We increase the child's immunity. What are immunostimulants? Prevention of upper respiratory tract diseases

People associate immunity with some mysterious system. Everyone regularly hears about it, but everyone knows how it works and how it can be improved only in general terms. Often at a doctor’s appointment you can hear the phrase that it is reduced, it urgently needs to be strengthened.

In which organ are the cells responsible for immunity located? What conditions and diseases lead to its decrease? How to boost the immunity of a frequently ill child? These questions worry all parents and people who care about the health of their loved ones.

How immunity is formed before birth

The simplest and most understandable representative of the body's defense system is blood cells, lymphocytes. They are responsible for the fight against many foreign microorganisms. An elementary example of their work can be seen in the case of a splinter getting into a finger. At the wound site there is swelling of nearby tissues, redness, and sometimes a local increase in temperature. These blood cells “fight” at the site of penetration of the splinter.

How is immunity formed in a child? Immediately after birth, it is “prefabricated”, that is, the baby inherited some of the cells against certain diseases from the mother (this is innate immunity). After a few months, he himself can become infected with the infection, gaining acquired immunity. These two types are united under the common name - natural protection.

Then, in the first days of life, the child receives active immunity with vaccinations, and the introduction of therapeutic serum helps to form passive protection. They are also united under a common name - artificial immunity.

Organs responsible for the production of protective cells:

spleen;
thymus gland;
bone marrow;
lymphoid tissue.

Why does immunity decrease?

Diseases that reduce immunity are one of the most dangerous categories of diseases. In such conditions, the human body loses the ability to defend itself. There are two main reasons for this:

congenital diseases;
acquired states.

Congenital diseases are caused by genetic factors: mutations and gene breakdowns, hereditary diseases. In this case, only drugs to increase immunity in children will help.

Acquired conditions depend on many circumstances:

long-term treatment with antibiotics;
radiation therapy;
frequent infectious diseases;
irregular and irrational diet with severe limitation of nutrients;
frequent stress, night work, lack of proper sleep and rest;
HIV infection;
local infectious processes (skin diseases).

In general, all factors that sharply reduce the protective capabilities of the human body.

How to test a child's immunity

You should not run around with your child to doctors’ offices unless absolutely necessary in order to determine the state of immunity - this will not give the desired result. After the end of another infectious disease, there is also no need to take additional tests for the presence of immune cells. Congenital and acquired problems with immunity are a very rare pathology that often manifests itself immediately after birth. In other cases, the baby’s immunity copes with its responsibilities.

If there are problems with immunity, immunologists take care of such children. The child is sent for a detailed blood test to determine the number of cells responsible for the body’s immune defense. In addition, the child needs to undergo an immunogram, which will show how ready the child’s body is to face infections.

When should a child be tested for immunity?

If the child belongs to the category of acute sickness (often ill for a long time). It is considered normal for preschool children attending kindergarten to get sick up to eight times a year.
Children with allergies are also subject to such examination.
It is recommended to examine children if there are hereditary diseases associated with immunosuppression in the family.
It wouldn’t hurt to get tested if children are susceptible to prolonged infections, when almost any mild viral disease always turns into a bacterial one with severe complications.
If a child was born from a mother or father with HIV infection.

In the case when a child gets sick 2-3 times a year, but the baby is mobile, active, eats well and regularly receives vitamins, there are no indications for such an analysis.

How to increase immunity in a child - general principles

All pediatricians like to repeat the familiar phrase: “sun, air and water are our best friends!” If you teach a child to such rules from childhood, there will be no need to additionally stimulate the body with the help of traditional medicine and some chemicals. The immune system of a newborn baby does not need to be strengthened. Breastfeeding, proper nutrition of the mother and the absence of hereditary serious diseases are the key to a healthy child. The baby gets everything he needs from mother’s milk, including vitamins and protection. In other cases, you will need to work on the body’s capabilities.

How can you help your child cope with illnesses? How to boost your child’s immunity at home? Let's take a closer look at the possible help.

Complete victory over diseases

After infections - viral or bacterial, the baby always needs help. How to strengthen a child’s immunity after illness? There is nothing unusual about this help.

This way you can help your child cope with any disease completely.

Traditional recipes to help children

How to boost a child’s immunity using folk remedies? Advertising, programs about health and recipes from friends are not always useful. In order to improve a child’s immunity using natural and folk recipes, many conditions must be met. And the most important thing is to do no harm. Such recommendations should only be given by a knowledgeable specialist.

Features of traditional treatment

Herbs to boost immunity in children can be used, but with caution. There is no need to prescribe them yourself or hope that a magic recipe suggested by friends will help your child. Each child is individual, and the reaction is sometimes unpredictable.

Medicines to help the body

Immunity is strengthened not only by folk remedies and hardening. A pronounced decrease in the body's defenses can be changed with the help of drugs. But here too you need to be careful. There is no need to interfere with the operation of these systems unless necessary.

During infectious diseases, vaccinations, tablets and suppositories are prescribed to increase immunity in children. Such protection is often unidirectional, that is, it works against certain infections.

Homeopathy can be used to improve a child’s immunity. These are complex drugs that are used at different periods of life. They contain animal and plant components in small dilutions. Registered drugs must be used. But even such seemingly harmless means cannot be used uncontrollably.

In case of a pronounced decrease in immunity (hereditary or acquired diseases), treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. Complex regimens are prescribed, affecting all body systems.

How to strengthen a child's immunity? This is long, focused work on the body. In this case, one tablet will not help. The principle of all means good in war will also not work. Improving a child’s defenses begins at birth.

Every parent knows that immunity is responsible for the body's susceptibility to diseases. It is very important for the child’s health, because... The growing body not only needs to fight harmful bacteria, but also spend energy on proper growth and development.

Also, disruptions in the immune system can be caused by stress, unfavorable living conditions, poor diet and lifestyle, as well as chronic diseases.

Nowadays, few people can boast of excellent health. Frequent colds among children in kindergartens and schools have long become the norm. Some say that the environment, weather conditions and the level of general quality of life, which has decreased significantly recently, are to blame for everything.

However, the current situation is not a reason to give up and let the health of the younger generation take its course. Rather, on the contrary, it should encourage parents to look for ways that will help increase the child’s immunity very quickly.

Folk remedies for improving immunity, which are available to everyone, can significantly affect the health of your beloved child. So, let's look at what needs to be done to ensure that your child is full of strength and enjoys life.

