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Advice for Whatever Ails School kids
By Suzy Cohen, RPh on 10/03/2011
Dear Pharmacist,
I have 4 kids all in school between kindergarten and 8th grade. We are at the doctor’s office all year long. Do you have advice to help parents like me (and other students) who catch whatever is floating around?
--L.Y., Long Island, New York
Answer: Great question! Many parents have their hands full with work, commuting and family responsibilities. Having a sick child can throw a snag in an already full schedule. Here are some tips to help you with common conditions that often occur in the fall and winter season. Remember, these are just suggestions so everything you read here should be discussed with your pediatrician. Here’s what to do if your child comes down with:
Stomach flu — This commonly used term really refers to gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach or intestinal tract caused by food poisoning, a virus, bacteria or contaminated water. Symptoms include cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and/or swollen lymph glands. Dehydration is the scary complication here, so avoid that. If you are able to hold food down, eat bland foods like rice, toast or baby food. My best advice is to drink 100 percent pure coconut water; it contains natural electrolytes that closely match your blood and it’s better than sugar-laden sports drinks in my opinion.
A respiratory infection — This is usually caused by a virus and quite common in the fall. It usually runs its course causing a nasty cough, fever, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea and exhaustion. In the pharmacy, Dimetapp, Triaminic and PediaCare are all popular medications for symptom relief in children. In the health food store, you could look for Elderberry extract, Hyland’s Homeopathic Belladona extract or Boiron’s Oscillococcinum. The big problem with a respiratory infection, is that it can trigger an asthma attack. Do not ignore breathing issues for they can be fatal; you will need to get a prescription inhaler from your physician, something such as albuterol. Two inhalers are a good idea, send one with your child (or the school nurse) and keep the other at home. The pharmacist should put a complete label with directions on both containers.
Sore throat — Use zinc lozenges. This pain-relieving mineral does double duty by blocking viral cell reproduction. Even though studies conflict, one trial conducted at the Cleveland Clinic in 1996, found that people who took zinc lozenges throughout the day felt relief from their colds in under 5 days, compared to the non-treated group who suffered for almost 8 days. Lozenges are better than tablets/capsules for a sore or tickly throat. For kids, I would stick to dosages on the label, don’t take any extra.
Head lice — The pharmacy fix is Nix or Rid insecticide all-in-one kits. An alternative to these chemicals include Zero Lice by Thursday Plantation which contains natural ingredients such as tea tree oil, ylang ylang, citronella and eucalyptus. Nit removal is most important so take your time.
Related articles of interest:
10 Tips for Back to School Cough & Cold
Back to School Time... Are You Ready?
Help your child stay healthy with supplements
Back to School Nutrition Ideas
Now that's one pooped out puppy
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I'm a graduate of the University of Florida and has been a licensed pharmacist for nearly 20 years. People call me “America’s Most Trusted Pharmacist” because I've spent the last 10 years writing a syndicated column on health which reaches millions of people each week.
Read more from Suzy at www.dearpharmacist.com
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Comments
Lori
Some really good suggestions here but there are ways to prevent the illness in the first place. Cut down on refined flours and added sugar first and foremost. They are great for compromising immunity. Vitamin C works. I used to give my kids at least 250 mg of vit C 3 times a day. They've always taken a probiotic and I had them take a combination of echinacea and goldenseal 3 times a day one week out of every month. Add some D3 and cod liver oil. Also, the Oscillococcinum mentioned is excellent when used at the very first sign of a flu. A word of caution, too, about otc medicines for kids - they can be loaded with sugar and artificial colors, flavors, etc.
Seg
Those OTC medications are pure garbage, skip those and try putting 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in the ear 2 to 3 times a day. Some people have seen a complete reversal in 48 hrs if you catch it quick enough. There's also Intravenous Hydrogen Peroxide which will wipe out ANY COLD OR FLU including the dreaded H1N1 (SWINE FLU) . Another way to admister this would be the Nebulised version which is simpler to use and almost just as effective, Dr Frank Shallenber is a pioneer in t his field and one that holds my respect for his dedication to healing people, check out realcuresletter.com to learn more.
If it is an ear infection try infusing some organic garlic in olive oil and put in the ear, this will knock out the bugs often in ONE DOSE - YES I SAID ONE DOSE, but it's better to use it for a few days morning and at night to make sure it does work , antibiotics should be the very last resort but i have yet to see this simple remedy fail.
Also keep your Vit D at the health range and you can almost be sure you won't come down with any of these nasties, i have seen this first hand with myself as the guinea pig.
Another great product to prevent the nasties is Epicor which is an all natural yeast-based product manufactured through a patented multi-stage fermentation and drying process.
Jea
I agree the hydrogen peroxide in the ear is a real miracle worker for colds and flu if you can catch them early enough--at first exposure or at first sign of symptoms. I also like to add several 500 mg of vitamin C several times a day for adults and older kids, a little less for the younger ones.
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