Every parent knows how horrible it is to be home with a sick kid. Whether it's just a cold, or something more severe, kids don't handle being sick well. And who can blame them!
However, kids are MEANT to get sick!
Yes, it's perfectly natural, and healthy, for them to get sick occasionally. This means they are developing a healthy immune system. As they meet new bugs, kids develop an immune response, which is then there for the next invasion. This explains why children when starting daycare, are often sick.
The problem is when your child stays sick for an extended time or is consistently picking up everything that is going around. This is when we know there is an immune health concern.
If a child is consistently ill, we tend to find different illnesses follows. One conditions follows another, as the immune system is in crisis mode and can't cope.
One example of this could be if your child has constipation, they could become problem eaters and we then see allergies/skin rashes/behavioural problems etc occurring, due to poor nutrient intake.
Major influences on children's health include:
*Over consumption and under nutrition
*Immune dysregulation
*Overuse of medications like antibiotics
*Environmental toxins
*Psychological stress
Many kids go in circles with what they will eat and won't eat. That's ok and perfectly normal. Always encourage trailing new foods but there is no need to force them. The days of 'You can't leave the table until you have eaten all your vegetables', has gone.
One hot tip is to always have something they like on their plate, together with something new or that they don't often eat.
The most important thing in anyones diet is variety.
Vary the fruits they eat, the vegetables, the grains and the meats. This ensures they eat all nutrients needed for everyday functions. That why we say:
Eat The Rainbow!!
Common nutrient deficiencies in children are Zinc, Magnesium, Iron and Vitamin D. Sadly soil for growing fruits and vegetables is not nutrient rich as years past, which leaves our foods today with lower nutrient value.
Low levels of zinc can be linked to anxiety, picky eating, frequent infections, low appetite, auditory processing/sensitivity, hay fever type symptoms and even diaper rash.
Chronic illness can lead to many rounds of antibiotics. Sometimes they are definitely needed - sometimes not. Unfortunately, antibiotics disrupt our gut bacteria, which is a big part of our immune system. So while we are 'fixing' one symptom, we are removing valuable immune defences, leaving our kids open to further attacks from bacteria and viruses.
This is where prebiotics and probiotics come in handy. While
it is best to use 'Food as Medicine', sometimes we need that extra helping hand (at least for a short time), to rebuild our defences.
Environmental toxins are now part of everyones day to day life. They are almost impossible to escape. Furniture, clothing and the items we clean and bathe with, will usually contain some form of toxin that is bad for our health.
Washing all new clothes before wearing them and using natural household cleansing agents like vinegar and bicarb soda, are just two ways to reduce the amount to toxins your child is exposed to on a daily basis.
Today, kids live in a stressful world. Cases of kids mental health has become higher than ever before! They are bombarded with too many activities, too much pressure in school, as well as social media adding pressure on them to be popular and to keep up-to-date with w
hat everyone is doing, every minute of the day.
Worry is linked to stress experienced by children, from the young, all the way through to teenagers.
Anxiety, headaches, insomnia, anger and loss of appetite are just some of the symptoms that can be a sign your child is stressed. Magnesium is one nutrient that is depleted in high stress times, so a little magnesium at night can calm the nervous system, as well as been important to encourage a good nights sleep.
If you are concerned your child is always sick, worried or has behavioural concerns, please reach out. There are many simple changes that can be made that won't disrupt the household or cost a bomb.
Book online for a FREE 15 minute Discovery call, or a full consultation, and together we can help kids thrive !!!
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