1 Proper nutrition
2 Products containing vitamins to boost immunity
3 Fruits and vegetables
4 Whole grain cereals
5 Honey
6 Onions and garlic
7 Foods fortified with vitamin D
8 Nuts
9 Recipes for delicious vitamin mixtures
10 Recipe 1: healthy vitamin mixture
11 Recipe 2: on apples
12 Recipe 3: dried fruit mixture
13 Freshly squeezed juices and their benefits
14 Multivitamin preparations
15 Dairy products to eliminate germs and restore intestinal microflora
16 Daily routine
17 Morning exercises
18 Walking and hardening
19 Rest and sleep
20 Recommended duration of sleep and wakefulness for children 1.5 months - 3 years
21 Hygiene and cleanliness in the home
22 Features of strengthening a child’s immunity after illness
- - 22.0.1 1. “Four Herbs.” To prepare, take St. John's wort, immortelle, chamomile and birch buds (in equal quantities), pour boiling water over them and leave in a thermos overnight. Use once a day 30 minutes before meals.
  - 22.0.2 2. “Walnut leaves.” Z st. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over spoons of leaves and leave overnight. Drink for 1 month
  - 22.0.3 3. “Monastery tea.” Take 1 tbsp per liter of water. spoon of rose hips and pieces of elecampane roots, boil for 20 minutes and leave for an hour. Then, in the same quantities, add St. John's wort and oregano, bring to a boil and leave for 2 hours.
  - 22.0.4 4. “Ivan tea, mint, chestnut flowers, lemon balm.” Mix the ingredients in equal quantities. For 2 tablespoons you need 0.5 liters of boiling water. Infuse and consume in small quantities throughout the day.
  - 22.0.5 5. “Lingonberry tea.” Ingredients: dried lingonberry leaves - 12g, sugar - 10g. Pour boiling water over lingonberry leaves and brew for 10 minutes. Add sugar and drink freshly brewed.
  - 22.0.6 6. “Tea from rowan.” Ingredients: dried raspberries - 5g, dried blackcurrant leaves - 2g, rowan - 30g. Pour boiling water for 7-10 minutes. Pour into a mug, diluting with boiling water.
23 Recipes for medicines made from honey, garlic, lemon
24 Propolis to restore immunity
25 Rosehip decoction is the most useful way to strengthen the immune system
26 How to prepare and use the decoction
27 Reviews

Proper nutrition

The easiest way to take care of your baby's health is to provide his diet with the most healthy foods that will provide the body with useful substances.

For full growth and development, you need to create a child’s diet, which will include the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

Products containing vitamins to boost immunity

The most common folk remedies that will help to very quickly increase your child’s immunity are foods containing large amounts of vitamins. These products should be included in the baby’s regular menu., but there are times when the usual diet is not enough (off-season, climate change, recent cold, etc.).

If the situation requires it, then you should increase the amount of these healthy products.

Fruits and vegetables

Everyone knows that they contain a high content of vitamins, fiber, minerals and phytonutrients. Among fruits, citrus fruits and apples, which are enriched with vitamin C (necessary for the prevention of colds), have the most beneficial effect on the immune system. And apples also help maintain healthy intestinal microflora and normalize the digestive process.

It is also recommended to eat: pomegranates, tomatoes, cranberries, red cabbage, grapefruits(have a beneficial effect not only on the immune system, but also on the heart), carrots and pumpkin (contain substances that convert into vitamin A), broccoli (has anti-inflammatory properties).

Whole grain porridge

Many people underestimate all the benefits of cereals. However, they are a good source of vitamins and microelements. Therefore, nutritionists recommend including porridge for breakfast in children's diets.

When cooked, almost all the beneficial substances of the porridge disappear.. It is recommended to pour boiling water over the cereal and let it sit overnight. To increase the content of vitamins in porridge, it is recommended to add berries or fruits (dried fruits) to it.

Honey

Our grandmothers also told us to drink tea with honey when we had a cold, because... it improves immunity very well and has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system. Honey is a very tasty delicacy. Therefore, you won’t have to spend a long time persuading your child to eat a spoonful of honey. It is best to choose bee honey.

In this case, it is better to abandon the bee and choose a less allergenic option. Also, honey should not be given to children under 2-3 years of age, because The risk of developing allergies at this age is highest.

Onions and garlic

It’s worth mentioning separately about these vegetables, because... they contain many phytoncides that fight harmful bacteria. Onions and garlic have long been the best folk remedy for quickly increasing immunity. You can give them to your child just like that, with bread or other food. But not all children like onions and garlic because of their bitter taste.

In this case, you can finely chop the onion and add it to the plate, and grate the crouton with garlic. Their volatile properties can also be used as protection. Cut the onion or garlic into a plate and place it not far from the crib or other place where the child is often found.

Vitamin D Fortified Foods

These include: sea fish, vegetable oils and dairy products. At the moment, there is a theory that the flu can be controlled with just vitamin D. It enters the body mainly through the skin with sunlight.

Nuts

Have a beneficial effect on the body. All nuts can be used as a product to boost immunity. It is also recommended to consume various herbal teas, dairy and fermented milk products, freshly squeezed juices, but we will talk about them later.

Recipes for delicious vitamin mixtures

Healthy products can be taken both with food and as a dietary supplement. If you do not have time to prepare a menu for your child for a long period in advance, then you can regularly give him a tasty folk remedy - vitamin mixtures. They can easily help boost your child’s immunity very quickly. Below are several such recipes.

Recipe 1: healthy vitamin mixture

To prepare a multivitamin mixture you will need: 1 lemon, 50 g of figs, and 100 g of raisins, dried apricots, honey and peanuts or walnuts. Before preparing, wash the lemon thoroughly under hot water. Grate its zest.

Then grind nuts, raisins, dried apricots, figs in a blender and combine them with zest. Squeeze lemon juice into the prepared mixture and add liquid honey. Leave the resulting composition in a dark container for 48 hours. Then give the child 1-2 teaspoons 3 times a day an hour before meals.

Recipe 2: on apples

To make medicine, take: 3 apples, 1 cup walnuts, 0.5 cups water and 0.5 kg each. cranberries and sugar. Then mash the berries and cut the apples into small cubes.

Mix all the ingredients, add water and bring to a boil over low heat. Cool the resulting mixture. You should take 1 teaspoon twice a day.

Recipe 3: dried fruit mixture

To prepare the dried fruit mixture you will need: 1 lemon and 250 g each of raisins, honey, walnuts, prunes and dried apricots.
With lemon we do the same as in the first recipe.

We sort out the dried fruits, wash them and dry them. Grind all ingredients, except honey, with a blender or twist in a meat grinder. Then fill it with honey and transfer it to a sterile jar. The child should be given 1 teaspoon every 30 minutes. before meals 3 times a day.

