Need Suggestions to Help Daughter Recovering from Pneumonia!

Hi S.,

So sorry to hear about your daughter's pneumonia and hospitalization. I know it is so scary as I have two children who also get pneumonia. I got so fed up with how scrawny and sickly my oldest son was that I finally took him to a pulmonologist. Since then, he has been a completely different child and at the first sign of a cold I step up the inhalers and give him oral steroids. He is eating like a horse now and is in the 90th % for weight! I know it is all because of the meds.

I hope you find the right care that works for you.

Best of luck!

L.

I would not give echinaecea to a baby. Adults are only supposed to take it for a short period of time as it is. Kefir from Lifeway is an excellent food/drink to mix with banana for a baby. It will boost her immune system very much. Comes in several flavors. It's like yogurt. Good luck and best wishes for your wee one.
D. N.

You've gotten some great advice! I want to second those moms who said: no echinacea (it's a short term supplement for adults only!), go see a pulmonary specialist and/or allergist, and try flavored kefir. Kefir is yummy, an excellent source of calcium and protein, and has a ton of probiotics to build immunity. And good extra calories too!

And first and foremost, consider a babysitter or nanny. It's more expensive, but I think it will be well worth it for your child's health. Some kids just aren't ready for daycare at this age, and your little one clearly needs some immune system pampering! :)

Good luck with your daughter. You must be a wreck, after such a difficult time. A hospital stay is probably harder on mom than the baby! How hard has this been on your job, too?! You need a vacation now...but you probably don't have any time off left!

Pneumonia is a serious illness that can cause life-long respiratory problems ... Find a Pediatric Pulmonoligist. Get to the cause of the problem. She may need nebulizer treatments, or a special day-care setting.If she is failing to gain weight, there are nutritional supplements available.

Please don't muck around with this. Recurrent bouts of pneumonia will affect her future, and severely threaten her health. I lost a niece to recurrent pneumonia when she was four. Homeopathics only go so far.. Please see a specialist.

get her out of the daycare. no daycare period until you find what's causing her to get sick so often.
all these people saying call me i have the natural solution for you...please ignore.
ask pediatrician how her tonsils are, see an ENT, go to an allergist. i believe the daycare isn't doing its job to keep the place germ-free. if someone has strep, has been dropped off at school with strep, the daycare needs major cleaning to get rid of that and not have other kids get sick.
pneumonia is a serious thing. recurring pneumonia needs serious looking into.
good luck

HI S.
I am so sorry your daughter has been so sick. Please know that this too will pass.
Is there a possibility that this is allergy?
Is she possibly allergic to echinaecea like mine was? Are you sure you are dosing correctly for the age? You are not playing with goldenseal too are you?
Are you a working mom? Is that why the daycare? Perhaps she is too weak to be there right now.
Lots I could say, but vitamin C, will build Vit B, and the way you know it is too much is diarreah. Vit A is the natural antibiotic, and too much gives stomach ache.
I don't think herbs are good for babies, they are not regulated enough. Check with the health food professional. Some cause the cold they have to go into pneumonia. Always tell the MD if you have self medicated your children. It will help them to treat.
God bless you
K. SAHM married 38 years -- adult children 37,32, and twins 18.
K.

Dear S.,

Wow what a tough situation for your poor daughter. Does she suffer from asthma or any other respiratory issues? I had a friend who's son had asthma and would get pneumonia all of the time until he was properly diagnosed. So I would have that checked out. I really wouldn't be concerned about eating healthy right now I would let her have pretty much anything she wants just to get her weight up. I think they make a shake that has tons of nutrients in it for kids who do not eat well maybe that would help. Does she like pasta? I would try pasta with broccoli most kids love broccoli. You can make it with a little butter and parmesan cheese my kids would love that. I am Italian so we eat tons of pasta, Pasta with peas is also good, you can make so many different versions of pasta and put so many veggies in it and kids usually love it. I remember when I was young and had braces and couldn't eat my mom would make homemade milkshakes she would put bananas in it or any fresh fruit and that would also taste great. I would check into your daycare policy on sickness and also see what their sterilizing process is. I own a daycare and although sickness is difficult to prevent we sterilize tables, chairs, and toys daily especially in the winter. At your daughters age everything goes into their mouth so it is important that they are cleaning properly. I know many centers where the directors do not send kids home quick enough because parents give them a hard time when they are sick. I make sure at the first sign of illness the children are brought to me and stay with me until parents can pick up this way they are taken from the classroom and not spreading germs any further . I also do not allow children back until they are symptom free for 24 hours. These are state rules not mine and although it is tough on parents I enforce them to protect everyone at my center, staff as well as students. If you can keep her home for a few weeks with a family member I would let her build up her resistance before sending her back to daycare because right now we are going though the stomach virus at my school. Good luck I hope she feels better soon!!

