![]() Q: If my kid eats too many crackers one day, that’s not upsetting their system?Ī: No. Some studies have demonstrated that lower vitamin D levels might be linked to increased frequency of respiratory infections, but it’s not clear whether supplementation reduces the risk. For a child who has access to food and a varied diet, that’s much less likely. In cases of severe malnutrition, children are usually profoundly immunocompromised. Q: Can a child’s diet impact the immune system?Ī: A lot of research has been done on whether nutritional deficiencies increase the frequency of illness. There’s no link between those and having wet hair. ![]() These types of illnesses are caused by respiratory viruses. Q: How about wet hair or, more specifically, putting a child to bed with wet hair after a bath?Ī: That has no impact. For example, in the Northern Hemisphere we usually see influenza virus circulating from late fall to early spring. When it gets cold outside, people move inside where they’re in close contact and viruses spread more easily. Q: What about cold weather? Should I just expect a lot more colds in the winter?Ī: The outdoor temperature itself does not influence how frequently you get sick, but some respiratory viruses tend to circulate on a seasonal basis. But other factors should be considered too. If we hear that a child started child care three months ago and has been sick several times since then, we’re less concerned about a compromised immune system. Kids in child care typically have a higher frequency of illness because they are usually in close contact with many other children from other households. ![]() Q: Do certain lifestyle factors play into this? Does sending kids to child care mean they’ll get sick more often?Ī: Sure. A family history of primary immunodeficiency. ![]() Persistent thrush in the mouth or elsewhere after 1 year of age.Two or more pneumonia infections within a year.Two or more months on antibiotics with little improvement.Two or more serious sinus infections within a year.Eight or more ear infections within a year.If a child gets a cold that lasts 1 to 2 weeks, we’re much less concerned about a major underlying immune system problem. If a child ends up in the hospital after every illness, if a child frequently needs IV antibiotics to get better, if a child develops infections in less common body locations, such as the liver or spleen, or with unusual organisms - those make us wonder about the child’s immune system. Certain red flags push us to think that something outside the ordinary may be going on. Our first step is to take a very detailed patient history. Q: If that’s typical, then what’s not? And at what point would you consider a child to have something more serious going on, such as an immunodeficiency?Ī: This is one of the most common questions we get in the office. That means kids can be sick for a majority of the year and still have a pretty typical immune system. And sometimes a cough can last up to six weeks. It’s also typical for kids to have symptoms lasting up to 14 days. This number may be higher for children who are in child care or when they start school. On average, you’ll probably see between seven and eight infections a year. But most babies, toddlers and preschoolers can have as many as 12 colds a year and still be normal. Q: In your opinion, how often will most children get sick?Ī: It varies a lot among kids. Rajapakse, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic Children’s Center in Rochester, Minnesota, says it’s understandable to be concerned. When it feels like your child is perpetually sick, questions naturally come to mind: Does my child have a weak immune system, are my child’s clothes warm enough, is it best to avoid baths before bed? Nipunie S. The common cold, ear infections and fever are all surefire ways to upend a carefully orchestrated daily routine, and for some, that may happen a little too often. For parents, certain sounds can evoke an almost physical response - crying at 3 in the morning, eerie midday silence, but perhaps most dreaded: the sniffle.
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