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 Infection – My Baby has a Cold and can’t Breathe!

My baby has a cold and can’t breathe!  All parents have dealt with colds that seem to all of a sudden start to crop up after 4~6 months of age.  Unfortunately most parents have also experienced helplessness when they see their child struggling to breathe.  It is especially distressing during this period because your newborn does not quite have the capacity to breathe comfortably through his/her mouth – thus the term obligate nose breathers.

At the time of birth, your baby is blessed with immune help from the mother – antibodies, in the form of IgG is transferred directly from the mother to the baby during the time in the womb.  Babies can also receive additional immune help from the immunoglobulin IgA which is only present in the mother’s breast milk and not formula milk.  (Although IgG is a wonderful protectant to the baby, IgG is less effective in fighting some bacteria namely Gram-negative bacteria.)