What Non-prescription Products Do You Give Your Kids to Help with Asthma

Hi L.,
There are vitamins and minerals that could help with allergies. That you have started taking probiotics is awesome! I'd like to know what kind of probiotic and whether you have researched it. Brands do matter. I'm a Shaklee Independent Distributor and I totally trust the Shaklee scientists. Building the immune system is the first place to start and that's why probiotics are so important. Email me. I'd be glad to call you with some more ideas.
All the best,
P.
____@____.com

I don't know if they still have them or not, but you may want to see if the American Lung Association still has a support group for parents of kids with asthma. When I was little, my parents went to that and learned how to pound on our backs to loosen the phlegm. I'm sure that there are even more things to share (there probably was back then too, but I was too little to remember) now that science has progressed.

When my kids are sick or not felling well I give them the immunity vitamin, but I'm not sure if it helps w/ allergies eventhough all 3 kids take Zyrtec as well. I try to give them the immunity vitamin everyother day & a regular one on the other days, but when they are down & out I only give the immunity one.

Allergies are bad this year... I was told our early warm weather in Ohio tricked the plants to thinking it was later in the year & some later blooming plants are starting early, plus the normal ones for this time of year are blooming. I know of people that usually have no issues that are having troubles this year.

Also, with my kids - we had cut back the amount of Zyrtec they took over the winter & just had to increase it back to the amount the doc perscribed them. We were told we could cut them back when they are doing good, just to increase it as soon as we saw any signs of issues.

Good luck getting her "uncontroll" I know it can be hard - my 6 yr old is our worst... but we have been blessed w/ no hospitalizations or ER visits in over 2 years for her, but it was a huge battle to get to that point.

as well as the supplements, you can get her the allergen free bedsheets, pillowcases, remove curtains from her room and add an air purifier, wash stuffed animals, vacuum daily... these are all suggestions given to us to help with reducing allergens

Hi L.,

Allergies are horrible this year across the country! I know here in the Kansas City area normal high pollen counts are ###-###-####. This year they are recording pollen counts that are 8000-10,000 and that is not a typo!

I know for our family we have used a whole food supplement for 10 years with great results with our overall health.

But as a wellness educator if I could suggest also looking at her diet, specifically artificial colors. Yellow dye #5 and #6 have been clinically proven to cause allergic and asthmatic symptoms in people who are sensitive. And I've seen it with my own eyes with one of my nephews.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any other way.

Lori Krause, RN, Certified Dr. Sears L.E.A.N. Coach
www.YourKitchenCoach.net

We carry a portable nebulizer with us all the time so if someone starts wheezing we can just do a quick breathing treatment and be done with it. I don't like inhalers and have had bad luck being able to use them so the portable neb is a lifesaver for us. We don't use any other meds than Albuterol for adults and Zophenex for the kids. I also have just some sterile water in tubes to use when it's just from being too dry. We do carry an epi pen for my husband and I carry the single dose Benadryl in my purse in case of an emergency.

I don't know if I would go off prescription meds and try something non-prescription. Is that what your intention is? or just information to supplement the use of medications?

It might be very infomative, I hope to look back and read some good answers here.

Our allergist has recommended Zantac (yes, the acid reducer) for wheezing, coughing, and allergies. If your daughter has reflux, it may be making the coughing/wheezing worse. It is OTC, but I would ask your doctor before starting on it, and if you do go that route, keep in mind that it can take a couple of weeks to be effective.

You may also want to ask about a nasal inhaler. That can really help with the inflammation and difficulty breathing through the nose. What kind of inhaler does she currently have? There are rescue inhalers (albuterol), and maintenance inhalers. She may need both. Also, if she is having a terrible time, they may need to give her oral steroids to get her through the rough patch. The one last thing that I would ask about is sinus infection(although your allergist will probably check anyway). Asthmatics often develop secondary infections and if that is the case, you may need to put her on antibiotics as well. You may feel like a pharmacy, but breathing trumps everything else at our house! Best of luck.

L.,
what you are doing is what I've done. I have a nebulizer machine that I rarely use anymore, but it's always at hand for when I need it for my kids together with the albuterol. I wouldn't change anything, just wait to see what the allergist tells you. Unless you want to try something else, then go to a natural health store and see what they have. I never thought of that, I would give them the medicine (nebulizer) and pray! Thank God they pretty much have outgrown that. My girl who is 8, is the only one that had an episode a few months ago.
Blessings

Hi, we use Chinese herbs given by our acupuncturist. There are pediatric acupuncturists who, with children, just stimulate the acupuncture points rather than stick needles in. And can order herbs that could be useful.

Ashley recommended allergen-free bedding. If your daughter is allergic to dust, then the bedding is very important. Also very important is to have no carpeting in the bedroom. Taking out the carpeting in the bedroom made a huge difference for us. For allergen-free bedding, you can contact AllergyProducts.com.