Freshly squeezed juices and their benefits

We know that vegetables and fruits are good for the body. But fresh juices are also useful, which are much better than packaged juices. They contain many biologically active substances that take part in the functioning of the entire body. But each juice affects the body differently, so you should understand all the types of juices that your child can and should drink.

Apricot. Has a beneficial effect on the liver and skin, improves vision;
Orange. Contains a large amount of vitamins C, B1, B5, B12. Recommended for colds and stress;
Birch. Tones, activates metabolism, improves the functioning of the digestive tract;
Grape. Recommended for children, rich in iron, tones;
Pomegranate. It is hematopoietic, improves immunity, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of almost all organs, contains many vitamins, mineral salts, sugars, fiber;
Grapefruit. Contains vitamin C, normalizes metabolism and blood pressure;
Pear. Prevents obesity;
Cabbage. Quickly absorbed, rich in chlorine, sulfur and iodine, improves the condition of hair, skin and nails;
Citric. A source of vitamin C and many other useful substances, improves the nervous and circulatory systems;
Carrot. Contains potassium, folic acid and carotenoids, which form vitamin A. This vitamin is responsible for the condition of the skin and mucous membranes;
Sea buckthorn. Contains vitamins - A, B1, B2, B3, C, E, microelements - boron, iron, manganese, plant antibiotics and organic acids;
Peach. Rich in potassium salts, which strengthen the heart muscles;
Beetroot. Contains calcium, sodium, chlorine. Improves the condition of the nervous system, kidneys, gall bladder and blood vessels. It is recommended to drink several hours after preparation;
Tomato. Rich in natural sugars, vitamin C, organic acids. Improves memory, heart function, metabolism, nervous system condition, has antioxidant properties;
Pumpkin. Improves blood circulation, intestinal and liver function. Clears toxins, fights colds and stress;
Blackcurrant juice. Increases immunity;
Rosehip juice. Improves metabolism, appetite, resistance to infections, increases endurance;
Apple. Rich in iron, potassium and boron.

After drinking the juice, ask your child to rinse his mouth with water to keep the enamel in good condition.

Multivitamin preparations

If the immune system is very weakened or you do not have the opportunity to provide your child with the necessary amount of vitamins that will be supplied through food, then you should turn to products sold in pharmacies.

If your baby does not have any special instructions from the doctor, then it is best to choose multivitamin preparations. They contain all the necessary vitamins and microelements that a child should receive daily.

When choosing vitamins for a child, you should take into account his age and other individual characteristics, because The daily intake of essential substances depends on this.

If you don't do this, then you have a chance of choosing the wrong dosage, which will lead to adverse effects. When choosing a vitamin complex for your baby, it is best to consult a pediatrician or at least a pharmacist at a pharmacy.

Dairy products to eliminate germs and restore intestinal microflora

The intestines play a vital role in the formation of immunity, because. This is where the largest number of cells of the immune system work.

A decrease in immunity occurs due to dysbiosis (reduction in the normal amount of prebiotics in the intestines). Prebiotics produce most of the vitamins and are also responsible for eliminating toxins and prevent the proliferation of harmful bacteria.

To maintain normal intestinal microflora, lactobacilli and prebiotics are needed. At the moment, there are quite a few “fortified” and “fortified” drinks in stores. But it’s better to use a proven method to boost your child’s immunity very quickly.

Since ancient times, any fermented milk product, including cottage cheese, from which fried flatbreads were made, was called cheese.

Research has proven that if your child consumes fermented milk products twice a day, the risk of developing ARVI and influenza is significantly reduced (this especially applies to children aged 3 to 7 years). In case of illness, children who regularly consume fermented milk products have less severe symptoms and the duration of the illness is significantly reduced.

Daily routine

In order for a child to grow healthy and active, he needs a proper daily routine, which should include exercise, walking, a meal and sleep schedule, as well as hygiene procedures.

Morning exercises

It is best to start the day with exercise, which helps to cheer up, tone muscles and blood vessels, which has a significant impact on mental activity.

Provided that the child regularly does morning exercises, his appetite improves., blood supply, brain function, the risk of diseases and rapid fatigue is reduced.

Walking and hardening

A good way to increase a child’s immunity very quickly is through folk remedies, such as fresh air and hardening. You need to start hardening your child from infancy. First of all, you should not repeat the mistake of many - overly wrapping up your child and keeping him in a hot and stuffy room.

Dress your child exclusively for the weather. Forget the old expression “heat doesn’t break the bones.” It has long been proven that overheating the body is worse than hypothermia. The same goes for the legs: the human foot is designed to walk on a cool surface. There are no vital organs in the feet that can be frostbitten, so a child’s slightly cool foot is the absolute norm.

Just like wrapping yourself up, hot baths are very harmful. The water for bathing a child should be 37 - 38°C. To harden a child, it is recommended to gradually reduce the temperature of the bathing water.

Take your baby for a walk, preferably twice a day. They are very important for the child’s health, because... in the house he breathes dust (even if you clean several times a day, it will still remain), stale air (especially during the heating season).

While at home, the child does not receive enough oxygen, which saturates every cell of the body, which can lead to illness. If you do not have the opportunity to take him outside, then ventilate the room as often as possible.

Rest and sleep

No folk remedies will help improve your child’s immunity if he does not get proper rest. Children, especially small ones, get tired very quickly, and sleep helps replenish wasted energy. A child under 7 years old needs daytime sleep.

If he does not receive it, then the nervous system is overloaded, which can have a detrimental effect on further development. In addition to resting the muscles and brain, during sleep the body is enriched with oxygen (at the moment of deep sleep, the lungs open and breathing becomes deep).

A few hours before bedtime, you need to play quiet games with your child (you can read books). This will allow him to calm down, which is necessary before bed. For proper rest of the body, night sleep should begin no later than 22.00. Before going to bed, be sure to ventilate the room in which the child sleeps. You can also go for a walk.

The daily routine of the junior (3-4 years) and middle (4-5 years) kindergarten groups provides 12-12.5 hours of sleep, of which 2 hours are for a one-time daytime nap. For children in the senior (5-6 years old) and preparatory (6-7 years old) groups, sleep is allocated 11.5 hours (10 hours at night and 1.5 hours during the day).

The duration of sleep in school-age children changes with age and is:

at 7-10 years old - 11-10 hours;
at 11-14 years old - 10-9 hours;
at 15-17 years old - 9-8 hours.

