any nurses here?

Jessica - posted on 10/14/2009

I'm in nursing school and I've been trying to increase the amount of vit C my daughter is getting too! She has a pretty good and healty diet so, I've been giving her the "gummie" vit C's and flinstones vitamins. Also, we have increased the amount of OJ she is drinking. Another good thing to do is just to keep your kids hydrated with water and make sure they wash their hands and use tissues if they sneeze (just the normal things). Those are the best ways to improve your odds. If you check the CDC website, they have lots of tips for trying to prevent the spread of the flu and prevent yourself from getting it.

As far as your baby, just follow the same rules for yourself. Exposure to some of these things will help boost his immune system for future problems because he will have already been exposed to the antigen and hopefully built up anitbodies (so trying to prevent them all may due more harm). Also, not exposing him to large groups of people is a good rule of thumb.

Staci - posted on 10/12/2009

I'm a nurse. Vitamin C is water soluble so whatever your body doesn't use, you pee out. Assuming, of course, your child has normal kidney function. Even so, I've never seen a kidney patient/dialysis patient with problems from too much Vitamin C. Vitamin C given in conjunction with Iron helps it absorb better. Multivitamins are great, Flinstones work fine, so do the gummies. Citrus fruits are the best sources though. I have an 11 month old that I just started on Poly-Vi-Sol, a multivitamin in liquid form. You can mix it with juice, cereal, breastmilk, anything to make it taste better, and it's only 1mL. Available at any pharmacy over the counter. On a personal note, I am not getting the H1N1 vaccine, nor am I letting my daughter get it either. The same rules apply with all strains of the flu.....hydrate, wash your hands and lysol/bleach the toys. Hope this helps!

Mary-Ann - posted on 10/10/2009

they have a liquid vitamin c that you can give to the baby, just go to a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist

Ginny - posted on 10/09/2009

I am a nurse .. I am not sure on the exact dosage of Vit C but both of my children take a multivitamin that has what they need. Then if they start you show signs of getting a cold we do a mixture of Zinc and Vitamin C and we stop it in it's tracks. It is my reccomendation to have them vaccinated as soon as possible.

Jasmine - posted on 10/09/2009

The biggest player in everyone's immunity is vitamin d3. In fact for each person that gets the H1N1 flu in Canada will be tested for their vitamin d3 levels and given the appropriate amount to help boost their immunity. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends 1000iu for every 25lbs of body weight for a healthy, maintainence dose. You can safely double in times of sickness. Also probiotics. A study in the Journal of Pediatrics showed colds and flus were reduced when kids were given probitiotics. Luckily it is found naturally in breastmilk, so keep nursing. You can give your baby Florababy probiotics which is what I did when my daughter took a bottle of pumped milk. The same company Renew Life makes chewables with no added sugars, preservatives or dyes for kids under 12.

Childlife makes a liquid vitamin c and a great liquid multivitamin line, again no artifical sugars/sweeteners, no dyes, no preservatives and great for kids 8m-12yrs old.

sugar suppresses the immune system 5hrs after the sugar has been ingested, dehydration and lack of sleep can impair your ability to fight colds and flus. So keep a diet low in sugars, stay well hydrated with filtered water and get plenty of sleep. Kids under 12 need 10hrs per night.

A neurologist at one of the teaching hospitals here in Chicago has advised his staff not to get the H1N1 vaccine as it is NOT the same vaccine that was tested. I wrote some articles on how to boost your family's immunity in my family health column, you can read more here: http://www.examiner.com/x-7158-Chicago-F...

I hope this all helps,
Jasmine, MPH

Ginger - posted on 10/09/2009

Not sure where you live but I was turned on to A homeopathic all natural tablet for kids 1-6 years old to help knock out the first signs of a cold, they also make teething tablets which have been a Godsend, better than oragel!! But of course ask your pediatrition first, I get them from cvs in the infant/childrens isle.

Aubrey - posted on 10/09/2009

My husband is a doctor and the company we work with has a kids multi-vitamin with vitamin c and probiotics. It is called Isotonix so you drink it and goes straight into their system. Works great! My 2 year old and 3 mos. old are on it and it is safe and builds that immune system. For more info or to get it just go to www.gclay.net and type in Might-A-Mins Isotonix. Any questions let me know.

