Immunity Booster for 14 Month Old

I think they make a product called "Airborne" for children. It keepts their immune sysem up and running to avoid colds and other illnesses. I know they make it for Adults, and I thought I saw it for kids who attend daycares, or are prone to illness. It is non prescription.

I drink lemon water, and the kids love to emulate me, so they now drink lemon water (squeez lemon juice into water). I also have warned them when they are sick, they are not allowed to have sugar, because it keeps them sick longer (it undermines the immune system).

I try to have fresh fruit and veggies on the table as much as possible. We eat "Trees" and carrots wtih Ranch dressing and we have sliced apples, grapes, and thy love strawberries.

RSV is a viral lung infection that has no cure and is never gone out of the body once it's contracted. This was explained to me the 3rd time my daughter was diagnosed with RSV. It lays dormant in your lungs and anything can trigger it to "flare up." Most likely your child has RSV when you think they have a serious cold, cough,earache, or congestion. When my daughter gets bad and I think she is having a RSV flare, I ask for the RSV nose swab test to verify it so that she can be treated properly.

Adults get RSV, which means they have had it as a child. RSV is most commonly mis-diagnosed as bronchitis.

All you can do is try to keep your son away from sick kids/people until his immune system can build up. My daughter was 2 when she was 1st diagnosed. At 14 months, you really need to be careful and keep him away from any sickness anyone has. Any sickness can trigger a virus in your child and it may show up different than what the other person had. More than likely the cold/wheezy/congestion/ear infections you described after the RSV breakout IS RSV. You will forever need to be on the watch for signs of RSV in your son. RSV can be just one or all of it's symptoms: cough, runny nose(even clear snot), fever, ear infection that goes for weeks... Think about all the symptoms he has with each episode...You are the mom, you are around him 24/7, you can ask the DR for the RSV test-don't wait for them to suggest it.

Keep him hydrated. Pedialyte comes in popsicles. You can freeze some and keep some for liquid drink. This is what I use most, due to the fact that Pedialyte is only good for 48 hours after it is opened. When his appetite is down, due to not feeling good, Pediasure is good and we always keep it on hand as well. Both these come in generic, less expensive brands. They are all made by the same company.

I also keep OTC meds on hand at all times: tylenol, motrin, benedryl...We have a nebulizer for when the RSV gets really bad, she is 10 now.

Research RSV. The more you know, the more you will understand. The more you understand the more relief you and your son will feel. RSV is not just a cold, it can be life threatening if not treated properly. Here are 2 of many websites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_syncytial_virus

http://children.webmd.com/tc/respiratory-syncytial-virus-...

Talk to a naturopath if you can. They will be able to recommend correct dosages of echinacea and other herbs. Pediatric chiropractic work/cranio-sacral therapy may also help his body fight off illness because a well-aligned body is just able to function better as whole.

Saline nose-drops might also do wonders. Keeping the sinuses moist is a great defense.

As Wenda pointed out, fresh air is a must. It's cold, but if you can close his door for an hour or so to air his room out every day, that can help too. But time outside is great.

Having worked in preschools, I strongly urge frequent handwashing with regular soup, not antibacterial, and most certainly not the squirty antibacterial soap that comes in the pump. Save that for the park. At our center (and other teachers have shared this same observation) we noticed that when we were using the antibac soap or Purell, we actually had MORE sick kids in class and more illness than we did with plain ol' soap. We wash up every time we come in from being out, before and after meals, before and after playdates and always after toileting.

We also avoid places where one is more likely to get sick. Children often spread germs by touching the same toys. Children's museums, restaurants and cafes with kid areas, day cares and schools are wonderful places for kids to get sick. It's really not clear how often they wash their toys, and from what I've observed, toys are not usually removed after having been in a child's mouth. Unfortunately, a lot of people bring their sick children out to these places. I'm not saying "don't go", but washing hands thoroughly before you leave is a good way to keep our kids healthier than they might otherwise be. And postponing playdates with sick friends, too. It's not paranoid, it's just common sense.

My naturopath recommended I give my 16-month-old elderberry syrup daily (you can buy it at PCC, Whole Foods or Seattle Super Supplements). Also make sure your son gets enough vitamin D. I give my son 1000 I. U. every other day. I bought Carlson vitamin D drops & they are very easy to administer. We all need more vitamin D than was previously thought. Vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body affecting the immune system functioning. You can read more at www.vitaminDcouncil.org. Of course, frequent handwashing for you & your son is important as well as weekly wiping of toys with sanitizing wipes. My son seems to get a cold every time he plays with the toys at his doctor's office, Gymboree or Tot Spot Cafe. Good luck!

