Suggestions to Keep Children Healthy During the Flu Season

Stay away from malls, indoor play places like the Magic House and Gymboree,grocery stores,daycares...just about any place that is indoors from mid October thru March. Untill people educate themselves on the flu vaccines,and realize they do WAY MORE good than harm, there will be more really sick babies and eldery.
As Dr.Phil would say,'How's that workin'for you?'

We don't do the vaccinations either. My doctor pretty much insisted on a vitamin. We use just a daily chewable but I don't think they make them for babies. We will drink more orange juice for the vitamin c. We also will do pedisure and luckily they have off brands now. I usually will cut it with milk because it is high in calories. As for washing hands, I let them play in the sink with hand soap. They still get sick alot, unfortunatly. I don't like using medicine if I can avoid it and we use humidifiers in all of the rooms at night.

I agree that the flu vaccine is an incredibly bad idea. I doubt there are many who have thoroughly studied the history and the suedo-science behind this vaccine, and who are not making money on it, who would suggest this vaccine is anything but dangerous. There is an ingredient in the nasal spray form that is remarkably risky, even to those who are exposed to people who have used it within 3 weeks. They are not only exposed themselves, they are contageous. So, even if you are not getting the flu vaccine, some of you may be bringing it home from school or work or even the grocery store. It seems it is easier to protect yourself from second-hand cigarette smoke than from second-hand vaccines!

There are many things that can be done to improve immunities and general strength and health. But, there are so many and it may not be wise to throw everything at the situation. It is probably better to find out what has suddenly left the family vulnerable. I would seek a good doctor who is well trained in natural and nutritional practices. It isn't good to start throwing everything at the problem because you don't really know what will help.

The most common weekness in the US today is not a lack of vitamin C, but a lack of vitamin D. During the winter we are not outside enough and do not get near enough exposure to the sun, which is necessary for the body to make vitamin D. Without enough vitamin D, the body does not metabolize calcium well. Without enough calcium, the body's cells are more vulnerable to disease causing agents.

But there could be other reasons. I don't like going overboard with things like lysol that are toxic to the environment and to the human body. The only sanitizers I use are things like vinegar, essential oil based cleaners or soaps, and occasionally some grain alcohol such as vodka (I never drink it, but it is much safer than rubbing alcohol for cleaning or disinfecting).

One thing you might consider is that you say all this has happened since the last baby was born. You may want to consider the stress factor of interrupted sleep patterns that the little angels tend to inspire. Although you may have gone through this with each new baby, things get more complex as families grow. With the first baby you could try to sleep when the baby slept. Once there are older children, you still have to be up for them, perhaps getting them off to school, etc. If you are overstressed, well, you know the saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

If stress is the issue, you might want to take a good B vitamin supplement or stock up on foods rich in B vitamins. I am very very picky about the brand of B vitamins I use. If it smells terrible, they probably used a spoiled source for making that pill. The B vitamins I take are from Young Living Essential Oils and they never have that pungent smell or make you burp up that unpleasant taste. B vitamins can help with stress, but there is no replacement for good sleep. The body does most of its healing and restoration functions while we sleep. The most helpful thing I have found for sleep is to learn a technique of simple acupressure called EFT. You can learn more about it at www.emofree.com.

The other thing most people seem to know little about are probiotics, such as those in plain, organic yogurt. There are immune booster drinks in little bottles that are a bit expensive but can be found near the yogurt. These are high in probiotics, but also in sugars and flavorings. You can find purer probiotic supplements in capsules and pills, but I don't know if they have been made available in children's doses or drops for babies. I would puchase the capsules and call the company for recommended doses by age. Then you can open the capsule and mix the appropriate amount into cold foods like apple sauce or peanut butter, etc. These probiotics are essential to maintain healthy digestion. These are the 'friendly' bacteria that help line the intestines for healthy immune function. By the way, they also are responsible for producing most B vitamins. But, keep in mind that they do not produce B12. You still need that from other sources.

