Tricks to keep your kids well!?

[InTheSoup]

Apologies for the odd question but:

DH and I have had a hideous winter with our DD1, who is now 15 months. Last winter she had one cold, nothing more, but in the last two months I think she has had a single well week, between colds, viruses and stomach bugs...

I am thinking that it's time to start adding garlic to everything. What are you tricks for keeping your kids healthy?

Vitamns and Fresh Air.

Oh, and avoid any contact with other human beings and supermarket trollys. (Kids lick the handles - bleugh!)

my 5 and myself are never ill....my trick is to keep heating off,or bare minimum,and windows open a little...

It's funny you should say that Threeblondeboys, as our heating central heating has been broken this winter, but none of us has had a cold, apart from DH who's had a cough.

Sambucol, garlic and loads of fresh air.

Your 15 month old is probably too young for this, but with my kids I insist they wash their hands as soon as they come back home from anywhere. We are on public transport a lot. They step through the door, take off their shoes, and head straight to the bathroom to wash their hands with soap. It really has helped us keep well.

Thanks everyone...

Mrswathog, what's Sambucol?

Interesting that you say no heating and some fresh air, LynetteScavo and ThreeBlondBoys... when I was growing up, we lived on a farm, with no proper heating and a very draughty house. And we were so healthy! I've therefore had the impression that a bit of cold and muck is no bad thing, and have tried to convince DH of this (his family absolutely take a different approach) but I've had to admit defeat on that for the sake of our poor, sick baby...

My DH is convinced yoghurt has magic powers - anyone agree? And I think I am going to have to find some really good soup recipes...

Its a herbal thingy, I think its black elderflower - a week of half term & croup has rendered me a bit tick and the house a bit unvisitable so I can't find it. I got it from Holland & Barrett tho, they do a LO version and it clears up the snotters remarkably.

Like IntheSoup having grown up on a farm, fresh air, very little heating and a bit of muck are our recipe for good health. DD is 6 now and we have never had a single tummy bug even though she was at nursery full time from 3 months old. I don't use any antibac sprays, she washes her hands after toilet and before meals nothing else. Oh and we have two cats to spread plenty of bacteria around.
We also have 5 different types of fruit per week and 8 different types of veggies from veggie box scheme so constantly changing.

Lots of hand washing. This really helps.

Decent food.

Unfortunately, their immune system is immature so they will get ill a lot. It's normal, though a big drag.

I think at this stage of your LO it's better to get a lot of bugs. Research has shown that the more viruses your LO is exposed to at an early age, the lower their chances are of getting leukemia.

I think it's just one of those things when they are getting more interactive with the environment and when their immune system is being challenged with new foods also.

Yoghurt - live versions are great for populating the gut with good bacteria which can keep naughty bug population in check, and therefore boost immune response to more appropriate levels (allergy prevention).

Garlic does the same job as yoghurt, but at 18 months I'd say cook the garlic and make garlicky food!

hand washing is also very good - we do the same thing Ilank.

You might try echinacea yourselves and see if you can find a mild dose / presentation for your LO.

Airing your house and having it cold is good also for keeping bugs from multiplying - but not great for getting rid of a cough.
In fact a bit of heat maybe necessary to clear up a chest.

If you leave a chesty cough for too long (over 10 days say) you run the risk of developing pneumonia: the pneumonia bacteria multiply in and colonise the phlegm you see.

Thanks everyone...

Zazen, that thing about leaving coughs freaks me out. DD1 had had one pretty much permanently for the past few months. In the beginning we were constantly at the GPs, but we've given up now. I felt a bit hysterical to keep checking but was when her chest cleared up when she had antibiotics for an ear infection ...

MrsWarthog, we've taken to called DD1 Princess SnottyFace - would be so glad to surrender that nickname if sambucol works...