Babies and Infection – Why does my baby keep getting sick?

Why does my baby keep getting sick!

Is there something wrong with my baby?  Should I be concerned?  Are there any ways to prevent this?  These are just a few of the many questions this article will attempt to explain.

Let us start with a little background on the immune system.

Simply speaking, the immune system is your body’s defense mechanism against foreign and infectious agents.  The immune system comprises of two main components – innate and adaptive.  Innate immunity can be thought of typically as your first line of defense, like the skin, mucous membranes and specific cells of the body such as neutrophils and macrophages.  Adaptive immunity can be compared to an elite group of special forces – lymphocytes (B and T cells), plasma cells and antigen presenting cells.  Plasma cells and B cells create antibodies for the immune system.  Innate and adaptive immunity together work hand in hand to protect the body from foreign and infectious agents.

Babies and Breathing – Children and Mouth-Breathing

This article will talk about a very important topic on Babies and Breathing – Children and Mouth-Breathing.  The human nose has many important roles.  Two obvious ones, smell and taste, often goes hand in hand.  It is also the gateway to the lungs which provides oxygen to the bloodstream.  As part of the defense barrier that works in concert with your immune system, it warms the air and provides humidification and filtration before it goes into your lungs.  The nose can trap foreign particles as small as 5 microns through a series of filtrations starting from the nose hairs, nasal turbinates, all the way to the mucosal membrane and cilia.   Breathing through the nose is very important in facial anatomic maturation, formation and development of airway physiology.

The human nose and nasal cavity.

What about the mouth?  Some people breathe with their mouths?  What if my baby is a mouth breather?

The mouth is not the normal route for breathing air, not for adults and not for children.  Yes there are people who have adapted for a long time to breathe through their mouths.  However there are health consequences that come with mouth breathing.