What does high immunity in a child depend on?

I would single out four main factors responsible for strong immunity.

The first is a full-term pregnancy. If a child is born on time, it means that his immune system has formed sufficiently to meet the world of viruses and bacteria. The more premature a baby is born, the more immature its protective cells will be and the more difficult it will be for his body to adapt to the characteristics of the environment. nine0005

The second factor is the type of delivery. If the birth ends with a caesarean section, then the child will receive a completely different microbiota: he will not pass through the woman's birth canal and will not "pick up" the mother's bacteria, which form the initial interaction between him and the environment.

The third factor is breastfeeding. The longer the baby receives mother's milk, the better will be his immune response to infections from the outside world.

The fourth factor is timely vaccination. Properly done and with a personal approach to the child, it will form the normal development of the immune response. nine0005

Babies born by caesarean section are several times more likely to suffer from allergies, be overweight and respond less well to vaccinations.

Do all children need to boost their immunity?

Definitely not for everyone. Children have another interesting feature: they do not always show an active aggressive response to some kind of infection. Imagine that a virus or bacterium enters the nasopharyngeal mucosa and an adult develops nasal congestion, snot, and a red throat. Is this good or bad? In principle, it’s good, because it says that our immunity has begun a war against infection. nine0005

On the other hand, this is nothing but a manifestation of a disease. Ideally, the picture looks like this: a virus or bacterium got on the mucous membrane, but the immune system dealt with it so quickly and effectively that we did not notice it. Conclusion: do we want to increase the strength of the immune response indefinitely? Probably not always.

Because if we actively increase the response of, say, a child of the 1st year of life, then instead of calmly reacting to some virus or bacterium that comes to him from outside, he will begin to suck badly, not sleep and put on a little weight, and parents will start to worry a lot. But if, in response to the invasion of a viral agent, nasal congestion appears in a 14-year-old teenager, then nothing terrible will happen: he will blow his nose and still go to play football. nine0005

That is, the same problem can be perceived differently and have different consequences for children of different ages. The difference in adaptive immune response is designed in such a way by nature that it limits the strength of the response in the child until he adapts to the environment. And you should not interfere in this process.

Hardening can help in strengthening the immune system?

I wouldn't use that wording. Any kind of hardening, as well as playing sports, is not a little about immunity. Here we are talking about general physical processes. We, pediatricians, only welcome them, because it instills healthy lifestyle skills in a child. nine0005

However, to date, there is no direct clinically proven link between these activities and the strengthening of the immune response anywhere in the world. Yes, indeed, sports and hardening can theoretically increase the adaptive abilities of the body, but the question is exclusively individual: it will help someone, but not so much for someone. Therefore, I would recommend that all parents treat these things without fanaticism and do not tyrannize children with sports clubs or cold showers "in the name of immunity."

How can parents strengthen their child's immune system at home?

There are two cornerstones: a daily routine and a balanced diet. The daily routine for a child is absolutely essential for strengthening the immune response. Why? Because all organs and systems of the body, including immune cells and bone marrow, are most active from ten in the evening until about three in the morning. Therefore, if a child goes to bed at eleven or twelve, his immune system (especially its "officers" - T-cells) will not be able to recover normally. Therefore, a systematic "torn" regime for a child is absolutely contraindicated precisely from the standpoint of immunity, and not just his mental health. nine0005

As for normal baby food, you need to pay attention to the constant presence of two components in food: vitamin D and iron. It is vitamin D that helps our cells fight viral infection. If earlier its prophylactic dose was considered to be 400 units per day, now at least 1000 units are prescribed. Statistics show that approximately two-thirds of children who live north of 42nd latitude have a decrease in vitamin D levels, and some of them are completely deficient. nine0005

An equally important component for immunity is iron. Its assistance in the efficient functioning of the immune system's T-cells is considered one of its main functions, in addition to the formation of hemoglobin. The ability of the body to respond with the “correct” inflammation to a bacterial or viral infection is impossible without a sufficient amount of iron in the blood. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the question not only of getting more of this element with food (the so-called heme iron in the form of meat, poultry and fish), but also about prescribing courses of iron preparations that are easily absorbed by the doctor. nine0005

There is a dangerous myth in Russia: drink pomegranate juice, eat beets, buckwheat and green apples, and you will have happiness in the form of iron. Will not be! Because the absorption of iron from plant sources is approximately 5% of its total amount in them.

