Knowing how the immune system works and what warning signs to look out for to indicate a weakened immune system can help parents to take steps to strengthen a child’s immune system.
How the Immune System Works
A whole network of structures and cells in the body works together to help defend the body against disease. The lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus and spleen all make out important parts of the immune system, but the actual foot soldiers, that kill the germs, are cells situated in the blood. White blood cells target specific invaders in the body, destroy them and keep the body clean.
The body has what it takes to keep itself healthy – the human body is able to produce around 2000 new immune cells every second if the need arises. During pregnancy, antibodies (a specific type of white blood cell) are passed from the mother to the baby and they provide the baby with immune protection for the first four or five months of life.
This is called passive immunity and because the antibodies are not the baby’s own, they disappear. This disappearance results in babies becoming increasingly vulnerable to infection around the age of five months. The increased vulnerability lasts until about two years of age, by which time they have started to make their own antibodies to whatever viruses and bacteria they have been exposed to.
Immune System Enemies
According to Karen Sullivan, author of Natural Healthcare for Children, How to Raise Happy, Healthy Children From 0 - 15 (Piatkus Publishers, 2000), there are a number of factors that might negatively impact children’s immune systems:
- Poor or inadequate sleep – during sleep the immune system gets a chance to make new white blood cells and fight off bacteria and viruses.
- A poor diet – a diet high in sugar, refined foods, preservatives and colorants is believed to weaken the immune system. The body has to deal with the toxins present in these foods and doesn’t have the resources to fight germs.
- Emotional, physical or environmental stress – anything from the death of a pet to moving homes can lower a child’s immunity.
- Exposure to toxins, such as cigarette smoke and excessive car exhaust fumes.
- Lack of natural light – children who spend most of their days indoors are at higher risk to have a weak immune system because sunlight on bare skin activates the reproduction of T-cells (a type of white blood cell).
- Risk factors (like prematurity) and chronic illnesses (like asthma and allergies) require the body to work harder and weaken the immune system.
- Lack of exercise results in a sluggish immune system because exercise activates the lymphatic system and helps to remove toxins from the blood.
- Overuse of anti-bacterial household cleaners may do more harm than good to a child’s immune system. According to Sullivan, the hygiene hypothesis has gained popularity recently, stating that children who are raised in hyper sterile environments are more prone to developing allergies because their immune systems had not had the chance to encounter and conquer bacteria and viruses.
Signs of an Immunity Battle
The following symptoms can be an indication of a weakened immune system:
- Chronic fatigue and listlessness
- Repeated infections. Sullivan says that if a child needs more than 3 courses of antibiotics in 6 months, reasons in the environment should be identified indicating why the child’s immune system is affected.
- Allergic reactions like asthma and eczema.
- Slow wound healing.
- Chronic diarrhea.
- Infections that represent an overgrowth of some normally present organisms such as oral thrush, candidiasis or vaginal yeast infections (in girls).
Knowing how the immune system operates and what a high risk environment for a compromised immune system is, can equip parents to look for signs of an immunity battle. Steps to strengthen a child’s immunity can then be taken to help her to fight disease and cope with her environment.
