill the cells in the
body", said Beverly Kingsley, an epidemiologist working in the Office of
Research on tobacco and health at the Center for disease control and prevention
in Atlanta, the U.S.
Children are the objects who are easiest to be
affected by dangerous effects from the inhalation from tobacco smoke than
adults because their breathing is faster. Meanwhile, the filtration system of
natural toxics in the body of children has not yet completed. Breathing tobacco
smoke also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, bronchitis, ear
infections and asthma. Tobacco smoke can also affect the development of
intelligence and nervous system of children.
No antibiotic abuse
Urging doctors to prescribe antibiotics for
children when they have colds, flu or sore throat is not a good idea. Dr.
Howard Bauchner, a professor of pediatrics and public health at the University
of Medicine Boston, U.S., said: "Antibiotics only treat the diseases
caused by bacteria, but most common diseases in children to be caused by
virus".
However, many research results show that there
are many pediatrician forced to be reluctant to prescribe antibiotics at the
request of parents who always thought that antibiotics are harmless. The result
is the condition that bacteria familiar with the drug will occur and simple illnesses
such as ear infections will be more difficult to treat as the bacteria become
stubborn, do not respond to standard treatments.
So, if doctors treat children by prescribing
an antibiotic, you need ask whether they really need to use drugs.