You are taking him to see the pediatrician when he gets like this, right? Ear infections, repeat, ones need the attention of your dr. Are you finishing all the antibiotic he is given when he has one of these episodes? You have to use it all up, not missing a dose because the virus/bacteria will become resistant to the antibiotic, the bug builds up an immunity to the medicine, and the next time he gets sick they'll have to use a stronger antibiotic. So follow the directions to the letter. Prevention... keep the dust down in your house. Vaccuum the rugs and wipe down the floors. Wash your hands frequently. Before your 5 yr old comes home from pre-school or kindergarten, hands washed before he starts playing or doing anything at home. I had perfect attendance at work until my kids started attending school. They brought home every cold and flu bug imaginable and my body wasn't prepared for the onslaught. RSV will make his lungs more susceptible to future respiratory ailments, so do your best to keep him well. A well balanced diet, low on fast foods, high on fresh vegies and fruits that you cook and/or serve raw. Make sure he's not anemic. Keep his shots up to date. You may want to talk to your dr. about a flu shot or pneumonia shot for him, they do help.
Get plenty of sleep, fresh air play (bundle him up in cold weather), take him for a walk... it'll be good for both of you!!! I take it your the custodial parent, so talk with Dad about these activities as well. See if can incorporate them into his routine with the kids. It helps if there is continuity in both homes. It will get better.

In my mother's childhood era (1920) they would insist upon making your child getting lots of fresh air every day, even at this age.

My son had bronchiolitis (one caused by RSV) at 2 months and 4 months. After that, he would catch a cold and be sick and coughing horribly for week at a time. Very wheezy. My pediatrician finally sent us to the asthma and allergy specialist. Best thing we could have done. We had a very manageable routine with Flovent and albuterol as needed and it made a HUGE difference. Colds stayed simple colds and we didn't get any of the wheezing and horrible coughs.

Kids are going to get colds. It's a fact of life. And the more they get now, they less they get when they get older. If your son is like mine, you need to know how to manage them and make them better. The asthma specialist worked miracles for us. I'd recommend you seek out a specialist. We see Dr. Frank Virant at NW Asthma and Allergy. However, I'm thinking of changing to Dr. Mary Farrington who I've heard raves about.

Good luck!

My son had RSV last year and had the same problem - he kept getting ear infection after ear infection and just looked sickly. I finally had a doctor recommend probiotics (you can buy them for infants at new seasons market) because he had been on antibiotics for months. Turns out, the antibiotics wipe out all the good bacteria that your body needs. There are some good bacteria in the stomach area that help the body absorb b-vitamins and other nutrients and without those vitamins it is very difficult to stay healthy! I gave them to my son for a few days (you have to wait until your done with any antibiotics) and he got his color back and he didn't get sick again! RSV is really hard on little ones, but hopefully he'll be feeling better soon. I've heard the wheezing triggered by colds does stop usually after a year. Good luck to you! I hope this helps! D.

I know a great herbalist that could help you with your son's immune system.

My son had broncioitis at 2mo old and is a runny nose kid.
However it is rarely green and he rarely gets sick.

We use Emergenc's which for a 14mo old I'd do a half at a time. You can buy ones that have less than 1,000 mg. vit C.
it tastes good and my son loves it!

I also use Shaklee Vitamins and he gets them everyday. Along with my daughter.

People around us will be sick for 2 weeks and on antibiotics.

My children are sick for maybe 2-3 days. Each of my children have only been on antibiotics once in their life and they are 4 and 5 years old.

We push natural foods and lots of fruits and veggies.
My kids don't like cooked veggies so we do broccoli and carrots. apples and bananas. My son will eat spinach on a sandwhich but most of the time we stick to the normal kid veggies.

When they are sick I go get the Naked Juice the C Booster and mix it 4oz with that juice, 4oz water and an Emergency. We call it their "potion" and I make sure they have it all day long. We usually knock what ever they've caught rather quickly and are going about our normal days again! :0

Let me know if you'd like the name of my Herbalist also.
she might be able to test his body and tell you what his body needs to keep his immune system up.

Yogurt. Yogurt has probiotics (good bacteria) in it which is essential for a healthy immune system. You can also get it as a supplement, but I'm not sure about product or dosage for little ones. If you put your son on antibiotics for anything, you should give him probiotics at the same time. Without probiotics it takes an immune system 1 year to recover after taking antibiotics. I hope your little guy gets better and stays well.

