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Is My Baby’s Immune System Less Developed Than an Adult’s?

Is My Baby’s Immune System Less Developed Than an Adult’s? (1:07)

New research shows that the immune system of an infant is actually as developed as an adult's - but there is an interesting twist to this discovery! Watch as pediatrician Alan Greene, MD, discusses this exciting development in children's health.

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I was taught in medical school that a new born's immune system is immature, and that's one of the reasons they can get infections so easily in that new born period. But new research shows something I was actually surprised by. The immune cells are mature, but they have an extra kind immune cell turned on CD71s, that turn down the immune system.

So in the world, the babies have a fully developed immune system and turn it down? I think probably the reason is so they get lots of beneficial bacterial from mum early on. So their guts are filled with good healthy bacteria and their skin is filled with good healthy bacteria and they don't react all that.

Once that's established, it ramps back up. So it gives immune to me a fresh excitement about how incredibly amazing kids are right form the beginning. They start off so mature in ways we don't imagine and it gets fresh excitement of the value of the bacteria in and around your body that are apart of keeping us healthy.