During this coronavirus outbreak, making sure junior doesn’t fall ill sure isn’t easy. He can also pick up all sorts of viruses from the playground, or at school…even worse, doesn’t it always seem like he takes the whole family down with him as well?

Yup, viruses spread easily within the family, since everyone is in close contact with one another. So, it’s important that you keep your peewee fighting fit to prevent him from falling ill. We list several ways.

1. Get enough rest
Make sure your child gets adequate rest. Kids need about nine hours of sleep every night, and if they don’t get enough, they end up feeling fatigued, which affects their immunity. A 2013 study also found that sleep deprivation can quadruple your risk of catching a cold or flu.

2. Remind everyone to practise good hygiene
This seems rather obvious, yet hygiene is rarely top of mind for a child. From rubbing of runny noses, sharing books and toys to putting fingers or stationery into mouths, germs spread easily among children. Do remind your child to wash his hands with soap and water before and after meals, after activities and after using the toilet.

Try to add yoghurt in his diet, as the active cultures help protect his gut.

3. Eat right
One of the best ways to boost your child’s immunity is to ensure that he has a balanced diet. Feed him plenty of foods rich in vitamin C to protect his cells like oranges and broccoli, as well as foods rich in vitamin A to support his immune system like eggs, fruits and leafy greens. Try to add yoghurt in his diet, as the active cultures help protect his gut.

4. Stay active
Exercising can prevent you from falling sick. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that staying active nearly halved a person’s odds of catching cold viruses. Those who did fall sick has less severe symptoms, possibly because being active helped to boost the circulation of infection-fighting cells.

Photo: iStock

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