Magnesium is a macro-mineral that is needed in over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body. How it works within many body processes is truly miraculous. Children as well as adults often have low magnesium levels. It is an often overlooked mineral and is not easily tested for in a routine blood serum test that measures magnesium. Instead it needs to be assessed through a Red Blood Cell Magnesium Test, as the body will pull magnesium from other areas in the body to maintain proper amounts in the blood serum. 

Magnesium is needed in many of the normal body processes including:

• Calming the nervous system and anxiety
• Improving energy, attention, and focus
• Aiding in proper digestion and bowel elimination
• Heart health​
• Proper calcium balance
• Bone and muscle health
• Restful sleep
• Preventing headaches 

​Magnesium is obtained from foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. It is always best if possible, to obtain adequate magnesium through a well balanced diet which includes a variety of foods that contain high levels of magnesium. Unfortunately foods that contain high levels of magnesium are typically foods that children may not be eating enough of in the typical American diet, which can contribute to low magnesium levels.


Signs of low magnesium levels or magnesium insufficiency include:

• ADHD
• Anxiety
• Sleep issues
• Loss of appetite
• Headaches
• Muscle cramps
• Asthma
• Heart palpitations
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Fatigue

There are several different types of magnesium. It is important if a child is not obtaining adequate magnesium from their diet, that the right magnesium supplement be used. Magnesium Oxide is the least expensive and readily found form of magnesium. It is often found in multivitamin supplements as it is an inexpensive form of magnesium. However, it is not well absorbed and stays primarily in the gastrointestinal tract, so it does not benefit the rest of the body. Therefore Magnesium Oxide is discouraged as a magnesium supplement.


Wellness 4 KIDS can help asses your child’s magnesium needs and guide you in which type of magnesium supplement, if needed, would best meet your individual child’s health needs. Contact us and schedule a Free Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

Are stuffy, sneezy, noses taking the fun out of outside play time for your children? Springtime allergies can be difficult (and miserable!) for children with pollen allergies and may impact sleep as well as learning if symptoms are not well controlled.

Here are a few tips to help control those allergy sniffles for children:

• Keep your child well hydrated to keep the mucous membranes moist. (Children need half their weight in ounces daily). 💧
• Ensure a nutritional healthy diet with the rainbow of colors from vegetables and fruits that provide vitamin C, vitamin A, and bioflavonoids to reduce the amount of histamine the body produces in response to an allergen. 🍎🥦
• Use an indoor air purifier. 💨
• Keep windows closed in bedrooms. Keep all windows closed during peak allergy seasons. 🪟
• Keep pets well groomed, out of bedrooms, and off the furniture. Pets are great pollen collectors from being outside and then may transfer pollen indoors and onto furniture or bedding. 🐶
• Have your child shower before bed or after time spent outdoors to remove pollens. (Pollens are carried on shoes, clothes, hair etc.) 🛀
• Remove shoes upon entering the home to prevent “tracking in” allergens. 👞
• Use nasal saline spray to clear pollens from nasal passages. 👃
• Pollen counts are typically higher in the evening so if possible, schedule outdoor activities earlier in the day. ☀️

​
What are Natural Support Options for Children’s Seasonal Pollen Allergies?

Local honey (1-2 tsp daily) can be taken 2-3 months prior to pollen season to help in desensitizing pollen allergies. (Contains pollens from local plants, flowers, weeds, trees, grasses etc.)  🍯

D-Hist Jr. works most effectively when it is started about a month before seasonal pollen allergies begin and is continued on a daily basis during allergy season. It is dosed by age, typically taken in the am and pm with a meal. It can be taken alongside over-the-counter allergy medications if needed.

D-Hist Jr. contains quercetin a powerful plant flavonoid to support healthy histamine levels. The quercetin is combined with bromelain, a plant based enzyme to aid the absorption of the quercetin and is beneficial in decreasing inflammation and supporting mucous membranes. Stinging Nettles leaf assists in balancing the hyper-immune response. N-acetyl cysteine, an antioxidant derived from an amino acid, assists in clearing mucous from the airways. Vitamin C is added as an essential nutrient to support the immune system and is a potent antioxidant with the ability to assist in deactivating the histamine response. Together the ingredients assist in supporting the immune system during pollen allergy season.

D-Hist is also available in capsule form for older children who prefer swallowing a capsule. D-Hist Jr. and D-Hist are available in the children’s health products section at this FullScript link (you may click request authorization if needed).

Reminder: For your child's safety, it is recommended to purchase products directly from the manufacturer or a healthcare professional company, not third party e-commerce sites, due to recent research and reports of products being tampered or adulterated on those sites.
Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35947382

As we discuss wellness this month, one of the topics that comes to the forefront is Fruits and Veggies. Our children need fruits and vegetables as an important part of their diet and is essential for health and wellness. A diversity of fruits and Vegetables in the rainbow of colors are powerhouses of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, and fiber. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables supports the immune system, proper growth and development, and provides the food for a healthy microbiome.

The Healthy Eating Plate established by the Harvard Medical School’s nutrition division, recommends half of the meal or plate, should consist of fruits and vegetables. The majority of that should be vegetables and a smaller percentage of that should be fruits. 

