As parents, Mom and Dad have a very big role in keeping your little one from getting sick. One way to prevent disease in children is to apply and model a healthy lifestyle.
A child's immature immune system makes them more susceptible to illness. Therefore, Mom and Dad must always give your little one the right "ammunition" so that his immune system can develop well and be strong against disease. Not only that, Mom and Dad also need to create a healthy environment for him.
Tips for Preventing Disease in Children
Preventing disease in your little one must be done from the inside and outside, namely by ensuring a strong immune system and avoiding sources of disease that may exist in the surrounding environment. The following are some healthy lifestyles that Mom and Dad can apply to their little ones:
1. Meet the nutritional needs of children
To form a good immune system, your little one needs energy and good nutrition too. Nutrient content in food, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals, is needed to build components of a good immune system.
These nutrients can be obtained by your little one from a variety of healthy and nutritionally balanced food menus that Mom and Dad give him. Make sure your little one gets food sources of protein, such as fish and eggs, every day. Also make sure he eats vegetables, fruit, and milk.
If necessary, you can give your little one milk with prebiotics, such as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), as well as omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) and omega-6.
The content of this formula plays a role in the formation of immune cells and is proven to reduce the risk of children getting infections, especially infections of the respiratory tract and digestive tract.
In addition, do not forget to limit foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat, or fast food. Foods like these can increase inflammation and lower the immune system.
2. Teach children a clean lifestyle
A clean body can prevent children from disease. However, teaching a clean lifestyle to children takes time and patience. Mom and Dad can start from simple things, such as teaching and getting used to washing hands properly before and after eating.
Teach them how to brush their teeth and take a shower the right way. This can be done in a fun way, such as brushing your teeth with a catchy song guide.
3. Keep the house clean
A dirty house can be a place for viruses, bacteria, and germs to breed. So, to prevent disease in children, the cleanliness of the house must be maintained. Clean every room to its corners regularly, especially the little one's bedroom and the room he often uses to play.
Strive for the room in the house to have good air ventilation and get enough sun exposure. Not only that, also try to keep the house free from cigarette smoke.
4. Monitor your child's bedtime
During sleep, the body produces components of the immune system that are useful for fighting infection and inflammation. Therefore, children need to get enough sleep. Here are the ideal bedtimes for children according to their age:
- 0–3 months: 14–17 hours per day
- 4–11 months: 12–15 hours per day
- Ages 1–2 years: 11–14 hours per day
- Ages 3–5 years: 10–13 hours per day
5. Invite children to exercise
Exercising regularly is very useful for strengthening your little one's immune system, so he doesn't get sick easily. Invite your little one every mom or dad to exercise, so he can pay attention to what mom and dad are doing. Slowly, invite your little one to join in the exercise.
Maybe Mom and Dad can start with a leisurely walk in the morning. After that, invite your little one to exercise together. If necessary, enroll him in a sports course that interests him.
The Importance of Boosting Children's Immune System
The immune system functions to fight germs that enter the body and prevent them from coming back. If the child's immune system is strong, he will not be susceptible to disease. On the other hand, if a child's immune system is weak, he will get sick more easily and will take longer to recover from illness.
Getting sick is definitely an unpleasant experience for children. Not only that, children who are often sick can experience developmental disorders, which will then make it easier for them to get sick.
Children who get sick easily will also miss school more often, so their academic achievement can be disrupted.
Parents' efforts to prevent disease in children can be started by strengthening the child's immune system and creating a healthy environment for children. Both can be achieved by implementing a healthy and clean lifestyle. In addition, Mother and Father also need to complete the immunization of the Little One according to the schedule.
Preventing disease in children also includes efforts to prevent a disease from getting worse and causing complications or other diseases that are more dangerous. For that, Mom and Dad need to check your little one to the doctor if he is sick, so that he can be given the right treatment.
