Taking good care of ourselves is second nature to many of us, but for our children, healthy habits need to be taught. Young children are active, hands-on explorers who need to touch everything. Their immune systems are not well developed, and they have not yet mastered their cleanliness routines so they are more at risk for illness than adults. Sometimes, the threat of exposure goes beyond colds and minor ailments to the risk of serious illness.

The best way to avoid having a sick child is to try to prevent exposure and practice healthy living. From infancy on, we can help our children develop lifelong healthy habits. Of course, it isn’t that hard to know what to do; the hard part is doing what we know and following through with our children. If we do the best we can, chances are that we — and our children — will lead healthy lives.