Winning the Sick Kid Lotto

I am going to start this post with gratitude. September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and my child is, relatively speaking, healthy. I count my blessings every day.

And, since we're talking about it, we haven't had a particularly easy go of it. "It" being basic health.  I have, almost two years in, lost complete count of how often Baba has been sick. But, it is a lot. It seems she catches absolutely everything there is to catch. Even if there's nothing to catch and everyone around her is healthy as that proverbial horse, she catches it.

Thankfully, she's had only a small handful of seriously tough illnesses and most others have been colds or coughs. But, man those coughs. They are heartbreaking - especially when they last all. Damn. Night.

Backing up to about 34 years ago. This was me. To a T. I coughed my way through childhood and through young adult hood. And, now, I am the healthiest person to roam the earth (again, relatively speaking). Thankfully, I don't remember my own slew of illnesses as having a negative impact on my childhood. I was still happy. This gives me hope for Baba.

See, we're not going to keep her in a bubble. As much as I hate the constant onslaught of illness, I believe that I will do more harm if I keep her away from this opportunity to build her immune system. Unfortunately, she just builds hers a little more painfully than a lot of other kids. So, she's in full time preschool. She travels with us. She camps. She goes to Children's Museums. And, I am pretty sure she has gnawed on a grocery cart handle at some point in her life. Probably recently.

This world is just too amazing not to explore!

At this point, we've tried a lot. We embarked on a homeopathic journey about a year ago. I guess, at the end of the day, I don't know what I don't know. It could be working. But, she still seems to get sick. A lot. So, I'm on a quest to find a balance between constant medical intervention and going natural; so as to keep her comfortable but also to ward off these nasty bugs as much as possible - before they beat her down.

I was reminded last night that, although it's uncomfortable for any Momma to watch her child suffer, it is indeed building up her immune system and one day soon, she will be healthier because of it. Granted, it might not be as soon as I would like, but that day is coming. It has to.

I'm thinking I am not alone in this battle. But, it sure feels like it.

In addition to our previous attempts to avoid the steroids and cough medicine (with codeine - that can't be good!), we found a Naturopathic Doctor. We love her and she is quickly becoming my best friend. Baba doesn't know what to think about her yet, but I am pretty sure she is falling in love every day she goes without illness.

We've recently eliminated cow's milk dairy - a very common agitator of the respiratory system. One month in and it (knock on wood) appears to be making a positive difference.

I have hope. Hope that I can find a delicate balance between medicating and proactively warding off this constant slew of illnesses - naturally.  Hope that I can make small changes that have big impacts. And, hope that Baba continues to thrive, despite the snotty noses and hacking coughs.

Becoming a Believer... in the Homeopathic Lifestyle...

A few weeks ago, I posted on the winter-time struggles we have had with AK's health and I shared some of the new attempts we were making to combat these illnesses and to perhaps even get ahead of the game by warding them off before they even started. Look at me getting all proactive on you...

I am here to say that I really wasn't sure how this was all going to turn out.  And, yes, I am aware that winter is not quite over and this doesn't mean that as soon as spring hits, all will be perfect. But, I was willing to try anything that would keep my AK from being sick more often than she was well.  To refresh your memory, we have battled:
1.  Countless ear infections (six to be exact)
2.  RSV
3.  Croup (twice)
4.  Pneumonia
5.  The Flu

And, we have now started practicing the following:

1.  Humidifier:  running as often as possible
2.  Pro-biotic:  a pinch in every meal
3.  Chiropractor:  twice a week
4.  Whole Food Supplements (see March 9th post for more information)

I've been diligent with the above methods.  Perhaps to a fault, but the RSV contracted days after the pneumonia ended made me just a bit neurotic, not to mention exhausted.

I have become, without question, a believer.  We are going on four and a half weeks with no illness. That hasn't happened since November.  (I'm not looking for pity here, but a little shock would be appreciated!) All four of these methods, on their own, would likely help slightly.  But, together, they are making her, as the chiropractor says, "bullet proof."

You may have your own beliefs about the chiropractor and I am not here to change them (OK, maybe I am.)  Chiropractic care is one of the most ancient forms of medicine, and when broken down, makes perfect sense.  Bottom line:  your body functions best when it is in its natural alignment.  When knocked out of alignment (which happens by just living), it's more difficult to fend off illness, more difficult to digest food and more difficult to sleep.

