Harold investigates how cells and antibodies work to protect us
Healthy Harold has listened to your Kids News poll and heads into spring break by reporting ‘live from the inside’, getting the scoop on how busy blood cells in our bodies help fight infection
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Hey friends!
I loved hearing from you through our Kids News poll. Thanks for your input on what I should write about next. It’s an exciting topic …
Drum roll, please …!
The majority of you wanted to learn more about … our amazing immune system.
Great choice.
To get the inside scoop on how our bodies fight infection, I went straight to the source.
That’s right, I worked with some incredible Kid Scientists to go undercover in the human body. What does this look like?
We used a shrink ray to make me microscopic – it’s okay, we discovered it’s safe for giraffes in our school lesson called The Inside Story. But please don’t try this at home, kids!
I brought back all the facts and I can’t wait to share them with you.
The immune system is made up of organs, tissues and cells that all work together to keep us healthy and to prevent us from getting sick. As I was floating around in the bloodstream, I saw how the immune system works.
I ran into some white blood cells – they are like tiny detectives, constantly scanning for unfamiliar substances called antigens, like harmful germs or viruses. The white blood cells can recognise when things don’t belong in our body.
Once the white blood cells see an antigen, they jump into action. They call on their friends, the antibodies, to form an elite team to fight it. After the antibodies have done their job, some of them stay in the body’s memory. That way, if the antigen shows up again, the immune system can recognise the “invader” much faster than the first time. This is why people who get chickenpox the first time are less likely to get it again! There are some viruses that are harder to fight than others though. They can be tricky because they can change their appearance to hide, or they can be super speedy and copy themselves quickly to outnumber our white blood cells.
The whole immune response usually takes a few days. But you might be wondering; “if you say the immune system can deal with antigens like germs or viruses in a few days, why do I feel sick for a week or more?” The answer is that the immune system’s main job is not to stop you from feeling sick, but to stop the antigen from multiplying to dangerous levels inside the body.
The more we learn about the immune system, the more fascinating it becomes. Here are some fun facts that you might not know:
Symptoms like a high fever are processes to help the immune response. When your body is warm, it makes it more difficult for the bacteria and viruses to reproduce and spread because they are temperature sensitive.
Our skin is like a superhero shield. It is the largest organ in our body and is made up of millions of cells. As our first line of defence, it protects us from germs and bacteria. It also cushions us when we trip or fall, helping to prevent more serious injuries. Best of all, our skin is always repairing and renewing itself.
Laughter does more than brighten your mood. It triggers the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, which can help reduce stress. Making time for a good laugh each day can help keep your immune system functioning at its best.
Isn’t our body amazing? Our immune system is constantly improving itself so it can protect you better. You can help by:
Fuelling your body with a balanced diet
Getting enough sleep so our body can recharge
Drinking plenty of water
Getting lots of exercise
POLL