Please take away milk from his diet. Just try it for a few weeks and see how everything gets better. Give him raw goats milk, if that doesn't work rice milk. Just make sure he gets a vitamin supplement with calcium. I prefer to buy my supplements at a Natural Food Store. One made with whole foods. I have had three children. Every child with ear infections, colds, congestion. I took away cows milk(dairy)and my kids have not even had so much as a runny nose in 1 1/2 yrs. I have a 5 yr old and a 2 yr old and a teenager. Please let me know if you would like more info on altlernative foods or books that I've read.

Lots of good advice. You can also check out these sites http://www.hylands.com/products/cplus.php , http://www.bionoricausa.com/ .

I have a 9 and 5 year old girls. One year we had a cold and then a stomach virus every month. It was awful. The next year we have only had a few colds. The fact is kids get sick. Just for precaution we now wash hands when we leave places before we get in the car like playgroups and gymnastics class and wash when we get home from stores. Also, you could try a naturepath maybe he is allergic to something that is causing the runny and congestion.

Anyways, good luck

Hi B.,
I give my kids pedi sure every day. and my 3 year old has only been sick once and that was a year ago, and even then it was only a cold. same for my 2 year old. and he has health problems from birth, 'heart' my kids love pedi sure.. taking vitamine D every day is a great way to avoid getting sick. great for the immune system. and there isn't enough in milk. and surly if you live in washington you don't get enough sun to get enough vitamin d from that. so we all take a supplement. and we rarely get sick around here.. if your child is in day care. I would defiently be giving him something.. good luck

Keni is dead on...so I won't repeat.

Here's my short list of immune boosters (although some may repeat), foodwise it's actually a good regimen to be on all the time. Ahem, that is, YOUNG CHILDREN need high fats, for adults switch it to low fats, unless you're sick.

Foodwise:
- Vitamin C*
- Nutrient & Vit. rich diet.
- LOTS of fluids ALL the time
- Active Yogurt
- High fat intake **

Otherwise:
- Lots of fresh air
- NO DRAFTS while sleeping (including open windows & fans)
- Sleeping on a slight upward incline
- Lots of body movement throughout the day (unless, actively sick, then rest rest rest)
- Get dirty!!
- Then use soap
- Decongestants & anti-inflammatories

*(ummm...C and many others are water soluble, so these can get flushed. It's better to be eating oranges all day & taking a chewable, then to cut down on milk & water. Tag team the two, in fact, and have orange juice. Or add C to his water. You'll notice the extra that doesn't get absorbed/used because his pee will be bright yellow. No worries. Whatever doesn't get used gets flushed out of our systems. Fat soluble vitamins and minerals are different, we store the excess. It's HARD to OD on vitamins, but make sure you're dosing correctly if you're doing supplements. Food sources are the best.)

** Babies and toddlers need a lot of fat in their diets. Their brains and nervous systems aren't done being built, and those are made of mostly fat. In addition, our immune system components are made mostly of fats, with proteins. Hence why chicken noodle soup is the sovereign specific for nearly any illness. One of the easiest/best sources of the fats that they need is simply to use whole milk and whole milk products (cheeses, yogurts, etc.). The downside of this is twofold: One) as adults we usually need low fat/non fat...so this means buying two entirely separate groups of dairy, one for the kids and one for us. Two) Dairy can cause mild congestion or make existing congestion worse. If he's actively sick, it's better to avoid dairy. So...during those times make sure the other food they're eating is rich in healthy fats.

Hi B.,
My grandson also had RSV as a newborn & is prone to getting sicker than normal when he's exposed to cold viruses. The best thing I can recommend is to keep your 5 year old healthy, as he is probably a good source of some of the bugs! Do you keep antiseptic hand gel around you all of the time? If not, start using it to "wash" your hands& that of your 5 year old, before touching your 14 month old. The same goes with any toys with which both of your kids play. If anyone smokes, who is going to be around your baby, make sure that he/she wears a "smoking shirt" & smokes in the garage, or outside...and changes shirts, washes hands and face (if there's facial hair involved), before touching your 14 month old.

Hope this helps!

J.

I'd take him to the chiropractor. I've worked in chiropractic for years and have taken my kids in since they were born! They are sick much less often than other kids I know, and when they are sick and get adjusted it reduces the severity and duration. Good luck!

I would suggest having your little one tested for allergies. My nephew was very similar to your description and told he was allergic to milk, egg and nuts. It got better and as he got older got sick again and found he was allergic to pork as well. Get a referral from your doctor for a allergist, many kids are allergic to a few things and then it goes away by about 5 (my nephew and his sister with similar allergies just had their first real egg!). Knowing the allergies and the proper medicines for the airborne ones have made a big difference for him (and my sister).