Hygiene and cleanliness at home

Children, especially under 3 years old, explore the world. They crawl everywhere and look into every corner. They can crawl on the floor, and within a second they can put their hands in their mouths. Therefore, to maintain the health of the child, it is important to keep the house clean. Set aside time every day for cleaning (this should include wet cleaning).

If you have a small child, then hold off on pets. You should also avoid a large number of soft toys and books in the room where the child is, because... they collect a lot of dust.

Child hygiene is no less important for full development. Children are very active, and therefore often get dirty and sweat. Therefore, it is necessary to wash your hands after playing and before eating, take a daily shower and, of course, observe the morning toilet. Do not allow children to eat dirty fruits and vegetables or pick up anything on the streets. This can lead to various diseases.

Features of strengthening a child’s immunity after illness

If your child has recently suffered from an illness, then you need to know how to increase your child’s immunity very quickly. Folk remedies will help restore strength and will not have a negative effect on the body. This can be done with the help of vitamin mixtures (recipes were described earlier) and various healthy teas, tinctures and decoctions.

Recipes for teas and tinctures to strengthen the immune system:

1. "Four Herbs". To prepare, take St. John's wort, immortelle, chamomile and birch buds (in equal quantities), pour boiling water over them and leave in a thermos overnight. Use once a day 30 minutes before meals.

2. "Walnut Leaves". Z st. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over spoons of leaves and leave overnight. Drink for 1 month

3. "Monastery tea". Take 1 tbsp per liter of water. spoon of rose hips and pieces of elecampane roots, boil for 20 minutes and leave for an hour. Then, in the same quantities, add St. John's wort and oregano, bring to a boil and leave for 2 hours.

4. "Ivan tea, mint, chestnut flowers, lemon balm". Mix the ingredients in equal quantities. For 2 tablespoons you need 0.5 liters of boiling water. Infuse and consume in small quantities throughout the day.

5. "Lingonberry tea". Ingredients: dried lingonberry leaves - 12g, sugar - 10g. Pour boiling water over lingonberry leaves and brew for 10 minutes. Add sugar and drink freshly brewed.

6. "Rowan berry tea". Ingredients: dried raspberries - 5g, dried blackcurrant leaves - 2g, rowan - 30g. Pour boiling water for 7-10 minutes. Pour into a mug, diluting with boiling water.

Recipes for medicines made from honey, garlic, lemon

Recipes from honey, garlic, lemon

Ingredients

Preparation

Recipe 1

garlic - 4 heads, bee honey - 300-400 g, lemon - 6 pcs.

Cut the lemon and remove all the seeds, peel the garlic. Then grind the lemon and garlic in a blender until the consistency of porridge.

Mix the resulting mixture with honey and leave to settle. After it has settled, drain the juice.

Pour it into a dark glass container and store it in the cold for 10 days.

Recipe 2

garlic - 3 heads, bee honey -1 kg, lemon -4 pcs., flaxseed oil - 1 cup.

Peel the lemons and garlic and chop them. Add honey and oil to the mixture.

It turns out to be a rather thick mass. Must be stored in the refrigerator.

Propolis to restore immunity

Propolis is one of the best antiviral and antimicrobial agents. It contains minerals that can activate and modulate the body's protective functions. Due to this, the immunity boost occurs within a few hours.
A good medicine is honey with propolis.

To make it, you need to take honey and pure propolis in a 4:1 ratio and melt it in a water bath. Then mix thoroughly.

Give your child ½ teaspoon. Propolis tincture can also be added to milk (1-2 drops). It is best to drink milk with propolis before bed.

Rosehip decoction is the most useful way to strengthen the immune system

It improves vision, strengthens hair and nails, restores metabolic processes in the liver, has a mild choleretic effect, and normalizes the digestive process.

A decoction of rose hips is a good folk remedy for boosting immunity. He can easily get the child back on his feet after an illness very quickly.

How to prepare and use the decoction

Take 4 tbsp. spoons of crushed rose hips, pour them into 1 liter. water and set to cook. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. After the drink is prepared, cool it and strain. To enhance the taste of the broth, it is permissible to add honey, sugar or raisins.

Rosehip decoction is allowed to be given to children from 6 months - 100 ml. per day. The norm for a child aged 1-3 years is 200 ml, and for children aged 3-7 years - 400 ml. Older children are allowed to increase the amount to 600 ml.

From the provided ways to strengthen the immune system, you can choose several that you like the most. Just remember that success depends on regularity.

How to boost a child’s immunity when he is constantly sick, and even the slightest hypothermia leads to a cold? There are a large number of techniques to increase the body's defenses. But first you need to understand why the child’s immune system suffers and what is the provoking factor.

In most cases, parents themselves contribute to the frequent illness of their children. The fact is that when even the slightest cold occurs, they begin to push antibiotics into their child. In this case, the body stops doing anything to protect itself, because its function in this case is performed by antibacterial drugs.

It is necessary not only to enable the immune system to independently cope with pathogens, but also to follow certain rules that help strengthen it.

Ways to strengthen immunity in children

Weak immunity in children occurs due to a number of factors. Very often it decreases after illness. At the same time, the child is susceptible to the slightest infection and is prone to complications even after a common cold; the disease can become chronic. In this case, parents think about what to do and what measures to take in order to increase the body's resistance.

A child’s immunity can be increased using a whole range of measures:

Course treatment with immunostimulants. For these purposes, it is not necessary to use drugs in tablet form; you can purchase regular interferon in powder form and dilute it, then instill it into the nasal passages. You can buy a ready-made solution. This method will help prevent relapse of the disease. However, it is not recommended to use these drugs constantly. 10 days is enough.
Vitamin therapy. To increase immunity in children, it is recommended to compensate for the lack of essential microelements. For this purpose, there are currently many vitamin complexes for children of different ages.
Hardening. A very important procedure is a contrast shower, which can boost immunity and increase the body's resistance to various viral and bacterial infections. But in this case you need not to overdo it and start small. First of all, you can pour only your legs and hands alternately with hot and cold water. Then after some time move on to the whole body. For children there is no need to make a large temperature run.
Regulation of the daily routine. It is important that the child spends time in the fresh air every day and sleeps at least 8-9 hours a day. The younger children are, the more time they need to sleep. You should not neglect walks even in cold weather. You can go out for 20 minutes and that will be enough.

Products to increase the body's defenses

Many parents will be interested in knowing which foods increase immunity in children, because vitamins and beneficial microelements should come primarily from food.

First you need to adjust your diet. No meal should be neglected. In this case, children's breakfast should begin with cereal products with milk. It can be various porridges: oatmeal, rolled oatmeal, millet or rice. If the child does not like this kind of food, then you can replace it with an omelet or boiled eggs. Cottage cheese with sour cream is also useful. Thus, it is important that the body receives enough protein for the normal functioning of the immune system.

