Combat stress
The immune system’s biggest enemy is stress. Some great ways to help your child fight stress would be
• Provide TLC (Tender loving care)
• Ensure sufficient sleep
• Promote fun and laugh more
Get physically active
Exercise keeps your child active and fit, hence helps his/ her immune system to function properly as it increases the white blood cells’ ability to fight infection. White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and they help defend the body against infectious diseases. Some tips for getting fit:
• Make exercise part of your child’s daily routine
• Make it as fun as possible – so that you associate it with positive feelings and memories
• Go for walks in the park
Get into a habit of washing hands
Your child’s little hands are exposed to bacteria every second as they are prone to touch a lot of objects. It is important that your child have the habit of washing his / her hands
• When your child cough or sneeze
• When your child comes in from playing outside
• When your child plays with another child’s toys
• Before every meal, including snacks
• After handling pets
Keep the environment clean
It is important to keep the physical environment as clean as possible. As your child grows older, he / she will be spending more time with other children of their age. Towards a clean environment:
• Clean toys and play area thoroughly if your child invites friends over to play
• Discourage your child from sharing food and utensil with others to stop the spread of germs
• Keep your environment smoke-free as
second hand smoke damages the
protective lining of his/her lungs