Good luck,
Siddheshwari

I know where you’re coming from. My son had severe cradle cap & eczema @ 4 mo, and an anaphylactic reaction to barley @ 9 mo which lead to the discovery of possible allergies to dairy, wheat, eggs, beef, pork, fish, dust, mold, cats & a later diagnosis of asthma. Every cold ended up in his lungs. I keep an Epipen, Pulmicort, Xopenex, & Bendadryl on hand. Let me start by saying that I have used these in the past & will use them in the future if need be, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS A BETTER WAY! These treatments block the immune response & steroids suppress it entirely. They provide relief of the symptoms but do nothing to address the underlying problems. Having said that, here are some things we’ve done:
Mattress & pillow dust mite protectors, all natural pillows & bedding (beware of the chemicals in the fire retardants used in mattresses) A great place to find non-toxic options for your home is www.organicgrace.com They are having a 20% off sale the month of April.
Air purifiers - Vacuums with hepa filters - Use vinegar & water to clean
No sls, parabens, phylates, phosphates, petroleum or it’s byproducts, etc. Some great products are raw shea butter from www.sheaterraorganics.com (they also have other fabulous healing oils & beauty products) Aubrey Organics makes a product we can’t live without –Aloe Vera Gel. They also have shampoos without sls. We use tooth soap from www.roseofsharonacres.com (no sls or fluoride) We cook with organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil ( also great for your skin!) We grow veggies in our garden & try to buy organic whenever possible. No junk food, refined foods or food additives for our son (I’m still working on me!) All of these things I believe have helped. I know it sounds like a lot of work but once you do the research & find the products that work for you it just becomes part of the routine to use these things. I’d be glad to give you some great product names & websites that I have found to get you started if you like. There are a few things tho that I believe are the key to our success so far:
1) Find a good chiropractor who is knowledgeable in the use of Standard Process whole food supplements. Many people with food allergies/asthma suffer from impaired digestion. Supplementing with probiotics, digestive enzymes & omega 3’s should be something you discuss with him or her. Standard Process has several fantastic products with no synthetic ingredients. Allerplex, for example contains nutrients for the lungs, liver, immune system, adrenal glands & reduction of mucus.
2) Water & Celtic Sea Salt. Check out the books written by Dr.F.Batmanghelidj on this & do some reading on sea salt-very interesting, it’s all we use now. The basic premise is that you need to drink ½ your body weight in water everyday (50lbs=25oz) and take ¼ tsp of celtic sea salt for every qt of water you drink.
3) AND MOST IMPORTANT IS E.F.T. It’s basically acupuncture without the needles. You tap on energy meridians. I wish I had taken this seriously when I first ran across it on www.mercola.com (which is a very informative website by the way) but I thot it sounded way too simple and too good to be true. It may be simple, BUT IT WORKS! Please take the time to check it out at www.emofree.com You can download a free instruction manual & read stories of its uses & successes. After discovering it did indeed work I bought several of the dvds which I am allowed to copy & give away. I can’t tell you how much this has changed our lives. My son is now 7 and we haven’t had to use the nebulizer or medications in almost 2 yrs. Colds don’t send us to the emergency room anymore! I thank God everyday for this amazingly simple technique. I use it on everything & wish I had taken it seriously sooner. I would be more than happy to share thots, info, dvds, etc with any of you moms! Knowledge is power- Cindy

I've currently been researching this for my 6yr old daughter. This is what I have found so far:
EAT PLENTY OF:
Fruits and vegetables (aim for 5-10 servings a day)
Chicken soup, broth, and other fluids to help thin bronchial mucus
Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids to counter inflammation
AVOID:
foods containing tartrazine or yellow food dye #5
any food preserved with sulfites (any ingredient ending in sulfite such as potassium bisulfite as well as sulfur dioxide)

There are no specific foods that prevent asthma, but some may lessen its complications. Evidence continues to grow on the protective effects of fruits and vegetables on lung function. Quercetin, found in apple peels, is strongly linked to increased lung function along with fruits high in vitamin C.

Good nutrition is also important for those on asthma meds because long-term steroid use causes bone loss; vitamin D and calcium supplements may be needed to strenghten bones. Potassium deficiency is another potential problem; it can be prevented by eating ample citrus fruits, bananas, dried fruits, berries, beets, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables. (Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal book published by Reader's Digest)

My chiropractor has also suggested probiotics so the gut can properly absorb the nutrients the body needs.

My daughter was just diagnosed a couple of months ago and tried a maintenance steriod inhaler but it changed her behavior so dramatically and started giving her nosebleeds that I stopped and told our pulmonologist we had to try something else. He gave us Singulair which he said is also associated with behavior changes, so we need to see if she can tolerate that. Haven't started it yet.