In what is quickly becoming one of the worst seasons in Georgia for viral illnesses, the flu season is hitting the Peach State hard this year. For the week of Dec. 30, 2023, 11.1% of all doctor visits within Georgia were for flu-like symptoms. That is up nearly a full percent from the week before.
For Georgia parents, it begs one incredibly important question: How do I keep my children from getting sick? According to Harvard Health, there are a number of ways you can boost your kid’s immune system in anticipation of flu season. Here’s what you need to know.
Healthy diet
According to Boston Children’s Hospital primary care pediatrician and Harvard Health Publishing senior faculty director Claire McCarthy, MD, there is no magic supplement you can give your children to make them healthier. But, a healthy diet can go a long way.
“By ‘healthy’ I mean a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables (five servings a day are recommended, and they should take up half of every meal plate), whole grains, and lean protein,” she told Harvard Health Publishing. “A healthy diet also has dairy or another source of calcium, and healthy fats, like vegetable oils.”
Avoid processed foods and talk to your doctor about whether vitamins or supplements are right for your child.
Quality sleep
Children need a lot of sleep to function well. Infants require 12 to 16 hours of sleep a day, while teens need anywhere from eight to 10 hours of sleep. In order to keep our immune systems in working order, we all need high-quality sleep.
“You can encourage healthy sleep by limiting screens — for teens, devices really should be shut off an hour or two before bedtime and preferably not be in the bedroom at night — and keeping to a regular schedule,” Dr. McCarthy said.
Active lifestyle
Exercise is key to strengthening our bodies against viruses. Children should be active for at least one hour every day to achieve this.
“‘Active’ doesn’t have to mean playing a sport or going to the gym; it could be playing at the playground or going for a walk,” she said. “More is not necessarily better; if you have a child who is a serious athlete, exercising several hours a day, make sure that the exercise isn’t eating into sleep or causing burnout, both of which could cause problems with the immune system.”
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