The diet should always include first courses. It is recommended to consume fresh fruits and vegetables daily, which contain the vitamins the body needs.

Necessary products to boost immunity:

kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, sour cream;
mild cheese;
low-fat fish;
bananas, oranges, tangerines, persimmons, apples, feijoa, kiwi, etc.;
tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli;
garlic and onion.

You should also include healthy drinks that boost immunity in children: fruit drinks made from fresh berries, jelly and natural herbal teas.

Food should be varied and healthy. It is necessary to exclude chewing gum, chips and other substitutes. It is useful to consume olive oil by adding it to salads. Vitamin D, which boosts immunity, is also found in vegetable oil.

However, it should be remembered that fruits and vegetables should serve as a healthy afternoon snack or snack, but they cannot replace a full meal. It is better to completely abandon store-bought cutlets and exclude red meat from the child’s diet. Turkey, and especially chicken broth, will be healthier.

Folk remedies for immunity

How to boost a child’s immunity using folk remedies is a very relevant topic, because many mothers and fathers simply do not trust modern medicines and want to increase the resistance of their children’s bodies with natural recipes.

Rose hip decoction. This method can be used in almost all age categories. The fact is that this berry contains a large amount of vitamin C, even in dried form. Brewing rosehip and drinking it instead of tea will be an excellent aid for strengthening the child’s body during epidemics.
Quail eggs. This remedy is offered for use by many supporters of traditional methods of treatment. Quail eggs contain useful elements such as vitamins A, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Phosphorus. Two pieces a day are enough for a growing body to compensate for the lack of nutrients.
Natural sweets. For this purpose, you can make a tasty treat that can significantly improve immunity. To do this, you need to take in equal quantities: raisins, walnuts, almonds, dates and dried apricots. If desired, you can add prunes. Next, grind all the ingredients in a blender and mix together, making small candies from them. A healthy treat can not only strengthen the body, but also regulate intestinal function.
A decoction of mint, lemon balm, chamomile and fireweed. Such herbs contain a whole range of useful substances that strengthen the body's defenses and can help recover from an illness. All ingredients can be used individually or combined. You don’t have to make a steep decoction; you can just brew them like regular tea.
Healing potion. In order to prepare this useful product, you need to take fresh cranberries and beat them together with sugar in a blender. The child should be given the prepared composition 2 times a day. If there is no allergy, then you can take it more often.

Strengthening the child’s body with folk remedies is an auxiliary technique, which in most cases gives positive dynamics: the number of relapses decreases, resistance increases during epidemics. The main thing is to observe moderation and not overdo it, so that children do not develop disgust. To do this, it is recommended to alternate recipes based on the child’s taste preferences.

For most parents, the question of how to strengthen the child’s immune system comes first - children often suffer from colds and viral diseases. Doctors recommend paying more attention to preventing diseases and increasing immunity in children under 5 years of age. It is during this period that viral and bacterial infections can cause complications. If a child is often sick, then the most important part in protecting the growing body will be taken by means of increasing immunity in children.

When choosing suitable methods for restoring and strengthening children's immunity, preference should be given to safe and effective options. In this regard, many parents will be interested in learning how to boost their child’s immunity using folk remedies. Alternative medicine recipes are based on the use of natural ingredients, which, when dosed correctly, are not capable of harming even newborn babies.

Reasons for reducing your own immune defense

It is advisable to boost immunity from a very early age. In children aged 1 to 3 years, the immune system response is unstable and often weak. The strength of the immune response depends on the condition of the body. As a rule, infants under one year of age do not have an acquired (adaptive) immune response, which is based on the activity of receptors designed to recognize foreign stimuli.

Acquired immunity develops throughout life.

From birth to one year of age it is in its infancy. There are factors that inhibit the normal development of the immune system in children under three years of age and increase susceptibility to colds of viral and bacterial etiology. Among them:

congenital pathologies of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract;
weakening of the local immune response, which leads to the formation of local foci of chronic infection in the nasopharynx and oral cavity;
manifestations of allergies;
dysbacteriosis;
intoxication and hypoxia during gestation.

It is worth mentioning separately other reasons that contribute to increased morbidity in children of the younger age group:

contact with a large number of people while visiting a kindergarten, primary school, public places (shops, public transport, playrooms, children's entertainment centers);
unsatisfactory environmental situation;
deficiency in the body of vitamins, microelements, and other useful substances;
complications caused by infectious diseases in early childhood;
unreasonable use of antibiotics and other medications;
stress, excessive psychological stress;
failure to comply with hygiene and sanitation standards in residential premises.

When looking for an answer to the question of how to strengthen a child’s immunity with folk remedies, it is better to first consult with a pediatrician. Traditional healers have many effective recipes aimed at increasing the immunity of a frequently ill child, but when prescribing them, possible contraindications must be taken into account.

Traditional ways to increase the child’s body’s resistance to infections

The first steps in how to increase the immunity of a child who is already 3-4 years old are aimed at eliminating the causes of a decrease in the body’s natural defense against infections. A proper daily routine and good nutrition play a big role. The therapy program includes:

complex vitamin preparations. During and after illness, the consumption of vitamins and mineral elements increases, which is difficult to compensate by eating regular food;
biostimulating additives prepared on the basis of natural ingredients (adaptogens). Adaptogens actively prevent the development of the disease or contribute to its mild course. These are tinctures, decoctions, extracts from ginseng root, lemongrass (Chinese and Far Eastern), eleutherococcus, echinacea, propolis. Pharmacy analogues - “Immunal”, “Immunorm”, “Immunex” (echinacea), “Apilikvirit” (bee jelly, licorice), “Politabs” (fermented pollen), “Cernilton” (extract obtained from dry pollen), “Fitovit "(medicinal plant extracts), "Likol" (Chinese lemongrass oil);
pharmaceutical drugs with immunomodulatory effects. Medicines “IRS-19”, “Ribomunil”, “Bronchomunal” are prescribed from an early age - with their help you can increase the immunity of even an infant. These medications contain fragments of bacteria that are harmless to the baby, which are most often the causative agents of infectious diseases occurring in the throat, nasopharynx and bronchi. The drugs act according to the vaccine method. Once in the body of a small patient, they force the immune system to independently adapt to pathogens, respond to their penetration and produce antibodies that localize the activity of pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Parents who are thinking about how to increase the immunity of a 3-4 year old child should be aware that treatment with adaptogens and immunomodulators requires a systematic approach. To achieve the desired result, such medications are taken continuously for a long time. After a course of therapy, immunity is formed, which will protect the body from infections for a certain time (individual indicator).