Have a great day,
Aubrey Clay
aubreylueck@yahoo.com

Janelle - posted on 10/08/2009

Hi Amanda, My 10 month old first son and I just got over the H1N1 Flu or 1 of the many other flu's that fall in the category of H1N1 test swab. The test is only 47% positive so you could have it or not and read positive or negative with a 50/50 chance. A few doctors said that with the 104.8 fever we probably yes we had it.
The best thing I can do is say: stay home, clean, sterilize, go to the doctor when the fever get over 102.5, but the thing is, Tamiflu, the treatment can only work within a few days of contracting the flu. WE also had sore throats, running noses, coughs.
Hope this helps
Janelle--- I work in medical/clinical trials, infantile, pediatric, and adult.

Maria - posted on 10/08/2009

The best person to ask is your pediatrician, but when my sons were about your kids' age, my pediatrician recommended liquid vitamin like Poly Vi Sol, since it gets into their system right away. The tablets are not easily absorbed in their digestive system and the gummies are sometimes to sugar-y.

Maria - posted on 10/08/2009

Hello Amanda. I am an RN in the ICU and ER of a large city hospital.I will tell you that some people are getting very paranoid over the swine flu thing and not taking a practical approach. First of all, most people/children who will get swine flu will run the course of the virus with no major problems. Most of the problems are people/children who are compromised in some way. Example, people with asthma/COPD/emphysema and/or poor immune systems due to cancers/endocrine problems/HIV/etc. I am currently pregnant with twins and have a 16 month old and I have received the regular flu vaccine and am getting the swine flu vaccine next week only b/c I am considered immune compromised from pregnancy. But my husband (also an RN) and I plan to protect our family by getting vaccinated and keeping a very strict hand washing/hygiene regime. We also plan to avoid taking the newborns/kids tolarge public areas like the mall most of the winter. I plan to still continue with Gymboree and playdates unless one mine own gets sick. So while I am going to be dilligent about handwashing/hygiene I can't say I will be crazy/paranoid. You could ask your ped about vitamin supplements or a naturapathic MD as well. I gave my son pureed fruits and veggies with rice cereal + formula/milk in a bottle with y cut nipple starting at 3 months old (he had reflux). But he was only sick with a cold once! Good luck with everything!

Christy - posted on 10/08/2009

Getting colds for infants being breastfed is a good thing. Your baby is getting the best nutrition available for him as your body prioritizes breastmilk for nutrients first.
When babies get little colds they are learning to fight colds. As long as your baby is not getting ear infections than he is getting the immunities he needs from your antibodies in breast milk.

Heather - posted on 10/07/2009

I would not give them a straight vitamin c supplement, those are made for adults. Unless they make one for kids but I don't recall seeing one. Natural forms are the best, as someone said before. The regular Flinstones should have vitamin C in them too. As for the baby he should be eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies when you feed him anyway, and if you get more than enough vitamins he should too, right? They are recommending that all children under 24 mos, school age children, pregnant mothers, etc should get the reg. flu vaccine, but I am not sure what the qualifications are for the H1N1 are. I was told to get it because I am pregnant, I have a 18month old and I am a health care worker. The pediatrician said that they aren't even sure if they will get it at their office, so I don't know how they are rationing out the H1N1 anyway. But it should be out this month... so they say. Also, it is supposed to be 97% effective in preventing the swine flu. Good luck! As any nurse would say good hand washing is the best preventative, for you AND the kids! Lots of sanitizer.

Robyn - posted on 10/07/2009

hey amanda, vitamin c is one specific vitamin you can give daily, as its not able to be absorbed and stored by the body...its max in body is 24 hours... so you need to give it every day to be helpful.. cut up strawberries, or blueberries etc. is my suggestion as they have a much higher amt.of vit c than say oranges..but they (oranges, manderines) are still sufficient for childrens need of vit. c.... and with your comment about H1N1 vaccine in ur area... that vaccine is only to be given to humans over 16 yrs, not to children at all... so keep on with vitamin c supps or natural fruits. good health ! Robyn (Sydney)

Sarah - posted on 10/07/2009

Please be really careful what supplements you give your children. Some well meaning people who do not have a medical background have suggested what is essentially a mini adult immunity regimine. Children are not small adults. Their bodies simply don't process excesses and wastes tas well as adults do, and they have much less room for error. An earlier poster said give them X dosage until they have loose stool then back off... no thanks! Loose stools are a last ditch effort by the body to rid itself of excesses, by the time that happens the rest of the body's systems are already working their hardest- this does not leave them at any advantage when fighting off an illness. Also, please be calm about the H1N1. There are a lot of scary statistics, but the overwhelming majority of people who contract it never need any further treatment than rest and hydration. RELAX! Good luck :-)

Xiomara - posted on 10/07/2009

Forgot to say Amanda, you can also give ur older kids citric juices than has Vit C naturally (pomegranate, orange, limonade) but not to the baby, citrics must be given only to babies older than a year. :)

Shaye - posted on 10/07/2009

I am not a nurse but I am in a master's program for Medical Herbalism. I have a 16 month old and asked a nurse/herbalist I know how to support my daughters immune system. She suggested ( and I did this) that I give her elderberry syrup. It is a food based product, just like giving blueberry syrup, and is very safe. It is full of antioxidants. You can get this at organic stores. You can also get Vit C into your kids with foods.