These are just a few possibilities. It is helpful to get a good book on nutrition, but I wouldn't just read a book and start self diagnosing too soon. Finding a good doctor that can help you identify what has made your family more vulnerable, and, can help you find solutions that truly strengthen your family is probably the most direct solution.

Hope this gives you good food for thought and that you are all feeling much better soon!

In our house we use Echinacea (sp?) and Emergen-C. They are great in prevention and getting over illness fast. The Echinacea comes in tablet and liquid form and is safe for the whole family and the Emergen-C you can mix with water and drink it. It comes in different flavors. Even pink lemonaide flavor now. Both of these you can get at Wal-mart or your local pharmacy. Good luck and God Bless.

Hi F. M,
http://www.herbalhealer.com has many natural medicine options available for the whole family. It is a member only organization, but membership is free.
K.

I know what you said, but there is nothing wrong with the flu vaccine. The nasal spray one is a live vaccine and does make you contagious or can make you show mild flu symptoms, but the injection is a killed vaccine and not harmful--unless you are allergic to eggs. You also don't get the flu over and over during the year, just run of the mill viruses. My daughter in daycare has had several runny noses and a tummy bug and it's difficult, but it's all part of building up a good immune system for school years and later in life.

Getting sleep, good food, hand washing, exercise, covering mouth & nose when sneezing/coughing, reducing stress--those are all good ideas. And I'm a fan of probiotics too--yogurt for all, but the babies under 1yr., of course. It helps you stay healthy by strengthening the healthy bacteria in your gut and that is a huge part of your immune system.

Best of luck over the winter.

My oldest 3 are grown now and it's really difficult for me not being in charge of them. When they were kids I insisted on a lot of healthy practices like, movie marathon days (restful), tons of orange juice and raw carrots, herbs and vitamins, getting to bed at a decent hour etc.

I see the way my girls burn the candle at both ends and it wreaks havoc on their systems. My 18 year old has a sore and swollen throat pretty much most of the winter. Today she was seen and began antibiotics for strep throat.

My 3rd daughter was very sickly too and is my 18 year old now. I guess nothing much has changed. She had sleep apnea as a baby due to large tonsils.

The only thing I know that works is to push a lot of rest, good foods, tons of vitamin c and products like Airborne that are meant to increase the immune system. When my girls were little I had them suck on chewable vitamin c's like candy. It sounds like the baby isn't old enough for that yet.

Suzi

Just wanted to say good on ya for avoiding vaccines! I have a very sick child now after he had his one years. They triggered a neurological auto immune disorder called OMS www.omsusa.org
Anyway, we all take acidophilus! The have babydophilus it is 1/4 tsp once a day in a babies bottle, we also have chewables for everyone else. The MUST be kept in the fridge, so that is where you find them at the health food store. We have bottles of hand sanitizer by the front door and in the bathroom, we ask that everyone use it when they come in. We have to be very careful to protect my middle son from any illness,(his immune system attacks his brain, so we REALLY don't want it to try and work).
Good Luck!

the biggest thing is frequent hand washing. Other than that, last week per the advice of a friend, I tried airborne. (I got the generic brand at the store) The tablets disolve in water, and although they are a little bitter they shortened the cold I had to 3 days (mine usually last 1-2 weeks) You can cut the tabs in half and add them to juice for your kids to drink. They are just vitamins and herbal meds.

I am so not into vaccines - I think this world is to caught up in take a pill, shove a needle in you & you don't have to worry mode. People don't realize there ARE side effects to these things, long & short term, mild to moderate. After having a son with no immune system due to its reliance upon antibiotics, I only opt for the Drs office when I know it's something that has to be fixed with medication (strep, etc) The immune boosters we used with him were acidophilus, I got it in a powder form at a health food store. He was only 20 mths & I would mix 1 tsp daily in juice or similar & it was honestly flavorless (it reminds you of a rice powder) I kept him on this for months. This is a natural antibiotic, immune booster. Also, at the first sign of a cold I would put him on Echinacea for 2-3 weeks 3-4 xs a day. This came in a liquid form that tasted a bit like strawberries. It only took 1 dropper per dose, which wasn't even a 1/2 tsp. Hope this helps...it's hard to find recommendations for "natural healing" because we are a pill popping world.

