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Children's health

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how to help 5yo ds's general immunity?

14 replies

phdlife · 10/06/2012 23:51

ds 5.1 had glandular fever at 4.10, pretty badly by 4yo standards, and I think that must've given his immune system a good kicking. He's been on a multi-vite ever since, though most of the time he eats really well.

In the past 10 weeks, he's had bronchitis (antibiotics), an infected mosquito bite (more antibiotics), a urinary tract infection (antibiotics), a stonking chesty cold (bad enough to make dh need antibiotics, but which ds seemed to get through ok), and then ds's UTI came back (more antibiotics).

He is still not well. He won't drink the cranberry juice, he's got a horrible cough - whether it's new, or still the one from the last cold, I can't quite say. He's off his food (again), complaining of a big headache, says his feet hurt. Last night he was also running a low temp and complained of tummy pains but we never figured out why.

I'm assuming, since he's still on antibiotics for the 2nd UTI, that his chest can't have gone bacterial, though I guess a plain old cold is bad enough for them at this age.

It's a public holiday today. I'm thinking tomorrow I'll pick him up some Inner Health (probiotics) and go back to dr for most recent round of blood/urine test results, but am also thinking of going to a different GP who also does complementary medicine. Does that sound reasonable? What else would you do? Any suggestions that are not completely quackulous?

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wonkylegs · 11/06/2012 00:01

I wouldn't overload his system - yes his immune system has had a kicking (I had terrible GF as a teenager - had to retake a-level year Sad ) but he's also had a bad run of luck. Each time he's ill it'll take a while to get back to strength and it seems he gets knocked for 6 before then. Concentrate on getting food (a balanced diet but also stuff he likes so he wants to eat it) + drinking regularly, sleeping well.
It'll take some time too.
Personally at his age I'd be worried about overloading him with supplements - concentrate with trying to get that from a varied diet & rest.
I'd also get him checked over again by your GP, stating your concerns, just to check there isn't anything else underlying.
It is thought that GF in teenagers can highlight a susceptibility to other auto immune conditions (I have Rheumatoid arthritis) but I'm not sure that this applies in kids and is certainly not true for all who have GF.

wonkylegs · 11/06/2012 00:10

Btw my mum dosed me up with every supplement under the sun post GF, unfortunately it didn't make a jot of difference except that I now hate the taste of them all.
I now take immuno suppressants for the RA and the only way to get over the bugs I catch is to rest, eat well & drink loads of water, the only supplements I still take is vit. C & zinc. (+ folic acid which I have to take with prescription meds)

phdlife · 11/06/2012 00:16

thanks wonkylegs. It's just I remembered when I was about 24 one year I kept getting bronchitis and a close friend who did Chinese medicine along with his BSc gave me a list of chest-strengthening and immune-strengthening herbs to take and that finally cleared it up. Wasn't sure if there was something similar that might help ds....

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RainbowTurtle · 11/06/2012 00:17

Sunshine, fresh air, lots of fruit and veg and nuts and seeds.

rockinhippy · 11/06/2012 00:19

Poor mite :(

I too would worry about overloading with supplements, they often contain a lot of additives & not been in the natural form are not often so good for the body, natural stuff is far better.

Also antibiotics can be specific, as in they treat one type of infection, one area,etc, they can also be "broad spectrum" which will fight all areas of infection, so whether or not his chest is protected from infection will depend on what type of Anti B he is on

My own DD was seriously ill at 5 & like yours wasn't recovering well at all, exhausted, pale & very run down picking up anything going, part time school as a result - our hospital thought she may even have juvenile M.E.

I found out that a superfood supplement called Spirulina that I take myself is safe for DCs & started her on that - I used to cut up the compressed pills for her to take - 3 a day to begin with & then one a day - it contains lots of easily digested vits & minerals & immune boosting enzymes & is used in animal feed to boost immunity -

I also gave her childrens stomach flora powders (Viridian) mixed with high strength manuka honey - these both help her stomach & immunity & again natural

INFO HERE ON SPIRULINA -

HTH

rockinhippy · 11/06/2012 00:21

PS - my Dd also wouldn't drink cranberry, but will if mixed with sparkling water, or in a smoothy with banana & raspberries

rockinhippy · 11/06/2012 00:24

PPs - sorry I'm wiped out & confuddled Confused-

forgot to add - My DD was back to full time School & full of beans & rosY cheeks in a week of taking Spirulina - it made a MASSIVE difference to her health

phdlife · 11/06/2012 00:28

thanks rockinhippy, will look into spirulina. That InnerHealth stuff I think is pretty good, my dsis (an RN) has been giving it to her kids for years - they are coeliacs and have food and other allergies so she is fanatical about getting the best. Will try him on a smoothie, though it's chilly enough we've been wanting warm rather than cold drinks!

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phdlife · 11/06/2012 00:37

hm, though this is interesting.

lol at confuddled tho. that describes my past 5 years... Hmm

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rockinhippy · 11/06/2012 00:38

Its not a brand I know, but sounds like your DSIS probably knows her stuff, so I'm sure its probably similar to the viridian stuff we use,

Actually, kidney infection/UTIs can make you feel the cold more anyway (have suffered a lot myself in the past) - Ginger is another thing that is good for kidneys, it's warming too - if he'll drink ginger, then maybe try mixing cranberry with a good organic ginger cordial & apple juice & warming it up as a hot punch - DD also liked this - especially if served in a fancy glass with umbrellas etc ;) - keeping his kidneys warm with a heat pad also helped me a lot

good luck

ilovehugs · 11/06/2012 09:59

My DS had a really 'poorly year' aged about 5. I think the contributing factors were 1) Moving to a new area with new bugs 2) Catching a very nasty bug that knocked him for six 3) His first year at school. My DS seemed like he was constantly ill. I gave him vitamin sweets which he loved and put an innocence smoothie in his lunch box every day. Don't know if that helped or not, but he's 7 now and he's been much better. I think when they start school, they get tired and have less sleep (which I think makes them more vulnerable to illness) and they are mixing with lots of kids all the time that are in the same situation. Sometimes it does just take the body a long time to repair after these illnesses.
Hope he gets better soon x x

phdlife · 11/06/2012 11:59

thanks for that idea rockinhippy - he's ok with ginger in food, haven't tried him on it as a drink but you've reminded me i was drinking ginger and fenugreek tea (gak) that year I was ill. might be able to get him to do some ginger and honey.

we're in Oz, hence the unfamiliar brand.

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butterfingerz · 13/06/2012 00:16

Probiotics and cod liver oil.

My DS, he's only a yr old but has had me in ambulances, OOH, A+E so many times with allergies and asthma type attacks, not to mention chest infections and a severe case of CP.

I now make my own kefir (google if you don't know) and he loves it, it seems to have had a great effect on his various ailments. And he'll take a tsp of cod liver oil daily.

incywincyspideragain · 13/06/2012 22:28

definitely probiotics and more probiotics, immunity starts in the gut, and a proper old fasioned convalescence
Hope he's on the mend soon

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