Today even doctors often argue about the importance of vaccination for children. What is your opinion on this matter?

Vaccinations are not meant to please doctors or drug companies. By and large, healthy immunity begins precisely in the maternity hospital, when a newborn receives his first vaccinations, and comes into this world already protected. nine0005

Vaccination was invented either for those diseases whose consequences are fatal, that is, from them there is a high risk of death (for example, with meningitis, rabies, tetanus). Or for those for whom there is no therapy (hepatitis B, mumps, measles, rubella, or the same covid). Yes, a person can easily get sick with them, but no one guarantees this.

Case in point: 10% of boys who recover from mumps become infertile. In this regard, I always have a question for “refusenik” parents: who gave you the right to doom a child to such a fate?! nine0005

There is a popular belief that only healthy people should be vaccinated. Not! Immune-compromised children, who have peculiarities in the development of the immune response, need it more. For them, the infections that vaccination protects against are more difficult to tolerate.

I categorically do not support the modern craze among parents, when, for example, one child gets chickenpox and several mothers bring their children to visit him for a “chickenpox party” (“rubella party”, etc.). I consider this to be deliberate harm to the health of a small person. After all, the consequences are unknown: if everything can go easily for one, then for another it will be a difficult process that requires hospitalization, and in rare cases (for example, with meningitis) lead to death. And at the same time, parents remain unpunished, which, in my opinion, is unfair. The child is not a thing. And in the new version of the Constitution, the priority of the state in protecting the health of children is just a red thread. nine0005

Immunity in newborns | When it appears and what factors affect it

The main principle of maintaining a child's health is to avoid extremes. It is impossible to protect him from any threat, but insufficient attention to the well-being of the baby will also be wrong. To better understand how the defense mechanism works in young children, let's understand the basic concepts.

What is immunity?

Like adults, immunity in newborns is a complex system whose task is to protect the body from pathogens. Two components are involved in this difficult struggle - cellular and humoral immunity. nine0005

Protective cells are able to recognize the "enemy", overcome it and at the same time remember how to deal with this particular microbe. Thus, the immune memory of the body is formed, thanks to which we get sick much less often.

When does a newborn become immune?

When a baby is born, his body encounters a million unfamiliar microorganisms. So that the reaction is not too violent and does not harm the child, nature provides a system of factors that inhibit the immune response. nine0005

In the first months of life, the immunity of newborns is borrowed from the mother. Basically, special immunoglobulins are responsible for protecting the newborn. They enter the body during pregnancy, in the third trimester. That is why premature babies get sick more often and adapt worse to a new environment.

Gradually, the protective cells of the mother are replaced by their own, and by 11–12 months the body begins to provide a protective function on its own.

What factors affect the immunity of a newborn baby

Breastfeeding plays an important role in the formation of immunity. Young children are very susceptible to intestinal infections, and the immune cells that come with mother's milk provide reliable protection.

Important!

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding to strengthen the immune system of the newborn. It must be continued for at least a year, and preferably up to two years.

The immunity of a newborn child directly depends on the conditions in which he lives. A stuffy, dusty room with dry air contributes to the drying of the nasal mucosa. As a result, the baby loses the ability to defeat viruses before they enter the body. On the contrary, regular airing, humid cool indoor air and frequent walks are a great way to strengthen the immunity of a newborn. nine0005

How to strengthen the immune system of a newborn?

If a child starts to get sick often, parents worry and look for an answer to the question: how to improve the immunity of a newborn?

Don't diagnose your child yourself. If you suspect any disorders in your child, contact a specialist. He will determine the cause of the condition and recommend how to raise the immunity of a newborn child.

Important!

Do not self-medicate! In no case should you give your child immunomodulatory drugs unless they are prescribed by a specialist. nine0005

A newborn baby's immune system can be weakened for many reasons. Serious violations of the protective system are quite rare, occurring in one case out of several thousand. Such situations require the attention of narrow specialists.

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