Amanda - posted on 10/07/2009

thank you all for your replies, (for the most part) they have been very helpful:) we all had our seasonal flu vaccine last month, the baby requires two since it is his first time, and when I called the health dept's and my dr office earlier they all said that they will be out when he is ready for his booster :( since it looks like he will not be getting his booster I will be keeping an extra close eye on him, I was also told that no one will have their H1N1 vaccines for 3 more weeks. Since everyone in my family in on the high priority list in one form or another, a first grader exposed when he is at school, a 4 yr old with reactive airway disease and an 8 month old, I am especially worried about how to protect them until that vaccine becomes available for them. Especially my 4 yr old and 8 month old. Whenever my daughter gets sick [she has reactive airway] she ends up not being able to breath, and if my 8 month old were to get the flu, oh my I cant even imagine.

I feel much better after reading the majority of the posts here, from what most seem to be saying I am already doing the right things. I make sure that we all eat healthy diets [not sure where someone got the idea that we dont eat healthy :) ] and we get as much sunshine as we can, we live in Ohio and although the sun has been out lately unfortunatly it is to cold to spend very long outside, which is why I bought full spectrum light bulbs to help.

I am not an ignorant person at all, I am commited to doing everything I can to keep my children as safe and healthy as possible, and when I feel as if there might be more that I could be doing in order to protect them I ask questions.

I have never met any one who enjoyed being spoken down to or called ignorant, really the bottom line is if you want someone to react favorably to your "advice" being condesinding is not advised.;

Xiomara - posted on 10/07/2009

Amanda, I dont know how the health system of ur area works.... In Mexico, since the babies born the pediatrician recommends you (along with the breastfeeding/formula) vitamins... (in the firts months only iron, then multivitamin that includes vitamin C). If you have any doubts go to ur pediatrician and ask her/him all you want to know.. Hope this help you..

(",)

Kim - posted on 10/07/2009

Amanda- good for you for doing your research!
I agree with most of the previous posters. A good diet, sunshine and exercise are great- however, even most doctors today agree that the best diets don't get our bodies what they need and recommend supplementation. I would caution you as to what you might get in the health food store and pharmacy. The FDA does not regulate supplements and vitamins (just look on every bottle- they all say "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.") Most companies make their vitamins chemically (as opposed to using raw food sources). In the 1970's the FDA came out saying that chemically made vitamins are the same as ones taken from food sources. I'd also like to point out that for YEARS the FDA also said that formula was the same, if not better than breast milk.
Anyway, almost none of the companies do any research to make sure the vitamins are actually absorbed (hence the 2% absorbed comment). In fact, some companies have the exact same vitamin as the competing brand- they just stuck a different label on it.

If you are interested, message me privately and I'll let you know what products my family uses. Health and Wellness is my job (besides staying home and taking care of my baby :) ) I'm a former teacher and now spend my days researching and teaching people how to be healthier. I can send you lots of info and research- I've been concentrating a lot on kid's health more recently because of my own little one.
Keep up the good work! Oh, AND the breastfeeding!
-Kim

Estee - posted on 10/07/2009

My name is Estee and I am an ER nurse, vitamin c suppplements are a great idea. Kids get colds from time to time so dont beat yourself up. Its almost good in a way because they are building antibodies to these germs each time. As long as your kids eat a healty diet and dont have any immune problems they should be fine. Continue the breastfeeding as long as you can! Breastmilk has antibodies in it that will help your child along the way for sure. They are saying that 90% of Influenza A cases are probably swine flu, so we are not even testing for it at my hospital, you just treat the symptoms (i.e if they have a fever give tylenol and motrin on a rotating basis). Hope I helped you! Also, make handwashing fun for children by buying fun soaps and towels, as we know this is the gateway for germs.

Kimberly - posted on 10/07/2009

I am a nurse, but the best person to ask would be a pharmacist, as they are who we would call in this situation. Good luck!

Ashley - posted on 10/07/2009

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articl...

Theresa - posted on 10/07/2009

i give my kids those big round chewable vitamin c they love them cus they taste like orange candy.the baby i would say need to take vitamin c ask your daughter Good luck

Leah - posted on 10/07/2009

I am a nurse and agree with what people are saying about healthy diet and sunshine, exercise!