Just be careful with the natural remedies you use. Using natural products sounds nice but she could be allergic to some of these herbs. My daughter is allergic to echinacea. Too much vitamin C will cause anyone a great deal of stomach upset. Too many herbs of different kinds is like taking a bunch of prescribed medication...you have to know if they can be mixed, how much you can take and how often. It's very important to think of herbs and supplements like a drug because well, they are potent drugs from earth. They all have side effects if taken in the wrong quantities.
My daughter also uses Xopenex and she does has asthma. She had four cases of pneumonia before she was diagnosed with asthma and since she was and since we learned how to control her asthma, she hasn't had a case since. The very minute you hear your daughter sniffle or she tells you her throat hurts or you hear her cough in the slightest, you should start her on the nebulizer three(or 4 if you can squeeze it in) times a day.
If her appetite is poor I would suggest Jello(I'm sure you already thought of that) and all the typical poor appetite foods. I also use the pediatric vitamin shakes they sell in the baby section for toddlers. They are good tasting and they go down easy. And of course pedialite popsicles.
My daughter was 2 when she got her first flu and it went into pneumonia and it was almost three months befor she started to be herself again. She lost alot of weight and was weak and had tremendous dark circles under her eyes and she slept alot. Just hang in there and try to give her very very little to consume very often.
Right now I wouldn't worry so much about vitamins and immune boosters. She needs calories and glucose to get her strength and weight up and then her body will be able to absorb the natural remedies better.

Natural Diet
Plenty of rest and pure water. Smoothies consisting of water banana fresh pineapple strawberries rasberries seedless grapes whatever she likes Try different combinations with banana as the base and water controls the consisteny.once she gets used to the fruit smoothy you ad a small handful of fresh spinach or pure carrot juice. This is harder because they don t like the look of it. If it too hard for her leave it out it was for extra vitamins

You can also boil some water add raw oat meal and strain. Add some agave nectar a pinch of sea salt a scrape of fresh nutmeg Chill and sip as needed. Good luck

Hi S.,

I am so sorry for what you and your daughter are going through.

As you know, she should not be going through this. There is a reason why her body is getting so sick, so often. You need to find the root of this problem. I think you are on the right track with trying to increase her immune system. While I can provide you with some herbs that will help, I am not a doctor and wouldn't know what doses, etc. to recommend. Also, if she is eating foods that are detrimental to her immune system, the herbs (and medicine) will not help.

I will suggest you find a Naturopath Dr. (ND) in your area to really find out why your daughter is getting sick, what you can do to stop the illnesses and build that immune system up in a natural way. (Probably by eliminating foods and providing appropriate supplements)

Traditional Dr.'s will just give her medicine which cause side effects and don't get to the root of the issue.

Please, do your daughter a favor and make an appt with a ND asap - she will really benefit from it.

Good Luck!
J.

Poor girl! With so much going on, it might be a good idea to see a naturopath for some professional advice and direction if natural is the course you prefer (I do too!)

I think she needs a good children's vitamin plus minerals to boost her entire immune system. All those illnesses must have weakened her. Does she have allergies or asthma? I wouldnt worry about her weight, but certainly try to figure out why she gets sick so often. Can you change day cares or speak to them about their sanitary conditions?

Hi S.,
If you are serious about doing something about building her immune system up, call me! I have some nutritional info that will help, when you really want to do something about it! Your daughter is just taking more anti-biotics that are killing her natural immune system and after a while using the Echinachea-it does not work anymore anyway! I've had a lot of experience with that.
My phone number is ###-###-####
I am a very busy home based biz gal and I will stop to help you out if you call me or give me your tel # and I will call you when I have 15 mins. ____@____.com

S.,

Being a mom myself, I have been in the colds, ear infection, sinus infection routine with two of my kids so I know how you feel since I used to feel the same way. I have found a solution two years ago that has worked for me that I'd love to share.

As a result, I now love my found solution so much that have a natural health and wellness business. I help educate people for free, it's part of my job. I would love to help you if you are still seeking info. Please e-mail me and I'll share my phone number so we can talk.

T.
Mom of 3 ages, 6, 5 and 3

Hi S., You little girl has gone through so much. Is she in a daycare or does she have allergies or other issues? I will pray that you find a safe solution. I know the other moms will have some ideas for you and yes, see a pulmonologist. My best for the New Year, Grandma Mary

Hello:

Sorry to hear about this. Try building up her immune system AND eliminating as many sugars as you can AND keep her hydrated. Also, don't let everyone, touch, kiss, hold your baby, etc. Some people are adverse to washing their hands, and covering their mouths when they cough.

In 2001 I had a "touch" of pneumonia and personally attest to how lousy one feels with this bug. Unfortunately, after the death of a workmate, (hiv) did I realize that everyone in our unit had some form of pneumonia, at one point or another while working with this woman. She was constantly out on sick leave due to pneumonia which is deadly in someone with a compromised immune system. May she rest in peace.

Although I'm not blaming this person for my issues, it was at this point that I began to research and found out that pneumonia is a communicable disease.

Ever since, I have protected myself from ANYONE who coughs, sneezes, hocks etc.

Your baby unfortunately will be exposed to colds, flu, and germs in general, since she's in a daycare environment. My older daughter never got anything. My younger daughter is in daycare and keeps a runny noise. Her principal said "its in style". Although no laughing matter, I laugh it off and combat as much as I must.

