It has started again (not just school) - Page 2

[LauraLoo]

I re-read this thread to see if you listed any supplements that you give your dc's - and I didn't see any. I came across this site that lists suggested immune system supplements - and the dosages -- for children. Allergy meds, while very helpful in controlling allergy/asthma symptoms, also suppress the immune system.

http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-heal...s-for-Children

As I previously posted, I've been upping the probiotic that I've been giving my dc's in hopes that we'll have a better fall and winter this year. I hope that you do, too!

[LauraLoo]

Had some other thoughts......(I had very bad environmental allergies and asthma as a child, so I'm pretty empathetic to your dd. I missed half of my second grade year being sick.)

I'm not sure what your dd is allergic to, but keeping her bedroom especially clean and dust free can help since she spends a lot of time sleeping - as we all do. Remove carpeting - or vacuum a lot, dust everything frequently and get rid of clutter that can catch dust, and keep those items in drawers. If you have animals, keep them out of her room (animal fur can bring in a lot of stuff.)

Also -- wash her bedding in *hot* water every week. Don't buy any comforters that can't be washed and consider getting a hypo-allergenic covers for her mattress and pillows. Get rid of dust ruffles, if you have them, since they catch dust and stuff and you are not likely to wash them frequently. Make sure to make her bed every day to keep stuff from settling on the sheets and make sure that the pillows are covered up, since that's where her head will rest while sleeping.

Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter and consider getting a HEPA filter for her room are also good options if you have the money to do it.

I'm not sure if you are doing any or all of these things, but just wanted to throw them out.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Thank you for posting that link LauraLoo. Both kids are not taking anything but I give ds a multivitamin at night when I give dd her meds because he wants to take meds like his big sister

I had thought I might add some knd of suppliment but didnt know were to start. DD cant eat eggs and she is going through I no cheese phase and the only milk she drinks is at school so that has been concerning to me. DS is kinda picky as well and does not like milk at all.

Now I just have to find some code liver or fish oil around here. *sigh*

ETA I just saw that I can get the softgels and poke them with a pin that I can do for sure.

Where in the world can I get colostrum????

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

We all still share the same room and I constantly struggle with keeping the house clean. I have a built into the house vaccum that really helps since the main part were the dust goes is in my utility room so dust dosnt get out into the main house nearly as bad.

I am currently cleaning our room really well. I do need to get some covers for her bed. She dosnt use a pillow usually. We do have a cat but she hasnt been in our bedroom in years now. She does have a dust mite allergy that was found while doing allergy testing.

Thank you for the suggestions

[mistymama]

Ds is finishing his second week of K today, and he's getting sick.

He didn't have so much as an ear infection as a baby. But when he was 3, almost 4, I sent him to Waldorf preschool and he was sick all.the.time. Developed asthma that is triggered by illness. That year we even had one ER visit at Children's because of that asthma.

Last year he did ok in preschool, dr. had him on singulair and while I *detest* having to keep him on a routine med like that, it did keep him well, and his asthma under control.

And here we are again, in school, off the singulair and he's already sick. I guess it's time to start it back up again, but I hate that thought. Ds catches everything, and I usually do too. Not looking forward to this starting again, so I think it's back to singulair we go.

[mistymama]

Lauraloo, those are all great suggestions. We do all of those things (plus I'm a clean freak, so that helps!) and it does help ds be healthier. Esp washing the sheets in hot water weekly. I do his comforter as well.

[Satori]

oh boy.... I have to agree with the OP, its gonna be a longgggg year. Today will be dd's 3rd day of school and last night she woke up with an asthma attack. Her asthma is viral induced so she's coming down with something She hasn't had an asthma attack in at least 6 months, maybe even a year. We see pulmo which was rescheduled from June becasue she hadn't had a single asthma attack in the 4 months since her last visit and I didn't feel like driving 3 hours for a healthy kid who could wait until closer to school to get meds again (we had plenty).

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

Sickness is what I am refering to. :

Since dd started school in 05 she stays sick the whole year and of course me and ds are sick a lot as well. Before starting school even with her allergies and ashtma she was sick maybe 5 times total her whole life.

This year started august 11th and by august the 13th she was sick and ds woke up yesterday 16th sick. :

I am so sick of this, no pun intended. My poor kids when school is out both are fine. But within days of school being back in she gets sick and pretty much stays that way. Sick 2 weeks better a week is usually the way it goes.

Please tell me that there is something I can do? What can I do to help them both?

Many hugs to you.

Our experience: My son suffers extremely from seasonal allergies. So it's not the whole school year, but starting in February he gets asthma, itchy eyes and nose and itchy eczema all over the backs of his legs. It dissipates in May. He misses school, he loses sleep, he coughs until he gags and cries. It's a really horrible three months, and it's been getting worse.

His previous regime: Allegra, Flonase and Proventil (inhaler) and some sort of cream for the eczema. Last year it just wasn't working at all. I was giving him Benadryl on top of that just so he could cope, and his doc said I shouldn't have to do that. So we stopped Allegra and Flonase and tried him on Singulair, and it worked VERY well. It knocked down the symptoms considerably. He still needed the inhaler, but only occasionally, and the lotions, but only occasionally. There's some evidence that Singulair causes mood swings. I kept a close eye on him, and figured since this is temporary (3 months) the pros out weigh the cons by a long shot.

So he keeps an inhaler at school to use as needed. Here's hoping the Singulair works again this year.

I teach my kids to wash their hands and not touch their faces, as well. But my understanding is that the hand sanitizers are doing more harm than good. The idea being that kids are supposed to get sick now and again to strengthen their immune systems. But I suppose when your child is sick and miserable all the time you do what you have to do to keep them healthy.

[jeca]

DD came home with pink eye thursday. f course now I have it and she has only been in school two weeks.

[lisac77]

IMO this is the worst part of schooling. DS was hella sick last winter (constant runny nose, endless coughing, had pneumonia once, etc.) and I caught everything he had .

This year I will be instituting a nutrition plan for both of us. We'll both be taking supplements similar to that article LauraLoo posted. We will take:

1) Emergen-C 1-2 packets daily
2) Spirulina powder daily (still haven't figured out how to get this into DS, though)
3) Cod liver oil daily
4) Probiotics daily

In addition I am trying to make sure that we eat lots of fruits and veg and get plenty of sleep. Hopefully this will be a better year for both of us!

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

Face touching is a big problem Since she has the sniffles a lot with the allergies she often sticks her finger up her nose or wipes her nose with her shirt something I am working very hard to break her from. But I am not with her at school but I did send some hand sanitizer and klenex for her use.

My DD was in kindergarten last year in a school outside the home and most of the children in her class had never been in a school environment before and came from being at home for the first 5-6 years of their lives. This meant lots and lots of illnesses since their immunities hadn't been built up.

A couple of kids in my DD's class last year were hospitalized for different illnesses. I remember one boy having strep and his mom sent him back to class too soon and other kids got it. He even puked in the middle of class during a Valentines party while I was there volunteering and it took the janitor over an hour and a half to get to the room to clean it up. : The puke just sat there in the floor for what seemed like forever.

My DD would do good if she didn't get a cold but once she got one it would last for what seemed like forever. The kids would share things in class and spread it that way. I won't miss it this year.