system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are some diseases less dangerous for children? (e.g.: Measles) Don’t adults have stronger immune systems?
gpt
Biologist here!

We aren't 100% sure!

We have a solid theory it has to do with how adults immune systems work compared to kids.

See, kids immune systems are still learning, so they have a higher number of phagocytes, big cells that eat invaders to learn how to fight them later.

Adults have more antibodies, cells that attack infected tissue or invaders. Our body has already learned so many diseases, we now have a specialized army to fight them

The problem is, antibodies will destroy infected tissue. If the infection is bad enough, the antibodies go into overload and start attacking our organs, start shutting down our critical systems, and cause far more damage than just the infection would.


Children's bodies take more time and are slower to respond, giving them a better chance to kill the invader slower and safer!