Keeping kids healthy before vacation??

[pigletto]

Being the paranoid over planner that I am I just had a not so great thought.
We will be taking the kids out of school in September for our trip (pretty please can we not debate this aspect .. ).

It just occurred to me that dd has gotten pretty sick the last few years within a week or two of school starting. She'll get a cough or cold... which inevitably leads to pneumonia or a bronchial infection (we and her doctor are pretty sure she's mildly asthmatic though she does not require inhalers).

In fact... last year in the exact week we are planning to go this year she had really bad pneumonia with high high fevers and more than a few trips to the doctor.

Are their extra precautions you use to keep the kids healthy? I realize regular hand washing. But what about supplements to prevent infection e.t.c??
The asthma started just a year or so ago (exact age I was when I got it) so I'm not really sure how to avoid the subsequent infections she gets when she gets ill.
Any ideas?

 

[Aliceacc]

I say talk to your pediatrician. He or she is in the best position to give you advice beyond the common sense type of stuff. And if you think your daughter might be asthmatic, he is the one best able to talk about supplements that would help, not hinder, the problem.

 

[pigletto]

Your right. It couldn't hurt to book an appointment with her to get ideas. I'm actually going to try and get a specialist appointment as we need to figure out what things to do in our home as well.

 

[chloe770]

This may sound crazy but a chiropractor. We go as a family (me, DH and DS5) atleast once a month and it does seem to help with the allergies and colds. The web is full of info on it. You might want to check it out.

 

[BLAMBKY]

I say talk to your pediatrician. He or she is in the best position to give you advice beyond the common sense type of stuff. And if you think your daughter might be asthmatic, he is the one best able to talk about supplements that would help, not hinder, the problem.

I brought this up to my ped. and He said other than great handwashing habits, there's no much else that can be done. Not what I wanted to hear, since my DD has come down with something on EVERY vacation that we have ever had. IF yours says anything different, please SHARE!!!

 

[Aliceacc]

HOnestly, I think that if there were a way out there to keep kids healthy, it would be all over every newspaper in the world.

It boils down to avoiding germs. So, aside from lots of handwashing and good hygeine (covering mouths when coughing and all that stuff that should be second nature to adults), there's not much we can do.

I think that kids have to build up a number of immunities, and there's no shortcut there.

But I would be hesitant to take the advice of a stranger on a message board about vitamin supplements, as the OP requests, especially if I was concerned that my daughter might be asthmatic.

 

[pigletto]

HOnestly, I think that if there were a way out there to keep kids healthy, it would be all over every newspaper in the world.

It boils down to avoiding germs. So, aside from lots of handwashing and good hygeine (covering mouths when coughing and all that stuff that should be second nature to adults), there's not much we can do.

I think that kids have to build up a number of immunities, and there's no shortcut there.

But I would be hesitant to take the advice of a stranger on a message board about vitamin supplements, as the OP requests, especially if I was concerned that my daughter might be asthmatic.

I understand your concern.. I think fired off that post a little quickly without giving a bigger picture.
What I was thinking was more along the lines of "Oh try a good multi vitamin" or Make sure she eats of food with a lot of Vitamin C.. e.t.c.
She has a great doctor and my mother is a primary care physician as well so I wouldn't mess around with OTC medicines or anything of the sort without checking.
I think I was hoping more for tips and tricks rather than medical advice.
I can see how it didn't look that way

 

[fenfur]

Send them to school with LOTS of purell and tell them to use it ALL the time or WDW trip will be cancelled. Maybe make sure their classrooms have purell, lots of kleenex, etc., I'm sure the teachers would appreciate a "donation" of these items for their classroom. Volunteer to go in every day after school and disinfect all the desks, doorknobs, anything your child will come in contact with in the classroom. Although I guess these suggestions would only work if they are in one classroom all day.

I've got 2 special needs kids and this is a bit controversial, but it's a decision between me and their doctor, but we are putting them on a 10 day preventative cycle of amoxicillian starting our first day of vacation, to help prevent any of the germs from sticking. I know not all germs are receptive to it, immunity against antibiotics blah blah blah, but my kids pick up EVERYTHING, so I am trying to help diminish it for our trip. Nobody flame me please.......

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

I use some natural remedies for my youngest son. He has a tedency to become wheezy when he gets a cold. I've talked to some natural specialists and what they've recommended me are: Cod Liver Oil (yuck!! but my kids amazingly like it), flaxseed oil, this honey thing that has ginger and aloe in it, and probiotics.

Supposedly the flaxseed oil and cod liver oil are to boost immunity, they contain both types of Omega's and they ward off infection. I believe that the probiotics do the same; they help produce the "good" bacteria in your intestinal flora, and that also ups immunity and even helps with allergies. And the honey solution I know is for coughs and colds, it helps transport almost all the mucous out.

Oh, and Gummi-Vites...

 

[squirrel]

I went to a workshop a while ago and learned something new.

If you use anti-bacterial soap, you are killing the natural good bacteria and also the bad bacteria on your hands so there is nothing to stop the bad bacteria from getting back on. Using regular soap and washing correctly will get rid of the bad bacteria and leaves the good bacteria on to help fight.

