With school starting, I thought it was a good time to talk children's health. It's that time of year again where kids are sharing many things at school including lots and lots of germs! Yuck!
From a health care stand point through my music therapy training, the best thing that we can teach our kids is the importance of good hand washing and hope they listen:) I sing the ABCs with my kids while washing hands to make sure they are washing long enough. It makes it more fun for everyone.
But even with that, kids still pick up lots of germs from school. One thing that we do in my family to help prevent illness is supplement with good quality vitamins.
Neither of my boys have ever had an ear infection! We do catch colds from time to time, but they usually come and go within a couple of days or so. That says a lot considering my preemie who just turned one, was predicted to catch a lot of colds that could turn into RSV this year. But he didn't! Both of my kids have been very healthy and I am so thankful!
My almost 3 year old takes Shaklee's Incredivites Chewables which he loves. I love them too because all of Shaklee's supplements come from natural sources and they help to fill in the gap in his nutrition with his sometimes picky eating habits.
The Incredivites contain lactoferrin, the immune booster found in breast milk. No other children's vitamin does. It also has 23 nutrients in it including 600IU of vitamin D which help with strong bones and teeth. And he loves the berry flavors so it is easy for him to chew and take. Because he is under the age of 4, he only needs one a day, which makes the bottle last for 4 months! Good stuff!
My other son, who just turned 1 takes Shakleebaby Multivitamin and Multimineral Powder every day. He gets 1 tsp. in his morning oatmeal.
I like it because it is a powder and mixes easily into most liquids and baby food and it doesn't have any taste to it. It also has 23 essential nutrients in it, which help to fill in the gaps in his nutrition. It also has prebiotics in it, helping with digestion and immune support, along with 400 IU of vitamin D. Again I say, good stuff! :)
During cold and flu season, or when my son is fighting a bug, I give him a little extra boost in his immune system with Shaklee's Chewable Vitamin C. My toddler loves the citrus taste and it helps the bug to go away quickly.
I grew up with these, so they bring back memories for me too! Each one is equivalent to 1.5 organic oranges!
I also give my toddler Shaklee's Alfalfa when he is fighting a cold. It stops a runny nose right in it's tracks! (and is great for his seasonal allergies too!)
My toddler chews these, but if the flavor is too strong for you child, they can be easily crushed and added to food. I also take alfalfa for my allergies and when I am feeling like a cold is coming on. It works great!
A word about DHA:
The last thing that I should mention is Shaklee's Mighty Smart Chews.
These are 100% natural ultra-pure DHA, the most abundant omega 3 fatty acid in the brain and eyes. These taste kind of like an orange citrus starburst and my son LOVES them! (I do too!) They do not have any artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives. Science shows the importance of DHA for kids (adults too!) for their growing and developing brain. I may be a little biased, but my little guy is pretty darn smart which could be in part because of the Mighty Smarts....just sayin' :)
Thanks again for reading! I thought it was pretty important to write this post with school starting. If you just want to start with one supplement for your child, I would definitely suggest one of the first two multivitamins I mentioned at the top (Incredivites chewables or the Shakleebaby multivitamin and multimineral powder). Great first defense against all of those school germs!
Have a good and healthy day!
Rebecca
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