I have preemie sons who get sick often, too. Last winter we did the Synagis vaccine which I'm not convinced worked. This season, per the advise of our doctors, we are keeping them quarentined January - March (peak RSV season). I get all sorts of comments from people, but we do whats best for our kids. All 4 of us are just getting over the flu bug (hopefully in time for Thanksgiving). My suggestion would be to keep the kiddos inide for those 3 months as much as possible!

Hey I found your post intriguing about how you don't vaccinate! I fully agree with you and most people don't realize vaccinations do more harm than good. We have even experienced that with our pets and their reactions to it. Kudos to you!!! One thing I was shocked about is that you use Lysol wipes. Have you ever done research on those? Bleach and lysol are registered pesticides so using those products will make anyone more prone to sickness. First thing you will want to look at is converting your home over to a "greener" environment with eco-friendly products. You will be amazed how much better you feel and less likely of getting sick. I actually work from home and shop from a safer store that has products that are reasonably priced without chemicals and they work better than anything else out there. They have about 400 products, even supplements you would be interested in trying to prevent sickness too. The quality of the supplement makes the difference. You can email me personally if you would like more info. on how to save time and money while shopping for higher quality safer products delivered right to your door. I would love to share more with you. You can check out www.2abetterlife.com and www.2liveabetterlife.com and send me a private message if you want more details about converting your home :)

i'm giving my little girl vitamin D drops for infants/toddlers to guard against the flu. good for you to take vit. D supplements as well. you can get them at health food stores. flu is around all year...i've heard the reason people get it during the winter months is because of lack of sunlight/lack of vitamin D.

No question about it... Chiropractic care! Also, I have my entire family using Standard Process Supplements. They have a supplement for everything and I've never had a supplement work better. You can only get them through a Chiropractor however. They will not sell them to the general public. They are made from whole food sources so they are loved by the body! We have babies to the eldery using them in our office. These supplements blow off our shelves in days when we get an order in!! They are also very reasonably priced, usually in the $7-$12 range for the small bottles. If you would like more info you can call me at ###-###-####, or email me at ____@____.com. I'm not sure where you are, but I can find someone in your area if you don't live close to us! As for the vaccinations, I applaud you! You are absolutely right! Good luck! H.

Hi! Our family will not do any vaccines either! My husband rarely gets sick and I usually get a nasty cold in January but in the business I am in I am pretty run down byt the time the holidays are over. I would go to a health food store and get some kiddie vitamins from there, they also have stuff for babies that is great for their imune systems. That is all I had my kids on when they were growing up and they didn't even get sick once a year. Pop was for a special occasion so watch their sugar and processed food intake. At their young age they need all of the good nutrients out of food they can get to stay healthy and for a healthy immune system, and as time goes on that is harder and harder, well we have grandkids now and out of the heard of 10 only one of my daughters didn't really follow in my footsteps and unfortunatly her kids have paid the price. From strep throat 2 or 3 times a year to bad teeth, tubes in their ears, to bladder infections......gee, could it have been from letting them have POP in their baby bottles, or cookies for supper.......hmmmm.......oh well live and learn. Good luck to you!

Flu and colds are prevelant this time of year. But have you checked into allergies. My son had pneumonia 3 times before he was a year old. And then they found out he was allergic to formula, milk. He could drink goat's milk or meat-based formula. But no soy or reg formula. Well, he now has a son that is 3 mos and shows signs of the same allergies. So it sounds like maybe you should have your child checked. Couldn't hurt. Good luck.