One of the laments you often hear from young parents, is that their children always seem to be getting sick. Once the school year starts, it’s one illness after another, until the warmer weather returns. Why is it that certain children seem so vulnerable to illnesses, while other children don’t seem to get sick as much?
Well, there are a number of factors that play into children’s health. They are as follows:
Good Hygiene. Developing healthy living habits should begin when children are very young. One of the best things they can do for themselves is to wash their s frequently. This gets rid of dirt, germs and other bacteria from touching everything around them. Their personal items and toys, too, should be laundered on a regular basis.
Healthy Eating. One of the best ways to stay healthy is to eat healthy. By teaching children to eat healthy, you are giving them a lifetime of good advice. Including such foods as yogurts, fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet, along with plenty of water, children will grow healthier and so will their immune systems.
Exercise. It seems that the culture today would rather be sitting down, instead of playing and exercising. Video games have their place, but active sports, as well as bicycling, swimming, and generally being outdoors moving around, will go a long way to a healthy lifestyle.
Get plenty of sleep. This can be easily overlooked. Children, especially under the age of 5, need 11-13 hours of sleep every night. Growing up right includes getting a great start on each day. Children can do that by getting enough sleep.
Smoking. Although more and more homes are smoke-free, there are children who grow up in homes where smoking if very prevalent. This, alone, will contribute to respiratory infections, which repeat over and over during the colder months.
Vaccinations. There should be an immunization schedule for children as soon as they are born. One of the vaccines all children should receive is the flu vaccine. It will go a long way in helping them to remain healthy when lots of children around them get sick.
There are many ways to help keep your children healthy. You can contribute to the building up of their immune systems, and for fighting off illnesses. For any questions about your child’s health, give your Phoenix pediatrics office a call today.
