Question: My 10-month-old has had a persistent runny nose since we put her in an infant care centre. How can I boost her immune system?

Answer: First, it is important to realise that babies, on average, have 12 bouts of infection in the first year of their lives, which work out to one per month. It is not surprising then that you end up feeling like your child is constantly sick.

Your child’s immune system starts out like a blank sheet of paper. With each exposure to a new infection, she learns how to fight it and her body develops a memory of how to do so in the future.
By the end of early childhood – at age six – she would have come across countless infections. Her immune system will now be more “mature” and she will probably catch fewer colds and coughs. Keeping her at home and “protected” from exposure to infection only delays this learning phase until later.

While babies are inevitably exposed to one another’s drool, mucus and other sources of infection at care centres, the silver lining is that this early exposure can help prevent allergies and even reduce the risk of certain childhood cancers.

Finally, make sure your little one is eating a balanced diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. This will give her the right mix of vitamins to keep her body fighting fit, as well as ensuring adequate and sensible sleep patterns.