Immune Support
Sickness is a really normal part of infancy and toddlerhood, particularly when starting daycare and/or venturing out to do group activities with your little one. It can be a really frustrating transition, but from a health perspective it is inevitable and getting it out of the way during toddlerhood is a lot better than delaying the exposure to bugs until primary school – a really key period of life.
Newborns are born sterile, that is, the womb is a sterile environment, free from any bugs and bacteria. Our baby’s first exposure to bacteria, good and bad, is through birth. When birthing vaginally our baby is exposed to our own microbiome (bacteria) through the birth canal, when birthed via cesarean, this exposure doesn’t occur as they are born into a surgically sterile environment.
Throughout infancy, our little ones are exposed to a range of bacteria – breastmilk, pre and probiotic fortified formula, the environment, parents and caregivers, the introduction of solids, the use of probiotic supplements and of course, germs. The reason our little ones are often continually unwell in that first year of daycare is that it is often their first exposure to all of the bugs that circulate the population. We as adults, have been exposed to a variation of these bugs for our entire life, so we have built immunity to many of the common strains – our immune systems are well developed and robust.
There are two parts to the immune system – the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system…
The innate immune system is the part of the immune system that we are all born. It is made up of the skin, eye and mucous membranes lining our respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal (gut) systems. It creates a physical barrier to protect from germs and bad cells (cancer)
The adaptive immune system makes special proteins, called antibodies, to protect our body against germs. Our little ones, when yet to be exposed to sickness bugs, have minimal antibodies, these are acquired through exposure. Which is why we as adults are better equipped to fight of illness, and our little ones seem to catch everything! Vaccinations help to train our little one’s immune system, exposing them to germs in a way that is safe and often produces no illness symptom’s, but encourages the body to create these antibodies, therefore protecting them against future disease.
We often hear the term “boosting the immune system”, typically when a company is trying to sell you a product or service. We can’t “boost” the immune system, but we can support the immune system – that is, support the pathways that are reliant on certain nutrients to function optimally.
So, how do we do this? The best way is through food – nutrients from food are readily and easily absorbed and utilized by the body, more so than nutrients from supplements. This is why I like to take a food first approach to supporting the immune system, focusing on foods rich in key nutrients. However, there are a few key supplements that I use with Franklin, and my clients that come to me for immune support.
Food First Approach
I am going to include the recommended dietary intakes for children below, but I don’t want you to focus on this too much, it is largely for illustrative purposes to demonstrate how easy it can be to reach requirements.
Zinc
7-12mo: 3mg/day
1-3 yo: 3mg/day
4-8 yo: 4mg/day
Zinc is a mineral that is essential for adequate growth and development, as well as appropriate immune function. Thankfully, it is a very readily available nutrient in the diet, which means it is very difficult to be deficient in, unless the diet is very limited, or your little one is vegan/vegetarian.
Milk (1 cup): 1mg
Yoghurt (1 cup): 2mg
Bread (1 slice): 0.5mg
Peanut Butter (2tbs): 1mg
Mince (50g): 2.5mg
Egg (1 egg): 1mg
Fruits and Vegetables contain small amounts of zinc also
Vitamin C
7-12 mo: 30mg/day
1-3 yo: 35mg/day
4-8 yo: 35mg/day
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and is essential for adequate immune system function, skin health and to protect against disease. It also assists in the absorption of iron. Vitamin C is also readily available in the diet, and a nutrient that the body can utilize in excess, excreting what isn't required.
Broccoli (1/2 cup): 55mg
Potato (1 medium): 15mg
Orange (1 medium): 70mg
Strawberries (1/2 cup): 40mg
Capsicum (1/2 cup): > 90mg
Kiwi Fruit (1 kiwi): 75mg
Iron
7-12 mo: 11mg/day
1-3 yo: 9mg/day
4-8 yo: 10mg/day
Iron is an essential component of the blood to ensure it can adequately transport oxygen throughout the body. It is essential for adequate growth and development and appropriate immune function. It is arguably, one of the most important nutrients in infancy and childhood, with requirements being greater than an adult male.
Bread (1 slice): 1mg
Broccoli (1/2 cup): 0.5-1mg
Potato (1 medium): 1.5mg
Pinto Beans (1/2 cup): 2mg
Mince (50g): 1.2mg
Chicken Breast (50g): 0.6mg
Egg (1 egg): 1mg
Liver (50g): 3mg
Oysters (1): 1mg
Prebiotics
A diet rich in prebiotics is essential for gut health and immune function, and feed the good bacteria in your gut. The presence of these foods, encourages a diverse gut microbiome (bacteria in your gut), reduces inflammatory chemicals, and increases anti-inflammatory chemicals within the body.
Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, baked beans)
Garlic, Onion
Barley and Wheat Bran (often found in grainy bread)
Oats
Apple, Nectarine, Banana
Flaxseeds
Probiotics
Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that help to promote adequate immune function, digestive and overall health. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics. Given these foods are often not consumed by infants and children, supplementation can be considered, and has no negative implications.
Kefir
Yoghurt
Sauerkraut
Tempeh
Omega 3 DHA
Omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory and support pathways in the immune system. Ideally, we want our little ones consuming omega 3 fats regularly (3 ish times per week). Again, these types of foods are often not eaten by many families and/or infants and children, so supplementation is an option. However, using olive oil to cook with is an easy way to increase omega 3 intake.
Salmon and Sardines
Chia and Hemp Seeds
Avocado
Nuts
Olive Oil
Flaxseed and Avocado Oil
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients responsible for immune health. It can very easily be obtained via safe sun exposure, however given the sensitivity of our little one’s skin, sun exposure is not often achievable. It is for this reason, that I recommend most children be supplemented with vitamin D, until around age 4, particularly if they experience eczema and/or allergies.
Supplementation
Below are the key supplements that are really safe, evidence based and beneficial for optimal immune function. Supplements can be ordered from the links below, but the Brauer products are readily available at the pharmacy. Their website has a store locator.
Probiotic - Bioceuticals BabyBiotic (1 scoop per day)
Use this link to create an account, which will then enable you to search for, and purchase probiotic
https://www.bioceuticals.com.au/ref/LittleBean/login.registration_patient
Vit D – Brauer or Bioceuticals (2 drops per day)
Cod Liver Oil (Vit A and DHAs) - Brauer (contents of 1 capsule per day)
**Ensure fish has been introduced as an allergen**
https://www.brauer.com.au/our-range/brauer-baby-kids-ultra-pure-cod-liver-oil-with-dha