Would you give your toddler echinacea supplements?

[beautifulboy]

My 3 yr old already has a cold this season. I'm looking into taking preventative measures, aside from diet, I think our diet is pretty good. I don't think I would have any luck giving him echinacea tincture, even in orange juice. Would you give your toddler echinacea supplements? Also, are you supposed to take echinacea every day or just when symptoms come on?
I'm considering yummy bears.
http://heronutritionals.com/vitamins.jsp?productid=7

I'm fairly new with echinaca and other remedies. Any insight would be appreciated!

[goldenwillow]

We do.  I think the ones you listed above are ok.  We have too many allergies and those would not fly for us. 

We used black elderberry and echinacea serum in a little water.  The elderberry helps make it sweeter to the taste.  Our son also likes to drink elderberry tea.  Can buy elderberries bulk at most co ops.  It is a ton cheaper than buying the remedies listed below.  You can find alcohol free ones on this site... or can buy the remedy in a shot glass and apply a flame to it to burn it off. 

http://www.blackelderberry.info/index.cfm?id=363

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=317

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=221

This one is designed for kids..

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=217

[goldenwillow]

Here are the alcohol free ones.

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=262

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=263

http://www.herb-pharm.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=265

Ok, ok... I will stop with the links!

[beautifulboy]

Thanks for the scoop on black elderberry. Can I ask you, do you give this to you kids pretty much evey day?

[goldenwillow]

No, not everyday but it wouldn't hurt.  I tend to give him tea when he asks for it... every couple days.  His Papa drink teas and of course, he likes to be like Papa!  I do occasionally... I love coffee still .  As far as the herbs...  usually when we have been around a sick person or have the gut feeling he needs it.  He eats a ton of bone broths, cod liver oil, etc... so we hope he has a strong immune system.  He hasn't had a cold since April, knock on wood! 

[Wolfcat]

Just keep in mind the potential for allergies (echinacea is closely related to ragweed) and you should be fine giving supplements just for the season.

[beautifulboy]

Thanks for the responses and the information! Just wanted to report that we visited the pediatrician yesterday for my son's 3 yr checkup, she said that there have been studies that question echinacea's efficacy. She suggested probiotics as the best preventative and then zinc when a cold is coming on, this would be on top of a regular kids multivitamin.

[sweetBBkendall]

I can just tell you that from my experience, yes, I have mixed some echinacea in with tea and honey for my sick 1.5yo. She was really sick and I was beside myself when I remembered reading that echinacea had some antibacterial properties. And she came out fine! The echinacea may not have cured her double ear infection but it certainly didn't hurt her, infact there seemed to be some inprovement in her overall health and attitude.

[Adaline'sMama]

Ive given DD echinacea when she was sick, but as far as a preventive measure we use probiotics.

[FarmerBeth]

I would be cautious with echinacea if there are any autoimmune diseases in the family.  It's counter indicated for both SLE (which I have, that's why I noticed the post), rheumatoid arthritis, and some other conditions.  Apparently, it's effective enough to affect white cell count, which isn't what you want if there's any auto immune problems.  While kids don't normally have these conditions, if they are in the family it might be best to avoid echinacea, anyway.  And it's allergenic.  None of this may apply to your family, but I thought I'd give you a head's up.  I think the probiotics for prevention does make sense.