How to support your kids' immune systems this back to school season

Family life can be hectic enough without the added stream of sniffles and bugs. Sharing toys, playing outside and questionably sticky hands... all important for their development but still a little germy. There isn’t a surefire way to protect your child’s immunity, but there are some things to help. From diet and supplements to sleep and stress, we spoke to H&B Nutritionist Leila Weller-Kis for her top tips on immune support for kids through winter and beyond.

1. Help them ‘eat the rainbow’

“When it comes to supporting your child's immune system, I'd always recommend starting with a healthy, balanced diet rather than focusing on one particular food or nutrient,” says Leila. “Offering a variety of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, protein-rich foods like eggs, beans, fish or lean meat, and healthy fats can help children get the nutrients they need as they grow.”¹

“Nutrients such as vitamins A, C and D, iron and zinc all play important roles in normal immune function, so including a good variety of foods is a great place to start.² For example, vitamin C can be found in foods like strawberries, peppers and oranges, while iron and zinc are found in foods such as meat, beans and fortified cereals.”^1,2

“It's also worth remembering that children don't need a perfect diet every day. Looking at what they eat across the week, offering variety and gradually introducing new foods can be a more realistic approach, especially if you have a fussy eater.”^1,3

2. Check their iron intake

It’s not just about prioritising vitamin C in the colder months. Iron’s another nutrient that contributes to normal immune function, and plenty of young people don’t get enough. Not only does iron support immune health, but it plays a role in cognitive function and reducing tiredness – pretty important for long days of work and play.

It’s important for all children to get enough iron, but they might be at particular risk of deficiency if they have a period or if they’re vegetarian or vegan. Leafy greens, red meat, edamame, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, dried apricots and fortified cereals are all good sources of iron.⁴ Vitamin C increases iron absorption, particularly in non-meat foods, so consider serving vitamin C and iron foods in the same meal (for example, adding peppers to a lentil dish).^5,6

3. Make hand washing a habit

Flu viruses can survive for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces like desks and lockers, and one of the best ways to fight their spread is to teach children good hygiene practices.⁷ Make sure kids learn to wash their hands with warm, soapy water, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds and rinsing thoroughly, after going to the toilet, touching animals and before and after cooking.⁸ If they need help timing 20 seconds, singing the “happy birthday” song twice could help.8 It’s also helpful to teach your children to catch any sneezes in a tissue and to cover their mouth when they cough to avoid passing germs on.

4. Give supplements where needed

“The NHS recommends daily supplements containing vitamins A, C and D for children aged six months to five years (with some exceptions depending on how much infant formula they're having),” says Leila.⁹ "Breastfed babies should also receive vitamin D from birth.”⁹

“While supplements can be useful in certain situations, they're not a replacement for a balanced diet. And if you're unsure which supplements are suitable for your child, it's always worth checking with your pharmacist, health visitor or GP first.”⁹

5. Consider gut-friendly foods

Did you know that the gut plays an important role in our immune system? It contains a large number of immune cells and is home to trillions of microorganisms that interact with our immune system.¹⁰ In short, some of these microbes perform useful jobs for us – so looking after them helps look after us. And a diverse microbiome (gut ‘community’) can sometimes be important for our health.¹¹

You might have heard that certain ‘probiotic’ foods, like live yoghurt, provide ‘friendly’ bacteria to add to the gut microbiome. The effect of these still isn’t fully understood, and so we can’t say for sure that eating these foods will support immunity.¹² However, including probiotic foods in your family’s diet – like miso, tempeh, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut – may be one way to support their overall gut health (and introduce some tangy new flavours).¹³

Some types of fibre, known as prebiotics, provide food for beneficial bacteria in our gut.¹⁴ You can find these in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, bananas, apples and lentils.¹¹

6. Make sure they get enough sleep

Not only is quality sleep important for avoiding a school run with grumpy children in tow, but it’s also key for supporting your immune system both in childhood and throughout life. Getting enough good-quality sleep is important for children's growth and development, and sleep also plays a role in helping the immune system function normally.¹⁵ It might be easier said than done – but according to experts, the recommended hours of sleep for each age group are:¹⁶

• toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per day

• preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per day

• school-age children (6-12 years): 9-12 hours per night

• teenagers (13-18 years): 8-10 hours per night

7. Keep them moving

As the evenings get darker and rain puts a stop to playtime, your family might not be as active as usual. But movement is important all year round, and children aged five to 18 need around an hour of exercise a day.¹⁷ If the weather’s particularly bad, try a dance party inside, a trip to the local swimming pool, skipping inside or a child-friendly workout video.

While outdoor play is beneficial, sunlight in the UK isn't strong enough for us to make enough vitamin D (which plays a role in normal immune health) during autumn and winter. The NHS recommends considering a daily 10µg vitamin D supplement for everyone aged 4 and over during these months, while children aged 1–4 should take vitamin D throughout the year.¹⁸

8. Keep vaccinations up to date

Vaccinations are important for keeping your child protected from certain illnesses, even if they have a healthy immune system. Your child’s health visitor, nursery or school should provide information on when their vaccinations are due, but you can view the NHS vaccination schedule to see what jabs they should have had at their age. If you think your child might have missed one, speak to your GP to catch them up.¹⁹

9. Help them look after their mental health

Just like with adults, stress can impact other areas of a child’s health – including their immune function.²⁰ Children might express stress differently to how we’d expect in adults – they might be tearful, clingy, refuse activities they usually like, have difficulty sleeping, start wetting the bed or become angry.²¹ It’s normal for everyone to experience periods of mild stress sometimes, but if your child’s stress, anxiety or low mood is affecting their life, you should speak to their GP.²¹

As the colder months arrive, it can be easy to get wrapped up in the chaos of family life and forget about things like immune health. But by doubling down on a varied diet, prioritising enough sleep and helping to cover any immunity gaps in their nutrition, you can strengthen their chances of staying (mostly) well through sniffle season.

Want extra advice? Check out our guide to nutrient deficiencies in children or discover our tips for staying well over Christmas...

Disclaimer – This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Working with experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.