After a 2-3 month break, revaccination is usually prescribed. The dosage, duration of administration and timing of the repeated course are determined by a pediatrician.

To boost immunity, children prone to allergies should be prescribed medications containing honey and bee products with caution. If there have been cases of allergies to such substances in the past, honey-based medicines should be abandoned.

Other ways to improve your child's health

When considering how to increase the immunity of a child aged 2 years and younger, you should pay attention to hardening, which will help maintain the body’s own defense at the proper level. It is recommended to start hardening a child from a very early age - from 1.5-2 months. For these purposes, hardening procedures are regularly performed:

walking with bare feet. The child should be allowed to walk barefoot on the floor, gradually increasing the duration of the session. In summer, it is better to replace walking on the floor with walking barefoot on the grass. After this, the baby is put on dry shoes and forced to move actively to improve blood circulation;
pouring feet The procedure is usually carried out in the evening before bedtime. The water temperature during the first session is 20°C. Duration of dousing is 30 seconds. Every 3-4 sessions the temperature decreases by 1°C. If a small patient quickly adapts to the douche and the procedure does not cause him discomfort, you can gradually increase the time of exposure to cool water to 2 minutes;
foot baths. Place your baby in a bathtub filled with cool water. During the session, he must step from one leg to the other;
contrasting foot baths are an effective hardening method that will be useful for parents who want to learn how to increase their child’s immunity using folk remedies. Two baths are prepared for the procedure. In one of them the water is heated to 37°C, in the other the water temperature is 20°C. Alternately lower the child's legs first into one bath, then into the other. After four immersions in water with different temperatures, the child’s feet are wiped dry and warm socks are put on. Gradually, the temperature of cool water drops to 15°C, and the temperature of warm water rises to 42°C;
preventive gargling. Gargling with cool water at a temperature of 22°C has a strengthening effect. The procedure is performed in the morning and evening while washing. After every week of daily sessions, the temperature of the rinse water is reduced by 1°C;
frequent walks in the fresh air. Starting from the second week of life, you need to walk with the baby every day for 30-40 minutes. In summer, it is recommended to go for a walk several times a day.

Parents who are interested in how to restore their child’s immunity at home should pay attention to acupressure. Regular massaging of certain points on the child’s face and body leads to increased production of substances that increase their own immunity. These are interferon (a protein that is secreted by the body in response to the introduction of a virus), lysozyme (an antibacterial agent), complement (a set of immune system proteins responsible for the immune response). Active points are located:

in the middle of the chest at the level of the fifth rib;
in the jugular cavity;
at the base of the bridge of the nose;
in front of the anterior edge of the auricle cartilage;
slightly above the base of the nasolabial fold at the wing of the nose;
on the back of the hand between the index finger and thumb.

To restore the body’s immune system, you need to massage the active points daily for 10-14 days, as well as at the first signs of a cold, after the child has come into contact with an ARVI patient. The procedure is performed with light pressing circular movements of the thumb, index or middle finger. Rotation is performed first clockwise and then in the opposite direction. Exposure time is 4-5 seconds in both directions.

Medicinal mixtures and mixtures to strengthen the immune system

Folk remedies for immunity for children include decoctions and infusions prepared from medicinal plants. Recipes for drugs that support your own immune defense at a high level:

herbal collection Mix dried herbs - licorice root and elecampane (one part each), elderberry (2 parts), raspberry leaves (4 parts). A teaspoon of raw material is poured with water (150 ml), brought to a boil and simmered over low heat for one minute, then filtered. The prepared decoction should be given to the child 2-3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is one month;
herbal collection 4 tablespoons of a dry mixture of herbs (2 parts each of oregano and coltsfoot, 1 part calamus, 4 parts each of viburnum and raspberry leaves) pour 0.5 liters of boiled water, leave for 5-10 minutes, filter, let the child drink for 2-3 doses. Duration of treatment – one month;
decoction of rose hips. 2 tablespoons of dried berries are poured into 0.5 liters of water, brought to a boil and cooked for 5-7 minutes;
vitamin mixture. Walnuts, raisins, dates (1 cup each), almonds (0.5 cups), two lemons, fresh aloe leaves in an amount of 100 g are passed through a meat grinder. Add 400-500 ml of honey to the mass, mix thoroughly, leave in the refrigerator for three days. Give the baby 1 dessert spoon twice a day;
vitamin mixture. 1 lemon and 0.5 kg of cranberries are passed through a meat grinder. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Give the baby 1 tablespoon twice a day along with warm tea (preferably herbal tea - fennel, chamomile, mint, raspberry leaves, linden flowers).

To strengthen the immune system, it is useful to introduce juices and compotes made from cranberries, black currants, viburnum, and raspberries to the little patient’s menu. The daily diet must include fermented milk products (cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, yogurt, kefir), fresh, boiled and steamed vegetables and fruits.

Good afternoon, dear reader! Every mother worries about the health of her child and tries to ensure that he gets sick as little as possible.

But, for some reason, this is sometimes done in strange ways: they dress the child like Mimosa from an old children’s book, putting everything they can on him in inclement weather, and at home wrapping him in thirty blankets. This type of care often leads to the opposite result, and children raised in greenhouse conditions are more susceptible to infections and colds than others. How to boost a child’s immunity and make him immune to diseases?

If a child is often sick, it means that his body’s resistance is very weakened, and a number of measures need to be taken to correct the situation, or better yet, to do this from the very birth of the child.

Much depends on external factors, these are stressful situations, home conditions that, to put it mildly, do not correspond to the norm, poor nutrition, lack of vitamins and various chronic diseases.

And raising the immunity of children from the so-called social environment is sometimes a troublesome matter and few people care about it. And the worst thing is that the parents themselves are of little concern.

The peculiarity of children's immunity is to stimulate it, and there are many ways to do this:

hardening of children from an early age;
balanced and proper nutrition;
use of immunostimulating agents and vitamins during off-season periods;

If you give children proper attention and look after them with love and care, there will be no problem of immune deficiency. I know many with whom children go hand in hand almost from birth, and actively participate in hikes, travel, and sports.

Looking at their parents and taking their example, the child gets used to the concepts of a healthy life and active pastime, is not afraid of difficulties and is strengthened from an early age.

What determines the strength of a child’s immune system?

While still in the womb, the child accumulates the necessary supply of immunoglobulins.

