How do you build your child's immune system? - Page 2

I used to work at McDs. We used to have wet wipes if folks asked for them but we didn't offer. Then the wonderful penny pinching owner of the franchise decided that it wasn't a necessary expense so he cut it. He also cut mustard packets and pink sugar. And honey. @@ Each store was allowed to either order grape or strawberry jelly packets but not both. Napkins and coffee condiments were no longer allowed to be on the floor but customers had to ask for htem. Darn old timers would steal a packet or two if we didn't! @@ cheapskate. 

 

6 kids in my daughter's Pre K class came down with Mono. The only thing they shared was the drinking fountain. My girls no  longer drink from drinking fountains in school. 

 

My girls also get the flu mist in the fall. 

I'm in agreement with everyone: wash hands, drink water throughout the day, eat healthy foods: lots of fruit, veggies, whole grains and healthy fats and proteins, get plenty of sleep (I think this is a big one, I think so many children are chronically sleep deprived). Teach your kids to keep their fingers out of their nose and eyes and to sneeze and cough in their elbow.

 

I personally believe outside play is crucial to good health, fresh air and sunshine is so good for little (and big!) bodies. Kids should have outside time every day when possible. I send my kids out in the rain in jackets and boots and they dig in the mud puddles, swing, slide and run around, then put them in a hot bath. It's one of their favorite things.

 

I give my kids a multivitamin, but not every day. They usually have cheerios for breakfast and it's so enriched, I don't want to give them too many vitamins. We include foods like salmon and flax seed meal in our diet for the omega 3's.

 

I think our pets are good for our immune systems, my kids have lived with cats and a dog since birth.

 

I also agree about not being too clean. So many cleaners kill the good bacteria with the bad bacteria and our bodies need the good bacteria. I was very careful for the first year of my kids' lives, before they had the majority of their vax, I was mostly concerned about pertussis since it is still so common and it is a multi shot vax. My house is clean, but far from sterile. I limit my bleach usage mostly to the bathroom (ugh, little boys) and we avoid anything "antibacterial".  The best way to build a healthy immune system is by exposing it appropriately.

 

My dd has such a strong immune system from growing up with an older sibling, my ds was in preschool when she was born. I swear, he will bring a cold home and he'll get it worse than she does every time.  And the first couple years of school are just a constant runny nose, preschool teachers must have the most amazing immune systems. Especially once they go 5 days a week, it's pretty much impossible to avoid. I'm hoping it's less so for dd since she grew up with ds.

Intermittently moving tepid water doesn't do a darn thing. If there are germs on the spickot the germs are going to stay there.

This.

 

Preventing exposure to germs weakens your immune system.

Yes! I've had to learn the hard way that sterilizing things to much has actually hurt my childrens immune systems, I quit doing it about 6 months ago hoping the little one will be able to fight off things better than they have and that the older ones don't get so sick ALL the time. So I would say just what everyone else has said, eat right, plenty of sleep, wash hands but dont overworry about it because their going to get sick alot anyways

This is us too. My kids were almost never sick or missed school. I know people who border on OCD and clean obsessively who have kids sick all the time. Kids need to be exposed to the normal germs of life to build up their immunity. Otherwise just normal hand washing and not sharing saliva. That should do it. I didn't give my kids vitamins either. I just had very healthy kids.

I also am in the don't over steralize things your body needs to build up an immunity to germs if you have not been exposed to a lot of things you will most likely catch a lot of things because your body can't fight them off.

 

Google the myth busters episode about colds and germs you will see that no matter how much washing ect at school or in a group setting you will get germs on you. make sure your kids wash their hands is the biggest.
 

We are a supplementing and clean eating family. :)