Each time I take AK, our Chiropractor (that's Dr. Dave to you) can immediately sense which vertebrae or rib need adjusting.  He also says - before I lead him down any road - "this rib is out.  It would affect her lungs.  Does she have a cough?"  Well, yes, doctor, she does.  It's pretty simple, actually.  And, it works.

A weekly adjustment with Dr. Dave

What I am most pleased with is two-fold.  First, AK's ears are getting a moment to heal.  She has had six ear infections this winter and it's impossible for them to heal when they pummel her one after another. Second, her body is returning to a more natural state, without antibiotics and steroids, and it's getting an opportunity to actually build immunity.

Listen, I'm not here to get all Polyanna on you and lead you to believe that my little one is never going to get sick again and live in this natural state of purity forever. But, I am here to encourage you to pursue other methods of combating these common illnesses in children.  If my child needs medicine to truly feel and get better, I'll be first in line at the pharmacist.  But, if I can make some headway and fend this garbage off before it starts, we're all in a much better state of health!

Combating Illness Homeopathically?

I need to begin this post by stating that I am beyond blessed that my daughter is wholly healthy - physically and emotionally.  I would be remiss if I did not call attention to this fact as I launch into this post.

I nursed AK for 13 months.  I did so for many reasons, from the fact that it was very simple for us both, to the fact that I enjoyed creating that bond to the fact that it is supposed to improve an infants immunity to illnesses.  Many of my memories of my childhood, although extremely happy, included illness.  I am asthmatic and suffered with allergies, chronic colds and ear infections for my entire life.  I wanted nothing more than to do whatever I could do to prevent my AK from following in these specific footsteps.

Unfortunately, it hasn't started out that way.  At three months old, she picked up RSV and her illnesses, although relatively minor comparatively speaking, have continued.  Now, at sixteen months, she has had croup, RSV again, pneumonia, the flu and more ear infections than I can count.  At this point, it's starting to feel like she is sick more than she is well.  In addition, the medicines she has been on are starting to make me sick - literally and figuratively.

About a month ago, I decided that I had had enough of the antibiotics, steroids and cough medicines.  Not that I was considering leaving my child to suffer when medicines would help comfort her, but I felt that there just had to be a better way.

My second caveat is that I don't know how all of this will turn out.  I can tell you what I am hoping - and that's that in six months I look back with gratitude for the more natural methods I am trying having worked. Whatever it is, I am committed to documenting this journey in the hopes it will help not only us but someone else along the way.

I have started this journey with the chiropractor (I will call him doc from this point forward).  I found one, who happened to be mine, and he has a specialty in infants and children.  The first time I took AK, she slept more like that proverbial baby than I have ever seen.  It was almost like she could finally rest easy with her body back in alignment.  After two adjustments, the doc got admittedly cocky and I got admittedly trusting. We thought maybe we were working with a little one who would respond beautifully to a few adjustments and immunity would be immediately increased.  We were wrong.

She got heaps of sicknesses, one after another and I kept her away from the doc for no reason other than fear.  When I finally took her back, doc gave me a little lecture encouraging me to bring her in immediately the next time she even appears to be getting sick.  In addition, we have started a twice-weekly adjustment schedule until we can get her healthy for longer than seven days at a time!

In addition to this very ancient form of healing, I am trying the following things for proactive health:
(Note, I am not being paid, in any way, to endorse any of these products or websites)

1.  Humidifier.  The human body likes moisture.  The natural air we live in lacks moisture - even worse in some areas such as my state of Colorado.  When attempting to combat an illness, the body then makes its own moisture - in the form of mucous.  Enter illness.  Therefore, using a humidifier keeps the body from going into mucous overdrive.

2.  Pro-biotic.  Many doctors and scientists believe that good overall health ultimately begins in the gut.  Therefore, AK takes a pinch of probiotic powder twice a day.  I mix it in her oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce, smoothie and she is none the wiser.
Here is the pro-biotic we use.

3.  Fish Oil.  Most children are deficient in DHA and EHA.  The omega-3 essentially fatty acids in fish oil.  These vital nutrients are crucial building blocks of child development and play key roles in every aspect of health.  They come in little gummies, which she of course, devours.
AK loves the tangerine flavor of these.

4.  Congaplex.  Sounds weird, but is simply designed to build immunity.  They are little chewables that I hand to her with her meal.
And the link to these little guys.

At the end of the day, I am thinking of this as a marathon to health for AK.  Although her illnesses are recoverable and I am forever grateful for that, I want her to experience a healthy life, even if she IS in daycare!

Stay tuned for updates...

Cleanliness - the ticket to good health!