Find your baby a reliable pediatrician who specialises in lung issues. And if you are unsatisfied with this person, keep looking. In the meantime, build up her immune system and keep her hydrated.

Good Luck and hope she feels better.

BTW

There is plenty new research that says too many vaccinations compromise the immune system. Research, research, research.

So sorry all of you have to go through this. I would change daycare as soon as possible, sounds like she is not adjusting well. The daycare could have mold issues and that is very deadly. Places may appear clean but really are not.
Try the Childcare Coordinating Council, we have one in our area. They can give you a list of your local Childcare Providers. I hope that she is on her way to a full recovery and that is the last time you have to go through a hospital stay. Good Luck

S., I'm so sorry to hear of the difficulties your daughter has had. What a tough time for you and your family! There are some great suggestions listed but one I haven't seen is Aloe Juice. Just like Aloe is great on the outside of your body for burns, scrapes & cuts, it's amazing on the inside of your body, too.

You do have to be careful about aloe, though. Some brands may not take out the alonine which can cause diarreah - something your daughter certainly does NOT need right now! The regulations for Aloe Juices are kinda funny - they state that a bottle can say it's 100% aloe juice even tho it only has a max of 10% aloe in it. I know it's weird - and I don't quite get that myself. And it doesn't require that the alonine be removed either.

Anyway, my son has been drinking Ultimate Aloe Juice from MarketAmerica.com since about the time he started to drink from a sippy cup around 12 months or so. It's the only juice I give him. There are two flavors he loves, Pomegranate (like a cranberry tartness) and Strawberry Kiwi (nice and sweet for the kids). You can water it down or mix it with other juices/liquids to adjust the taste to what she likes. Normally, I split it 50/50 with water but when my little guy seems like he's getting sick or there's yucky stuff going around the daycare center, I'll give him 75% aloe/25% water or even 100% aloe for a day or two. There's no alonine in it so I don't have to worry about the runs and no added sugar in it either. There's tons of good stuff, it's anti-bacterial, anti-viral, has lots of vits and minerals in it (it can help with pneumonia, stomach bug, ear infection, all the stuff you mention your daughter's suffered from). It's just all around good for a big or little person.

There are some great suggestions listed here. I think the Ultimate Aloe Juice is definately worth looking into as an option. marketamerica.com has a video on it too if you want to learn more. I hope this is the last bout of illness your daughter has!

P.S. I'm happy to share more about the marketamerica.com Aloe and other supplements that have helped my son if you wanted to talk more.

i am going through the same situaton right now with my 2 year-old only i didn't give him a flu vaccination. the only advice i can give is what i am hoping will work for my lil one. he was just diagnosed with pneumonia in the lower lobe of his right lung. The dr.'s are quick to dole out the antibiotics but ive been researching and dicovered that he needs probiotics to make up for the tons of antibiotics especially after having pneumonia. Definently talk about this with your dr...but i got culturelle for kids and am going to start him on 1/4 tsp. per day or 2/day depending on how he does. also got vitamins for him with vitamin c and immune boosting echinacea...hope they help!! just a suggestion but i know how you feel. hope it works ok for you.

S.-
you got some good advice here and some bad. use COD LIVER OIL. i give my 3 kids (3.5 and 2 yo twins) 1 tsp in the morning and 1 tsp at night. get the liquid and it is even cherry flavored and the kids don't mind they call it cherry juice! i also mix it with juice and they drink it up. i found it at shoprite. my kids have not missed 1 day of daycare in 3 weeks and let me tell you, this is a record. i would also take your daughter to a respiratory specialist, now, don't wait. my son was hospitalized 4 times (and almost intubated!!) before i took him and he is a new boy--active and healthy like a 3 yr old should be. i also give them all a chewable vitamin C, 500mg--my oldest gets a whole one and the twins get a half of one. this is a large dose for a child, so i would give your daughter no more that a half a pill or even a quarter. we go to a great respiratory specialist in morristown, let me know if you need a recommendation.

Wow, I am so sorry. I wanted to also suggest getting her tested for allergies. My son was just under 1 year old and got a cold that would not go away, the doctor just kept telling me that it was a cold and 3 weeks later I switched docotrs and they diagnosed him with Pneumonia and it never went away with 2 courses of antibiotics so he ran an allergy test and low and be hold he is allergic to eggs.

I also would recommend hiring a babysitter to come to your house, untill she is stronger or at least until the mystery is solved to the cause. I would also ask the other parents if there kids are sick alot too, maybe this is not a clean place. It may apear to be but if they are not disinfecting then it is not.

I hope this has been helpful and good luck.

Hi S.,
Sounds like you've really had a hard time lately. I know there are a million natural remedies available to help you, and I would recommend going to a professional in your area. Some good places to start to find one would be : American Holistic Health Association (www.healthy.net/ahha) or the American Herbalists guild (www.americanherbalistsguild.com) You really need someone to look at her specific needs and history before recommending anything. Good luck & let me know if you need more resources.
A.

Dr. Yurkovsky in chappaqua, ny has helped so many people from the wtc with compromised immune systems and lung issues. His phone is ###-###-####. Www.yurkovsky.com

we have had great results with him. Hope this helps your daughter.

L johnson