 

[dislover78]

Okay for the last 3 years we have taken at least one of our kids out of school for a family trip. And these are the things that I have done to help keep us healthy.

1. Plenty of rest leading up to vacation.
2. Yogurt! Every day at least once. My kids love it, and the bulk of your immune system is in your digestive track. So start with building up their immunity there!
3. I carry handitizer (that's what my kids call it), and antibacterial wipes with me everwhere. I wipe of the arms of the seat on the plane and the tray and the eating area. When we had little ones I have a plastic eating mat that has suction cups on the bottom - i stored it in a ziploc bag - so that the eating area was clean every time. Same with the strollers and things.
4. I ALWAYS (adults included) use saline nasal spray before and especially after a plane flight to rinse out any germs that could be there. I suffered greatly from sinus infections after flying.
5. If you use homeopathics there is IMU-A which I give my kids 5 drops once a day the entire trip and for at least a week afterwards to support thier immune system. Especially when we have to jump right back in to school and they are tired. Praise the Lord!

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

The only thing I can suggest is that if you see the first sign of a cold get some Zycam ! That stuff is amazing!

 

[cheesekate2005]

If your children have seasonal allergies, I would make sure that they are in control before you go, and take any types of meds that they can use with you. Two years ago on our August trip, I took my daughter to the doctor before our trip because she had bad allergies going on and I suspected that she had an ear infection...they said that she didn't. We flew to WDW and within a few days she got really sick and wound up at Urgent care with an ear infection - It cost us precious vacation time and $200 (nothing was covered with our insurance). I wish I could have stopped it from happening, but I couldn't. One thing I do now before I go on a trip is check with my insurance company and see what local pharmacies and doctor's near WDW take my insurance.

 

[perkinsrose]

The only thing I can suggest is that if you see the first sign of a cold get some Zycam ! That stuff is amazing!

I haven't tried Zycam. I asked pediatrician if okay for kids. She thought it was fine but mentioned its kind of chalky and some kids might not do it.



I always do extra vitamin C (100mg). I get some chewable (they taste good) ones at our local rite-aid pharmacy. Mega-doses of vitamin C can cause stomach issues but we've never had problems with 1 or 2 100mg tablets through the day plus the 60mg or so in their morning vitamin. I think i read somewhere that vitamin C is utilized/gone in 4 hours--so even if you're getting it in morning vitamin or orange juice--its not going to last you the day.

I second on the hand washing, healthy foods & hand sanitizer. I also avoid the mall the week or so before we leave ( the mall's a good place to take long walks during Michigan winter!) and avoid other places with big crowds.

DS is susceptible to ear infections. Last trip he developed high fever (and turned out to be double ear infection next day home at doctor) on the last night at resort. Fortunately, i travel with ear thermometer and prepared with over the counter decongestant & kids ibuprofin/tylenol. Only so much prevention you can do...

Don't forget to have your medical /insurance card on you and know your options for Florida Hospital ER and the non-urgent care clinic just in case!

 

[Nicoleclaw]

I was wondering the same thing since we are thinking of going for Xmas 2009. I have no advice....but DS has asthma (he is only 17 mo.). We are probably going to put him on Singular to keep his lungs in good shape so we can stop repeating this cycle. He ends up wheezing with bronchitis from the slightest sniffle. I know people at school were saying how Singular really has made a difference for them (being asthmatic).

 

[PrincessMom4]

Have you thought of trying Airborne?? I am in the same boat as you. My kids are bound to catch something so we are taking precautions.

 

[Disney_Angel]

Chewable vitamin Cs 3x a day a week before and while on vacation....and a garlic oil capsule. Ask the doctor first Helps my dd with asthma from getting sick while on vacation.

 

[nettii]

I also do lots of Vit. c hand washing and good old antioxidant rich foods.
I hope you have a great time!

 

[proteus]

The worst source of infections for us is exposure to other people who are sick. DD is at highest risk during school however since we vacation mostly in the summer we never had a problem.

Vitamins are a poor substitute for a good diet and not a good delivery system for nutrients. They were intended for poor people who could not afford a balanced diet, now it seems that everyone takes them.

I'm not sold on Chiropracters, there is no medical evidence supporting the benefit of that treatment (check the New England Journal of Medicine) and in some cases people have been hurt. We had one visit our workplace and he made all kinds of ridiculous claims, when I asked him for proof in peer reviewed studies, he had none and changed the subject.

I agree with the Physician, there isn't much you can do, just keep clean, exercise and eat well. Avoiding germs is fine but over sterlizing makes you weaker and more likely to get infected (as your body forgets how to fight germs). They did a study in Europe and found that people living in the country where there is more dust and dirt actually have far less asthma than city dwellers who live in very clean and tidy dwellings.

 

[Ilvolare]

No more of the crappy food ie fast food, pizza, school lunches. Fix home cooked good foods and lots of fruits and veggies makes the body feel good.

May He Bless

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