Supplements are a last resort for children that don't eat, ones that refuse to try and eat a variety of foods. But parents also need to be creastive in hiding foods in baked goods, special types of pizza (adding chiken, extra veges to it), etc. You can always hide carrots, zuccinni and other vegetables in muffins, baked goods. There's many other options to help your children stay healthy. But also realize that a few colds are normal. Kids pass on colds to each other, we pass on colds and it's a part of life and it helps build their immune system. If your child has low immunity for some reason, then ask the pediatrician because they have the best advice since they are experts on child care. Hope that was helpful. I hope people don't overreact this flu season, it's another virus out there! We have alot more "super bugs" out there that do more harm than H1N1!

Moira - posted on 10/06/2009

i'm not a nurse-but i have a minor in nutrition and don't think that giving a vit c supplement is a good idea. you can give your child too much of a vitamin (even though the body may try to eliminate it, it can cause infections since vitamins can also feed bacteria). also, chances are any supplement will just be eliminated because you're body isn't able to absorb more than a small amount of any one vitamin at a time and a lot of supplements are an inactive form of the vitamin which the body can't recognize. supplements aren't FDA approved so the manf. can tell you whatever they want. my nutrition teachers called vitamin supplements an expensive way to enrich your urine! the ideal way to build their immune system is through a healthy diet (rich with healthy foods that have vitamins) and exercise. anyways, hope this is helpful!

Lyndsie - posted on 10/06/2009

I suggest a standard children's vitamin with DHA for your 6 & 4 year olds, and of course taking a prenatal + DHA supplement for you while you continue to breastfeed. --adding any substantial amount of additional vitamins is near useless and could be harmful to your little ones. Only approx. 2% of vitamins are absorbed from supplements, however adding more vitamins than recommended daily puts your child at risk for kidney issues (among other things). Products like Emergen-C are too concentrated for children and so much vitamin C can put stress on the kidneys as the body attempts to eliminate the extra.
I suggest the daily vitamins and good ol' SUNSHINE! You can cram vitamin C down their throats, but without sunshine, no vitamin C will be synthesized as it requires vitamin D to do so (the BEST source of vitamin D is 20-30 minutes of sunshine w/o sunscreen--basically apply the sunscreen when you arrive at your destination, as it will take at least 15-20 minutes for it to soak into the skin).
Have them eat all their veggies...the greener the veggie, the better!

Shona - posted on 10/06/2009

hi amanda, ask your local pharmasist whats best for your kids, i give my 3.5 yr old junior echinacea and a multi vit, it will tell you on the box what the recommended daily allowance is. Have 6.5 months too who also has had 2 colds, just trying to give him as much fruit and veg as possible.

Trisha - posted on 10/06/2009

I have just been giving my son tons of orange juice and apple juice to help with immunity. Also, most fruits help. If you read the labels to most juices one serving is 100% of their daily value of vitamin C. I know it's not as reassuring as giving a supplement, but it truly will help. As for the little baby, they make liquid vitamin supplements for babies I think it's called Poly Vi Sol it's an enfamil product you can just mix with milk. Another thing to remember is... that all kids get sick, it's part of life. Especially when you have your children around other children. Be sure that you don't give too much vitamins or supplements, cause you can OD on vitamins. As long as they keep thier hands washed and eat fruits n veggies, they should be fine.

AlishaSweet - posted on 10/06/2009

As for the vitamin supplements i would suggest that you try to give them vitamin c in more natural forms from things like yogurt and calcium fortified milk and other food products. It is my opinion that you talk to your pediatrician before you give your child any over the counter meds, but there are some really good multivitamins that are an excellent way to make sure they are getting enough vitamin c. The key is to make sure that they are getting enough and not extra that they dont need, cause the vitamin c only goes so far. Vaccinations are touchy subjects with parents and everyone's got an opinion about it. but it is my belief and suggestion that you get your children vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and the new H1N1 virus. these vacines are given out because the risks are far less than the benifit as are all medicines and vacines when they are given out, cause they all have risks. i hope i have been of some help to you.:-)

Helen - posted on 10/06/2009

no im not a nurse. if you go into a chemist they should be able to help. and i wouldnt worry to much about the swine flu. i had it, my son had it(hes2) and my daughter had it at 7months, it really wasnt as bad as all the hype. they were a bit snotty and groggy but thats about the worst of it. they had sore throats but to be honest, they have had worse colds! i on the other hand, wasn't very happy because i got it on my birthday and couldnt eat the expensive meal id paid for! i really wouldnt worry too much!