Expert: Proper "immune response" helps children grow, respiratory infections cause 700,000 child deaths worldwide every year
In order to further enhance the public's understanding of children's respiratory immunity and scientifically prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases, the "Breath freely, childhood is free" public welfare campaign for children's respiratory health science popularization was officially launched recently. News came out at related events: Respiratory infections kill about 700,000 children worldwide every year. Early childhood is a critical period for lung development. With the recent rise in temperature, respiratory pathogens such as viruses and bacteria have become more active. In addition, the weather is changeable during the seasons and the temperature difference between day and night is large. As a group susceptible to respiratory diseases, children are facing greater health risks. How to better prevent recurrent respiratory infections in children?
Professor Hong Jianguo, the first vice president of the Allergist Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, reminded: The immune system plays a vital role in the entire process from illness to recovery in children. Children's immune systems are not yet mature, their airways are relatively narrow, their mucous membranes are tender, their blood vessels are rich, and their local barrier functions are incomplete. They will only approach adult levels around the age of seven. Prior to this, children's airways had low defenses against bacteria and viruses, and repeated respiratory infections were a common cause of wheezing illnesses and asthma exacerbations in children.
Appropriate "immune response" helps children grow up healthily. Insufficient immune function of the body is prone to infections, especially respiratory infections, while overreaction of the body's immune system can easily induce allergic diseases such as asthma. Balancing children's immunity is to reduce repeated respiratory tract infections and respiratory tract infections. One of the keys to allergic diseases.
Experts explain that the human immune system consists of innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is the body's first line of defense. For example, healthy skin and respiratory mucosal tissue can keep pathogens out of the body. Adaptive immunity is an acquired defense function that is gradually established after receiving external stimuli. It is mainly composed of people. T cells and B cells in the body function.
Children's respiratory immunity can be gradually improved through "training immunity". "Training immunity" refers to the process of activating and enhancing the body's immune system through immune stimulation through exposure to pathogens or other pathogens. Timely vaccination and use of immunomodulators are both immune training for children, thereby improving their respiratory immunity. This is an effective means of reducing recurring respiratory infections.
"Vaccines can stimulate the immune system and produce antibodies or immune memory against specific pathogens, thereby producing specific immunity and helping children resist infection by the corresponding specific pathogens." Hong Jianguo said: "Clinical evidence shows that the use of immunomodulators to induce Immune training can stimulate the body's innate immunity and acquired immunity to prevent a variety of viral and bacterial infections, such as respiratory syncytial virus, human rhinovirus, influenza virus, gram-positive bacteria, fungi and other cell infections. And for children with recurrent respiratory infections, it is recommended to follow medical advice and use immunomodulators three months before the peak season of respiratory infections to reduce the risk of recurrent respiratory infections.”
Experts also remind: Prevention is better than cure. For children who are prone to recurrent respiratory infections or have other basic respiratory diseases, if they are not taken seriously, the risk of wheezing and asthma in adulthood will increase. Therefore, parents should pay more attention to scientific prevention and treatment of respiratory infectious diseases, follow medical advice and adhere to long-term, standardized and individualized disease management.
In a series of science popularization activities, the "June 1 Lion Awakening Immunity Training Camp" was launched. Pu Min, a well-known public nutritionist and creator in the field of maternal and child care, and Shen Qiong, the former captain of the Chinese Men's Volleyball Team and the current head coach of the Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team, also learned about child care management. , starting from the professional field of sports, sharing their respective views on improving children’s immunity.
