X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Supporting Your Child's Immunity

5 min read
Supporting Your Child's Immunity

During these uncertain times, it is important to know how to protect your little one’s immune system from diseases

Living through a global pandemic is probably not something any of us would have ever expected to happen in our lifetimes. It has been a strangely unfamiliar experience, and everyone is still trying to better understand how it continues to affect our lives in different ways.

As a parent, your first instinct is to think of how you can protect your child from this ‘invisible enemy’. Enhancing your child’s immune system has never become more important in ensuring their health, especially in the time of an ongoing pandemic. Immunity checks now play a major role in the battle against this pandemic.

Paediatricians say there’s a greater chance against this fatal virus if we have a strong immune system.

strong immune system

Ensuring a strong immunity in these uncertain times

 During pregnancy, nutrients from the mother boost the child’s immune system. From birth through the baby’s first two years and beyond, the baby’s healthy immune system is supported and sustained by essential nutrients found in breastmilk. However, after a certain age, when a child has transitioned to formula, it is important for parents to ensure their child’s immunity continues to be supported by the essential nutrients they need for their development. Among the nutrients they need is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Health benefits for children

 DHA is an important part of a child’s development in the early years, but what does it actually do?

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) holds that DHA is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain and eyes in infants throughout the different life stages. According to Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, in her book The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet, “Children require omega-3 fatty acids the same way they require vitamins.” No other fatty acids accumulate in the brain as DHA does. DHA is needed for brain and eye development in the same way calcium is required for bone growth. Oxford Learning and Behaviour (DOLAB) trial published in the PLOS-One1 Journal found that a healthy diet with DHA supplements supported improvements in reading, memory and behaviour in school-age children.

Studies have shown DHA also helps support respiratory health and contributes to the development of a healthy immune system. In a study2 that followed 91 healthy children in a 6-year period, scientists concluded that supplementation of infant formula with DHA and ARA in the first year of life impacts children’s immune systems, and protects them against allergies in early childhood.

strong immune system

What are the available sources of DHA?

 Between birth and five years of age, when the human brain is rapidly growing and developing, it is critically important that infants and children consume adequate amounts of DHA in their diet.

For children that have transitioned into formula milk and weaning, the most common source of DHA is seafood, particularly fatty fish or fish oil. Excellent fish sources include mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and caviar. There are plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha linolenic acid – ALA) found in walnuts, flax and other plant foods that can be converted to DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Meat and dairy from grass-fed animals, omega-3-enriched- or pastured eggs, may also contain small amounts of DHA. However, these are not enough, according to Healthline studies.

Foods that naturally contain DHA are not commonly consumed by young children—at least not enough to help them meet the daily recommended amount of important Omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

So how do we make sure our children get optimal levels of DHA in their daily diet?

 While there are a lot of food sources that contain DHA, many of them do not have enough DHA to meet a child’s daily recommended amount. This is why the best way to ensure your growing tots get the daily required amount of DHA is by adding in fortified foods and ensuring that the milk they consume contains enough DHA to meet their daily nutritional requirement. This is especially important for parents of fussy eaters who may be missing out on these nutritional benefits.

 

———————————————————————————————————————–

 

The Enfagrow A+ Formula

 As published in PEDIATRICS®, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, it shows that children consuming milk fortified with DHA, PDX^ + GOS and Beta-Glucan have been shown to have fewer episodes of Acute Respiratory Infections compared to children consuming unfortified milk. It also has been shown to have more school days, giving them more opportunities for learning.

Enfagrow A+ is a scientifically formulated blend of nutrients such as DHA, PDX^ + GOS and Beta-Glucan.  Unlike Enfagrow A+, regular milk may not have sufficient nutrients such as DHA that your little one needs to nourish their growth and development.

Learn more about Enfagrow A+ and how it can help support your child’s brain development here.

 

REFERENCES:

1https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article%3Fid=10.1371/journal.pone.0043909

2Foiles AM, Kerling EH, Wick JA, Scalabrin DM, Colombo J, Carlson SE. Formula with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces incidence of allergy in early childhood.

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2016 Mar; 27(2):156-61.

Horrocks LA, Yeo YK. Health benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Pharmacol Res. 1999;40(3):211-225. doi:10.1006/phrs.1999.0495

Gonzalez, F.E., Baez, R.V. In time: importance of omega 3 in children’s nutrition. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2017 Jan-Mar; 35(1): 3–4. doi: 10.1590/1984-0462/;2017;35;1;00018.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5417803/

healthline.com

WebMD.com

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

theAsianparent

  • Home
  • /
  • Branded Content
  • /
  • Supporting Your Child's Immunity
Share:
  • Does Your Toddler Really Need “Growing Up” Milk Powder?

    Does Your Toddler Really Need “Growing Up” Milk Powder?

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • Does Your Toddler Really Need “Growing Up” Milk Powder?

    Does Your Toddler Really Need “Growing Up” Milk Powder?

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.