In this blog we will read “ Home remedies to increase newborn’s immunity ”
With the birth of the child occurs the birth of the parents. Ever since someone became a parent, they get worried about their child’s health and immunity.
Children are born with very low immunity in comparison with adults which makes them more prone to infections and diseases.
During initial age the chances of getting ill by default increases and that’s when the parent’s job starts.
They are always extra careful about the child’s well being which is obviously important.
Ever since Covid-19 has hit the world, it has challenged the immunity of every person and obviously not sparing the children as well.
It has made parents more protective and concerned towards their child and his health.
In this article, we are going to discuss some important remedies and ways through which you can increase the immunity of your child.
So, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why a newborn needs extra care ?
Immunity is our body’s ability to fight against harmful organisms and substances.
Immunity is of two types:
- Acquired
- Innate
Acquired immunity refers to that immunity which a child gets through vaccines and food and breast milk.
Innate immunity refers to the body’s own immunity which is present in the body since birth and increases and develops as the child develops under good conditions.
Children are incapable of understanding what is good or bad for them. They cannot make decisions for their health which are correct for them.
If given a chance, no child especially during growing years would want to eat healthy food or follow a proper schedule.
That’s where the concern of parents increases and they try to find ways to keep their child’s nutrition and immunity well balanced.
Malnutrition is one of the world’s leading causes for under 5 child mortality, making it a serious concern for parents across the world.
Nutrition, immunity and a proper schedule helps to ensure a normal and well balanced development of a child’s brain and body.
Why parents are concerned about newborn’s immunity ?
Newborns are low in immunity which makes them more prone to infection.
Parents are worried about their child’s health and immunity.
Especially those who have become parents for the first time are more worried and very much hands on about everything.
They get worried over little things, they have doubts about almost everything because of lack of knowledge and experience.
To handle a child, especially a newborn, is very difficult. If the child is crying there can be hundreds of reasons and if you continue breastfeeding the child when he is crying because of some illness then it can only worsen the situation as delay in the treatment is happening.
A child grows everyday, everyday new situations are faced by parents and till the time the child cannot speak and convey about his needs or situations, it is very crucial for the parents to understand every situation, to think about every possible scenario.
Children usually get I’ll during the time their dentition starts, it’s because he tries to eat everything, touch those teeth because of irritation thus causing diarrhoea, vomiting.
To maintain hygiene and keep the child’s immunity high is very important and at the same time a difficult task to perform, making parents worry.
Home remedies to increase newborn’s immunity
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the first and most important step towards protecting any newborn.
It is scientifically proven that growth differences in terms of physical, mental growth have been observed in children who were on breastfeeding in comparison with those who were not.
Till six months of age, the child should be exclusively breastfeeding.
No water, artificial or animal milk should be given to the baby except mother’s milk.
Many mothers who are not lactating enough put their newborn on milk derived from other sources which hampers the growth of the child.
There are many sources now who sell mother’s milk and if the mother is not lactating enough then she can buy that milk instead of any artificial milk.
After six months of age, dietary changes are done for the baby. But breastfeeding should still be continued at least till two years of age along with food.
This helps in providing nutrition to the child and helps in normal growth.
Vaccines
Vaccines are important for every newborn. Newborns have a very low immunity and vaccines help them to provide that extra immunity which protects them from various infections which can be deadly as well.
Some vaccines are given to children at the time of birth only and some are given subsequently at later stages of life. But many parents forget about the vaccines and their doses which were supposed to be taken by their child. This increases the chance of infection and can be deadly too.
Even though I didn’t get Hepatitis B vaccine doses except the first one and when u got into the medical school then I got to know about its importance.
Hepatitis B can spread through blood products of an infected person and as a doctor coming in contact with blood or getting needle injury from an I texted needle is quite common, so it increases the risk of Hepatitis B.
There are many diseases from which you can save the child through vaccination but if the child comes in contact with the infection then there is no cure, hepatitis B is one of them.
So be mindful and alert about the vaccination doses of your child.
This extra immunity is life saving for them.
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Protection
Many people come in direct or indirect contact with the child and sometimes parents meet people who are infected with some disease and can spread it to their child as well.
When there is a child at home, you need to be extra careful and keep distance from the infected person and if you are infected you should also maintain distance from the child. Children have low immunity so they catch infections faster and sometimes infections which are mild for adults can be severe for children.
One more protection which is very important for the safety and immunity of the child is to keep the surroundings clean. Insect, mosquito bite infections are a result of unhygienic conditions only.
Seasonal changes
It is very important to keep the child away from unwanted infections and during the time of seasonal changes when temperature changes, newborns are more prone to getting infection.
Children should be covered and clothing should be adequately done according to the season.
Avoid taking the child out during the spring season as pollen allergies are quite common during that time.
Dietary Additions
After six months of age you can start giving food to the child.
In the beginning, a child only needs small amounts of solid food, once a day.
Start with cerelac, daliya, boiled foods, mashed, blended fruits and vegetables like broccoli, potato, yam, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear.
You can also give the food mixed in baby’s milk.
There are various foods which can initiate allergic reactions in the child’s body, so you should definitely avoid those foods like:
- Cows milk
- Eggs
- Meat
- Gluten containing food like wheat,rye
- Nuts (dry fruits, peanuts)
- Seeds
- Fish
- Shellfish
Slowly change the consistency and texture of the food which will help the child to learn to chew the food and introduce other food items gradually.
Keep a strong note if any food is causing any kind of reaction in the child’s body.
Bust Some Myths
- Don’t give food that an adult eats to a child. Foods which are spicy, oily should not be given to a child when he starts eating food after 6 months of age.
- Child’s food should be low in spices, easy to digest.
- Many people think that giving the child leftover boiled water of pulses or lentils is healthy but as soon as the child can start eating, he should be given pulses and lentils and not just their leftover boiled water.
Conclusion
So, we read about different remedies which are 100% going to work towards the betterment of your child.
To build up a child’s immunity, a balanced diet, proper sleep, supplements, stress management, and physical activity are necessary.
So, don’t panic, relax, and take care of your child.
NOTE: This article is purely for informational purposes. We suggest to have a proper discussion with the expert before applying for any tip given in the writing.
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