Index
The concern of a mother or father who sees their sick baby is often enormous. Especially when it is the first time that we have witnessed a disease of our child, we get desperate and do not know what to do.
However, some diseases are very common and have to do with immunity in babies , since their immune system is not yet strongest because it is still developing.
Knowing that this is something normal and that it will end up happening sooner or later with all babies, the parents end up calming down, but still there are many doubts about this subject.
After all, how does immunity work in babies? What can I do to prevent certain diseases? What is the best way to treat my baby? With so many questions in mind, it is necessary that everything be answered in the most didactic way possible and that is why we are going to talk more deeply on the subject.
The Immune System of Babies
As we have said before, babies’ immune systems are very fragile, as they are still in the formation phase. It is interesting to understand that babies are born with some types of immunities and others are acquired throughout life.
Vaccines, for example, are a form of acquired immunity and are of great help for the baby’s immune system to mature. The fact that immunity in babies is fragile makes them end up getting sicker and the process of curing these diseases often also causes the immune system to mature gradually.
This does not mean that your baby must be sick for the immune system to work, only that certain diseases are part of everyone’s life and end up generating these results.
The immune system is not just one thing, much less a simple thing. There are several components of immunity and many of them do not accompany us with birth, or accompany us in a poorly developed phase. These components are maturing over time and also through the processes we mention here.
From what age does it improve?
Much of a baby’s immunity is complete by the age of one. But that is exactly what we said, just a part. As immunity is something complex and full of layers, there are several other parts that will only be completely complete when they are close to adolescence.
At each stage of childhood, all of these types of immunity tend to change and develop. The stomach and its bacteria are a great example of this, since many times when we are children we are unable to eat certain foods and when adults we eat them without any problem.
Most Common Diseases in Babies
We have already said here that diseases are part of the lives of all of us, especially babies. That is why we have separated a list of the diseases that are most common in small children. Of course, there are many other diseases that are common in babies, but we decided to separate those that appear exactly because of the fragility of the immune system and the low immunity in babies. They are:
We will talk about each one individually so that you have a greater perspective on how they act and how best to treat your baby.
Gripe
Perhaps it is the most common disease not only for babies, but for everyone. The flu virus always mutates and that is why it can attack us several times throughout our lives. The flu is treated with rest, plenty of fluids and, depending on the case if there is a fever, some remedies that can relieve the symptoms. Flu is a disease that can become dangerous if not treated properly.
Virosis
Virosis is a very broad term . It can mean a cold, diarrhea in the baby, or any “milder” illness caused by a virus. Runny nose, fever, vomiting and cough are some of the main symptoms of this disease.
Treatment also requires rest and fluid intake, in addition to the possibility of medications depending on the symptoms. Viruses usually do not offer many dangers.
Otitis
With the baby feverish and easily irritable, many mothers may end up confusing otitis (ear infection) with some virus. Because it causes very acute pain , the baby may cry much more than normal, which causes concern in the parents. The treatment of the disease is based on antibiotics and in a few weeks the baby is completely cured.
How to Increase Baby Immunity?
Now that we have talked about how immunity works in babies and the most common diseases caused by this fragility, we can talk about how to increase the baby’s immunity so that these diseases are prevented.
It is worth remembering that this is not a guarantee of getting rid of diseases , but it certainly helps in the development of a baby’s immune system. Some of the things that help to boost immunity in the baby are:
- Food
- Physical activities
- Hygiene
- Vaccine
- General care
Each of these points has its specificities and that is why we are going to talk about each one individually.
Food
Having all the necessary nutrients for a balanced diet is undoubtedly the main weapon for a baby’s immune system to develop efficiently. But what many do not know is that the mother’s diet also affects this aspect, since several of the nutrients that she ingests are passed through the milk. Therefore, feeding both mother and baby needs to be the first item on this list of how to improve immunity in babies.
Physical activities
Getting your baby moving and experiencing new environments is important. Despite the need for caution, physical activities help the baby’s body to develop better and, consequently, his immunity as well.
Hygiene
Good hygiene, both for the baby and those around him, prevents the baby from coming into contact with bacteria and viruses more easily. This ensures that your immune system works to develop without major problems down the road.
Vaccines
As we said earlier, vaccines are part of and are of great help for the development of a baby’s immune system. Make sure to give all the vaccines up to date so that the effect is complete.
General care
There are many other precautions that can and should be taken in order for babies to have increased immunity. One of them, for example, is to avoid contact of babies with animals and, if it happens, make sure to wash the baby’s hands so that there is no contact with bacteria.
The same goes for environments that can contain many viruses and bacteria, especially where there are multitudes.
Parents ‘concern about babies’ immunity is a very common thing. It is also common for babies to be constantly sick, it is part of life. What we must not forget is that it is not only because these things are part of everyone’s life that we should not fight them or be aware of the evils they can bring.
Many diseases will appear and end up strengthening your child for the next ones that may come, but that does not mean that it will not be a hard path and that it will demand a lot from you in this process. It is part of being a mother . It is part of having a baby.
See Also: Which Vaccines Give Reaction?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