But after birth, this reserve runs out at about six months, and this is where children begin to get sick, especially those who are bottle-fed. Infants who are fed by their mother with her milk are in a safer position.

Nature provides one pattern that allows a newborn baby to cope with infections thanks to immunoglobulins, which enter the fragile body with breast milk.

This is precisely the most important stage, and it is very good when breastfeeding the baby continues until 7-8 months of age and longer.

Self-produced immunoglobulins begin to appear only after six years. At this time, it is important to support the child with a set of measures to increase the body’s resistance, since independent fight against “enemies” in the form of viruses and pathogens is not always successful.

Only by the age of six is his immune system fully formed. This period is associated with the strongest attack of infections in a children's institution, a school, where there is a large crowd of people, and therefore a large concentration of germs.

Many mothers, when getting their children ready for school, try to put alcohol wipes or a piece of soap, and this is correct, since it is precisely when they enter the walls of the school that your child is literally engulfed from all sides by attacking infections.

A child who is often ill and does not receive timely support and assistance very quickly weakens, acquires many chronic diseases, and grows up weak, frail, and incapable of an active lifestyle.

How to boost your child’s immunity using effective methods

You've probably noticed more than once that children react differently to hypothermia.

After running through the melting snow all day and getting their feet wet, one comes home and instantly falls ill, while the other doesn’t even sneeze. Why is this happening? Apparently the second has higher nonspecific immunity than the first.

Routine vaccination before the age of six also works on a young person’s ability to resist influenza, ARVI, bronchitis, sore throat and other forms of disease. This specific form produces a special type of immunity.

In general, vaccinations greatly help to cope with measles, chickenpox, diphtheria, and forms of hepatitis. But vaccination is powerless to increase nonspecific, that is, natural immunity. A child who has a full package of vaccinations may catch colds more often than one who does not have them.

The riddle is easily solved; diseases in the form of tracheitis, otitis and tonsillitis begin from exposure to microorganisms infected with viruses, and there are no vaccinations against them. The protective properties of the child’s body in this case depend on other factors.

Living conditions. How to increase children's resistance to disease if there is no food in the house due to lack of funds. Poor living conditions and frequent moving from place to place undermine children's health like nothing else.
A negative emotional atmosphere in a family, kindergarten or school institution directly undermines the immune system. Drinking by parents, a feeling of inferiority in the team, humiliation and lack of love, all these negative factors destroy not only the soul, but also the body of a young being.
The quality of a healthy diet is primarily in the set of vitamins and minerals. In the absence of immunity in children, the increased risk of disease is much higher, and nutrition plays an important role here.
Congenital diseases and mass infections. Example: dysbacteriosis, pyelonephritis and other intestinal diseases within the walls of a kindergarten.

Parents should pay special attention and start taking appropriate measures if their baby gets colds more than 5-6 times during the year. Especially if there are complications in the form of pneumonia, sore throat, and treatment is difficult.

What increases a child's immunity?

There are many ways to improve your child's health at home. All of them are well known and quite easy to do, you just need to follow them and not be lazy.

Hardening method

You can start hardening from the age of 3, and if the child is in good health, even earlier, from the first year of life. Hardening is carried out in the form of daily rubbing of the body with cool water using a soft sponge. The decrease in water temperature should be gradual, starting from 36 degrees.

When the baby grows up to 3 years old, hardening can be turned into a game, in the form of morning exercises for 10 minutes in a cool room or room. Then rubbing with water no more than 25 degrees, followed by thoroughly wiping the body dry and putting on warm clothes.

Proper nutrition

A - there is a lot of it in vegetables, such as carrots, cabbage, and all kinds of greens. Liver and sea fish, yolk and butter, as well as milk contain a lot of vitamin A.
B is a whole range of vitamins found in legumes, tomatoes, beets, cheese and curd products, many grains, beef and egg yolks.
C is the citrus group, rose hips, black currants and sauerkraut.
D - available in large quantities in fish, fish oil and whole cow's milk.
E - vegetable oil, whole grain bread, Brussels sprouts, lettuce and spinach are worth mentioning here.
Microelement composition: copper, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc are also necessary for both children and adults. They effectively help the sick person cope with the disease, and the healthy person become even stronger.
Iodine is an essential substance that enters the body when eating seafood, fish, onions, mushrooms, radishes and green peas.

The more a child eats foods containing natural nutrients, the better for improving health. Fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, berries and dried fruits work especially effectively in this sense.

Multivitamin preparations

It is known that for the full development of internal systems and organs, a growing person requires much more vitamin-containing products and mineral compounds than an adult. If unfavorable conditions arise, the child gets sick much faster and vitamin deficiency appears more often, and this can cause a fairly persistent immunodeficiency.

Multivitamins will be useful for a child, especially during periods of unfavorable natural conditions, in autumn, winter and spring. You should discuss the selection of the correct composition with your pediatrician and buy age-specific multivitamins at the pharmacy.

Medicines

Among the immunomodulators that can increase the active functioning of the immune system, many pharmaceutical drugs are known. Among the particularly popular ones are:

interferon,
anaferon,
echinacea,
Viferon,
broncho-munal and others.

Experts often prescribe them at the first signs of illness; they stimulate the body to produce interferon on its own, thereby guaranteeing recovery.

Folk remedies

We raise immunity with folk remedies, which for many centuries have saved children and adults from infections and other ailments.

To strengthen the immune system, it is very good to take decoctions of rose hips with lemon and honey. The proportions can be taken arbitrarily, but there is no need to make the mixture too strong for children.
Teas made from beneficial herbs and herbal mixtures from linden blossom, chamomile, coltsfoot are very effective and useful at an early age.
A medicinal mixture of dried fruits and honey is a real panacea for diseases.
Milk and dry berries of raspberries, currants, rowan can quickly and very effectively raise your baby to his feet.

The most dangerous periods of a child's life

The first 28 days of life. This period is considered difficult for a baby who has just been born. It adapts to a new living environment and, of course, to pathogenic microbes and viral infections.
The second period, most susceptible to infectious attacks, is considered to be 3-6 months of life. Maternal antibodies are almost destroyed, and your own immunity has not yet formed.
Remember, if a child under one year of age has not received the required portion of maternal protective antibodies, if the mother was ill during pregnancy and feeding the baby, or did not feed milk at all, he is seriously and atypically ill with infections in the form of whooping cough, measles or chickenpox. In this case, it is very important to get vaccinated on time and correctly.
The third dangerous age is considered to be 2-3 years. Contact with the outside world occurs especially intensively due to the baby’s admission to a child care institution. Immunity is not formed and sensitivity to diseases is very high.
At the age of 6-7 years, it is dangerous for allergic diseases, since immunoglobulins are at their maximum value. This is where chronic illnesses often begin to form.
Adolescence is a time of hormonal changes. Girls are 12-13 years old, boys are 14-15 years old. During this period, its own immune system has already formed, but failures may be due to chronic forms acquired earlier or due to a hormonal background. During this period, support your child with protective medicines or traditional methods. Garlic will perfectly protect it from viruses; just cut it and place it on a plate in the child’s room.

