Do you see a vision of your children accomplishing great things? That one day they’ll live an amazing life, blessing everyone that crosses their path, and constantly surrounded by love and gratitude? To unlock this achievement, there are several conditions parents must realise.
The first prerequisite is a child whose body is strong enough to reject illness. Because with a healthy body comes a vibrant mind - one that is constantly inquisitive and always learning new lessons. And the greatest teacher of all is life itself. Going out into the world gives your children a chance to discover purpose, passion, and progression. All of which come in equal measure with disappointment, frustration and trauma.
How do you get your child in the right frame of mind to negotiate life’s challenges? This is where you need to understand the importance of the immune system.
Understanding the Immune System Of Resilient Children
What is it?
The immune system is the body’s defensive network against harmful substances like viruses, bacteria and other toxins. It is made up of different organs, cells and proteins, and is known as the body’s most complex system.
How does it work?
Pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites or germs) can infect the body and cause illnesses. Antigens are parts of the pathogen that warn the immune system when the body is being attacked. When this happens, the immune system responds by getting white-blood cells to produce antibodies and other mechanisms to get rid of the infection. The antibodies would then remain in the body so should the immune system get another attack from the same antigen, they could easily fight it off.
According to an article from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, the immune system also fights “against the body’s own cells that have changed due to an illness, for example, cancerous cells”.
The symptoms we get during an infection such as headaches, fever and rashes are signs that our immune system is working to fight the infection.
When does a child’s immune system start to mature?
A child's immune system begins to mature during the early years of childhood. They produce their own antibodies each time they're exposed to germs and viruses.
What are the signs of a weak immune system?
We usually don’t take notice of our immune system until something goes wrong. The list below is only a crude guide, but some signs of a weakened immune system may include:
- Bowel movement problems - either diarrhoea that lasts for more than two to four weeks, or constipation
- Eye discomfort - dry, pain, blurry vision, redness, stringy discharge or a sandy feeling in your eyes
- Fatigue
- Mild fever
- Headache
- Rash
- Joint aches
- Repeated infection
- Sun sensitivity
- Unexplained weight loss
- White patches of skin on body
- Yellowing of skin and eyes
The Immune System and Mental Health
Think of our immune system as a thermostat. Whilst the body temperature changes slightly during the day, the normal temperature is usually around 37°C / 98.6°F. But if infection sets in, that thermostat turns up the heat. Due to any number of reasons (such as an improper diet, stressful living conditions, or even a lack of parental affection) some people have thermostats that fluctuate more than others. While clinical studies are not conclusive, scientists have discovered individuals with immune systems that are constantly being stressed, to be at a higher risk of developing depression and psychosis.
While we are only beginning to understand the complicated relationship between mental and physical health, researchers have found tons of evidence that an enhanced immune system contributes to positive emotions.
Strong Body, Sharp Mind, Better Future
Now we know mental health is a crucial part of any child’s overall makeup. A great way to support your child’s healthy growth is by providing wholesome and healthy foods from day one.
Here are some of our top picks for kid-friendly immune-boosting foods:
- Foods containing Probiotics such as yoghurt, tempeh, miso, sourdough bread and cottage cheese with live cultures
- Foods containing Prebiotics such as banana, watermelon and custard apple
- Salmon and tuna for Omega 3 fatty acids
- Oats and barley for soluble fibre
- Broccoli, oranges, carrots and strawberries for a good dose of vitamin C
A child with a strong body and sharp mind is more likely to ace through childhood with flying colours. Growing up active with lots of play and exploration provides your child with a variety of experiences that are essential for their developing personalities. With a happy and invigorating childhood, your child is most likely to mature into adulthood with a Resilience that few can match.
Supporting Your Child's Immune System
So how do we make sure that as parents, we are providing our kids with the best support to strengthen their immune system? Supplementing their diet with prebiotics and probiotics can be one option.
Prebiotics are types of indigestible dietary fibre, that are a natural booster for your child’s immune system. Prebiotic serves as a food source for probiotics and helps promote probiotic growth.
Meanwhile, Mayo Clinic's Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., describes probiotic as foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms intended to maintain or improve the "good" bacteria in the body.
They work together synergistically, allowing the probiotic to multiply and grow exponentially. Some prebiotics has been shown to help fight against infection. It is important to note that not all probiotics and prebiotics are the same. They need to be well studied and proven to bring benefits to health. Robust safety profile has been documented in clinical trials for some probiotic strains, such as Bifidobacterium breve M-16V.
This is particularly important for growing children who are just making their discoveries about the world.
Supplementary Formula with Prebiotics and Probiotic
Now that we know how prebiotics and probiotic (when incorporated into children’s diet) can support the immune system in its role as our children's "first line of defense," we can go One Step Ahead in supporting and strengthening their immune system through their diet.
Based on 40 years of pioneering research, from The No 1 company* in formula milk for children in Europe**, AptaGro™ with ActiveDuoBio+™ contains:
- An internationally patented combination of Prebiotics GOS/lcFOS (9:1) and Probiotic Bifidobacterium Breve M-16V to boost the army of good bacteria in children’s body.
- High DHA#, helps meet international expert recommendations^
- No sucrose
AptaGro™ also contains other important nutrients such as Vitamin A, C & D as well as Calcium and Zinc which contribute to the child's growth development. Give them a Strong Smart Start so they can be One Step Ahead. Learn more about it here.
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References:
1 Simon, A. K., Hollander, G. A., & Mcmichael, A. (2015). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1821), 20143085. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2014.3085
2 Kids and the Immune System - CHOC Children's." www.choc.org/health-topics/kids-immune-system/. Accessed 4 Dec. 2019.
3 Immune system and mental health are connected." 15 Aug. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-08-immune-mental-health.html. Accessed 4 Dec. 2019.
4 Chatchatee P et al. Effects of Growing-Up Milk Supplemented With Prebiotics and LCPUFAs on Infections in Young Children. JPGN 2014; 58(4):428-437
*Danone Specialized Nutrition Malaysia is part of Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition
**Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition calculation based in part on information reported by Nielsen through its Scan Track, MarketTrack and Retail Index Services for the Children nutrition milk formula for children aged between 12 and 36 months segment (client defined) in the Children nutrition milk formula category (client defined) for the 52-week period December 2017, for the total grocery channel in Belgium, Czech, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Switzerland. (Copyright © 2017 The Nielsen Company.)
# AptaGro consists of 89.7mg/100g DHA, the top 3 highest among all cow’s milk based growing up milk brands in Malaysia as of July 2020.
^Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2010). Fats and fatty acids in human nutrition: Report of an expert consultation. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 91. Rome.