Every parent understands how difficult it can be to keep their child healthy all year. Kids are exposed to germs daily, and staying healthy through the winter and flu season is no easy task.
For most parents, keeping their child healthy involves lots of hand-wringing, worrying, and general panic over every sniffle or sneeze. But did you know that there are ways for you to help your child build immunity and stay healthy throughout the year? There are tons of small things you can do as a parent that will have a big impact on your child’s long-term health.
These little things won’t make your kid completely immune to illness—no one is that lucky! But they can go a long way in helping them fight off germs and stay well. Here are 10 tips to help your kids stay healthy all through the year.
Double-down on the basics
The best way to avoid illness is to avoid germs altogether. That means keeping your family’s immune systems strong and healthy with basic hygiene practices. This means washing your hands, steering clear of sick people, and keeping your home as clean as possible.
At least once a week, vacuum your entire house and wash all household surfaces using disinfectant sprays. In addition to these basics, you should also ensure that your child is getting enough sleep, exercise, and good nutrition.
However, when all else fails, make sure to have a good stock of age-appropriate over-the-counter medications on hand to treat symptoms of illness and allergies. Make sure your child knows how and when to use them properly and safely.
Stock your kid’s diet with vitamins
A healthy diet is important for keeping your child healthy. But no matter how carefully you watch their diet, kids will still miss out on crucial nutrients. Luckily, you can help your child by supplementing their diet with vitamins.
Vitamins are essential nutrients that help your body run smoothly. Some vitamins, like B vitamins and vitamin C, are important in keeping your child’s immune system strong.
Gummy vitamins are a great way to make sure that your child is getting enough vitamins each day. Vitamins are especially important if your child is on a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Certain vitamins, like B12, are found mostly in meat, so vegans and vegetarians need to supplement these vitamins in special ways. Vitamins for kids come in many different forms—pills, gummies, liquids, and powders.
Gummies and powders are a great option for younger children who might not be able to swallow pills, although you could contact a pediatric compounding pharmacy to design pills that are more appealing and medically tailored for your kid, as pills are way more effective than gummies.
Find a probiotic that you like and stick with it
Your child’s gut is home to trillions of bacteria. These bacteria have a big impact on your child’s health, including their immunity. To make sure your kid’s gut is in good shape, you need to help their body build up a strong set of bacteria.
You can do this while also helping your child with their digestive issues by providing a consistent source of probiotics in their diet. A probiotic is a type of microorganism that lives in your gut and helps your body stay healthy.
Your child can get these probiotics from eating certain foods. Yogurt with live cultures, miso soup, and kefir are all high in probiotics and often recommended for kids.
Help them get enough rest
Healthy kids need healthy sleep. Kids who sleep well are less likely to get sick, and their immune systems are stronger. To help your child get enough sleep, follow these tips:
Schedule your child’s bedtime – Make sure they get enough sleep for their age.
Keep your child’s room dark and quiet – Keep the lights low and the noise level down in your child’s room. This will help them to relax and fall asleep faster.
Helping your child to get enough sleep is important for their health, performance at school, and mental wellbeing and you should not relent on this aspect of their physical health and wellbeing as it plays a huge role in boosting their immunity.
Encourage them to wash their hands frequently
Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs and stay healthy. Kids are exposed to germs daily—in the classroom, on the playground, and even at home.
Kids are especially susceptible to cold and flu germs, so washing their hands frequently is essential for staying healthy. You can help your child build immunity and stay healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands frequently.
Make it a rule that they must wash their hands before eating or touching their faces. You can also teach them how to properly scrub with soap and water.
Exercise and play outside together
Exercise is a great way to keep your child healthy and strong. It also helps to boost your child’s immunity and keep them from getting sick. Exercising can help your child build up their immune system and reduce their risk of infection.
It can also help to keep your child’s energy levels high, which can help them sleep better. Exercising with your child is a great way to get them interested in staying healthy. You can even make it into a game, like a walking race or any fun activity they are sure to love.
If you have access to commercial playground equipment, take advantage of these durable, large-scale play structures designed for public or private spaces. Encouraging outdoor play not only supports physical health but also helps in building immunity by exposing children to fresh air and sunlight.
Wrapping up
Whether your child is 5 or 16, you can take steps to keep them healthy. The easiest way to do this is by following these 6 tips to help your child build immunity and stay healthy all year long.
With these tips, you’ll be able to keep your child happy and healthy, and you’ll avoid the frustration of dealing with cold after cold.