Bottom line

We have already found out why immunity in children decreases; all that remains is to understand and remember the main idea that the health of your child is in your hands and you should not neglect important tips and recommendations.

From a strong healthy baby, a healthy and strong person will grow up, capable of asserting himself and living a life full of strong passions and emotions, and, conversely, a weak organism will not receive life’s pleasure and enjoyment. So take care of your child, strengthen him, lead a healthy lifestyle and be an example for him in everything!

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 understand 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 opinions 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.

What is immunity?

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 the next time it quickly identifies and takes urgent action.

This ability can be clearly demonstrated in the familiar chickenpox. The virus that causes it practically does not mutate, therefore, after a person has had chickenpox, his immune system knows the causative agent of the disease well and stops any of its attempts to cause the disease again. A person usually gets chickenpox only once in his life. But influenza and ARVI 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 the 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’s sleep is disturbed, he often complains of fatigue, headaches, has poor appetite, depressed mood, and increased moodiness. A fairly characteristic sign is 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 diagnosis 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 not a complete list, but it is a common one. 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 the winter season, 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 children. 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

Many questions are raised about home preparation of the product and its dosage regimen.

To prepare homemade tincture you need to take 50 grams. chopped herbs and 100 ml of boiled water. Mix everything and keep in a steam bath for 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.

An accessible indoor plant is 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 lifestyle

A child with a weakened immune system should get more rest; make sure that the baby gets enough sleep; if necessary, after consulting a doctor, use mild 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 defense 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. Alternate between rest and active games; you should definitely 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 that's the only way.

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 more than once very negative reviews about 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

One child gets sick once a year, and the other practically never leaves the doctors. Moreover, they both live in the same conditions, in the same climate, and attend the same kindergarten. It's all about immunity, which is stronger in some children and weaker in others. In this article we will talk about How can you boost the immunity of frequently ill children using folk remedies?, as well as how to support immunity in a child, who is more rare.

What is immunity

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.

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 the next time it quickly identifies and takes urgent action.

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

Factors

The mechanisms and factors of immune defense are different. Nonspecific factors perceive and resist any type of pathogenic organisms. Specific ones are especially effective only against specific pathogens. It is these factors that shape the immune system’s ability to remember enemies by sight.

In addition, factors can be constant or unstable. The skin and mucous membranes, microflora, inflammation processes, body temperature and basic metabolism are constantly protected by nonspecific immunity. Non-permanent factors come into force after the “intruder” penetrates the body - inflammation appears, the production of the interferon protein is activated, immune cells - phagocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages, etc. - are activated.

How to calculate that your immune system is weak

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.

Immunodeficiency can be different. The mildest form is when the child is weakened after an illness. It is temporary, and the baby’s condition will recover fairly quickly. The most severe pathology is HIV infection, when the child’s immune system requires constant drug support.

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 antivirals - immunostimulants and immunomodulators.
A big journey, during which the child changed time zone and climate.
Severe stress.
High physical activity.

In the next video, the famous children's doctor Dr. Komarovsky will tell you everything about children's immunity and give useful tips on how to strengthen a child's immunity.

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 the winter season, 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 children. 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.

The following products and traditional medicine are of particular value for increasing a child’s immunity.

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.

Echinacea

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. With pharmaceutical preparations with echinacea, everything is more or less clear, since all dosages are indicated in the instructions for use. Many questions arise about home preparation of products and their dosage regimen.

Aloe juice

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.

Rose hip

Berries and leaves are widely used in 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. 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

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. 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

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

If the doctor says that your baby has a weak immune system, it’s time to think about strengthening procedures, such as hardening. They must be systematic and constant, become an integral part of life, then there will be a lasting and noticeable effect - the child will begin to get sick less and less often.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

The famous children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky cites the behavior of the child's parents as the main reason for the decrease in children's immunity. Overly caring mothers and fathers create almost sterile living conditions for their beloved baby: they try to protect them from drafts, close the windows, do not allow them to pet a cat outside, and feed them hypoallergenic and pasteurized food that has undergone several degrees of purification. The immune system cannot be strong and healthy if it does not have contact with pathogens. Only with such “communication” and confrontation does the defense become stronger.

Thus, parents who are concerned about increasing their child’s immunity need to think carefully about their own approach to parenting and their own lifestyle.

As for immunodeficiency, Komarovsky considers it criminal to give such a diagnosis to every second child in the country. In fact, in clinics they talk about weak immunity if a child takes more than 6 or more times a year. Evgeny Komarovsky assures that this is a wrong approach, because doctors consider all infections - both viral and bacterial.

According to Evgeniy Olegovich, frequent illnesses from influenza or ARVI cannot be considered a sign of a deficiency of protection. We can talk about pathology if a child suffers from bacterial infections just as often, he has otitis media more than 8 times a year, and pneumonia more than twice a year. Fortunately, he emphasizes, such children do not occur very often - one case per 30 thousand children).

Evgeniy Komarovsky categorically warns parents against using medications that contain the words “immunostimulant” or “immunomodulator” in their names. Their effectiveness in clinical conditions has not been proven, but there is a certain relationship between taking such drugs and immune “laziness”, when one’s own defense mechanism gets used to the fact that the pill decides and does everything for it, and simply stops coping with its responsibilities and begins to be “lazy.”

According to Komarovsky, it is possible to increase the immune abilities of a child’s body only by qualitatively changing the lifestyle of the entire family, and first of all, the child himself. Without this important condition, no folk remedies or “miracle” medicines (if they are invented!) will be able to make the child stronger, more resistant to disease, stronger and healthier.

From birth, the house where the child lives must have the “correct” microclimate: air temperature - about 19 degrees, air humidity - 50-70%. And that's the only way.
Temper your baby from the very beginning of his life, go for walks, ventilate the children's room, do not wrap up the baby.
Do not give folk remedies that contain allergenic components to boost immunity. If you are unsure whether there will be a reaction, give the initial dose that is 3-5 times less than prescribed. If no negative manifestations appear within 24 hours, the drug can be given.

A video release by the famous doctor and TV presenter Elena Malysheva about children's immunity can be viewed below.