According to the CDC on any given day in the US:
90% of children do not meet the daily requirements of vegetables
60% of children do not meet the daily requirement of fruits

So how do we get our children to eat their fruits and vegetables?
The following are a few ideas:

• Grow your own vegetable garden with your children
• Take your child shopping with you to help pick out different fruits and vegetables 
• Allow your child to help wash and prepare fruits vegetables
• Experiment with your child on different recipes, seasonings, and ways to prepare fruits and vegetables
• Use fruits and vegetables as snacks for snack time
• Limit processed fruits and vegetables such as fruit chewy snacks, etc. as they often contain artificial ingredients, colors, added sugars, preservatives etc. and they lose much of their nutritional value and fiber in processing. (Note Fruit Snacks & Veggies Straws do not count as a fruit or vegetable source!)
• Have an “eat your veggies first policy” at mealtimes
• Use fruits as dessert instead of sugary desserts
• Incorporate fruits and sometimes even small amounts of veggies in a healthy fruit smoothie

Establishing a food first approach is always preferable. However, for some children as they are working on incorporating a more diverse variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet, some additional support may be beneficial.
​
NutriDyn has an excellent Kids Fruits and Greens powdered product that can be readily added to smoothies (see recipe below) to increase the diversity of fruits and vegetables for children. It is an easy to mix, great tasting, nutrient-rich super food powder made from whole food concentrates. It provides vitamins, antioxidants, prebiotic fiber, and some probiotics to support the microbiome specially designed to help kids thrive. Kids Fruits and Greens can be obtained through NutriDyn at this link.

As we leave winter and flu season behind, we are choosing to focus on wellness this month. One of the most important factors that impacts children’s wellness is daily physical exercise. So let’s “spring into spring” by incorporating daily physical exercise into our families routines.

Daily physical exercise or movement is essential  and necessary for children’s/teens health, wellness, and normal growth and development. In addition, daily physical exercise/movement is very important for children’s/teens cognitive health, school performance, and mental/social/emotional balance. Research has shown that adequate exercise/movement has additional far reaching health benefits in preventing cardiac disease, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, mental disorders, and even cancer. As children get older, participating in organized or team sports can further develop their social and interpersonal skills as well as benefit their overall physical health.

Children who obtain adequate exercise show improved heart and lung function, better sleep, healthier weight management, better cognitive scores and school performance, decreased risk taking behaviors, improved muscle control, stronger bone development, and improved balance and posture.

Incorporating movement and exercise early in life builds a foundation for daily movement/exercise later in life.  Incorporating exercise as a family further strengthens the importance of exercise in a child’s/teens daily life.

According to the CDC only about 24% of children 6-17 years of age meet the minimum daily requirement for physical activity and exercise. The following is the AAP guidelines for children’s daily exercise.

Infants (30+minutes throughout the day)
Tummy time when awake

Toddlers (3+ hours throughout the day)
Free play or outside time 

Preschoolers (3+ hours including 1 hour moderate/vigorous activity)
Throwing, catching, or tumbling as well as free play and outside time

Elementary (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Free play, outside time, and beginning organized sports

Junior High (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Organized varied sports and organized social activities 

High School (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Organized sports, appropriate organized social activities, and when appropriate competitive sports

Parking the car farther away and walking to a location 🚙
A walk or hike in the park or nature 🌳
Flying a kite 🪁
Participating in a sport or recreational games together ⚽️
Jumping on a trampoline 🤸🏽
Walking the dog🐶
Riding bikes together🚴‍♀️
Table tennis🏓
Throwing a frisbee🥏
Swimming 🏊‍♀️
Rollerskating, ice skating, or rollerblading⛸️​

References:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Making-Fitness-a-Way-of-Life.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/children-keeping-them-active

Are you interested in building your child's health, wellness, and immune resilience  through holistic pediatric care? Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

Image from Pexel

Those miserable scratchy sore throats that make your child miserable. What is a parent to do? Sore throats often accompany the common cold, viral upper respiratory infections or the flu. 

Other causes of sore throats may include allergies, inhaled irritants, gastroesophageal reflux or  bacterial throat infections such as strep throat. Most viral related sore throats, which are the most common cause of sore throats in children, can be managed at home.

However, if your child has a prolonged or severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, a prolonged high fever, or a rash accompanying the sore throat, they should be evaluated by a medical provider.

So what are some ways you as a parent can reduce the symptoms associated with a viral sore throat? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends gargling with warm salt water for children old enough to gargle. Most children are able to gargle around 6 years of age. Options for relieving symptoms of viral sore throats may include:

-Salt water gargle using 1/2 tsp salt in 1 cup of warm water for children ages 6 and older to help reduce swelling and pain.

-1-1/2 tsp of honey for children 1 year and older (honey has antimicrobial properties and is soothing to the throat). 

-Encourage plenty of warm fluids to soothe the throat and keep the child well hydrated.

-Homemade 100% juice popsicles may used to help soothe the throat.

-A cool mist humidifier may be used at night-time for moisture relief to the throat.

​Most viral sore throats improve within a few days of illness onset. With a little extra care and loving support, children will be on the road to recovery soon.

Other natural options for viral sore throat relief:

*Reference: ​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1292560/

How do you manage your child’s nasty cough triggered by an upper respiratory viral illness? Coughs are a frequent companion to a child’s viral illness. They can be disruptive to sleep and make your child miserable. Most coughs are viral in nature. Therefore, antibiotics are not useful for treating viral coughs.

However, occasionally coughs can be associated with a bacterial infection which is usually accompanied by a higher prolonged fever or lasts beyond a week without improvement. Some children may experience viral induced asthma in association with a viral infection. In either of these situations you would need to contact your health care provider for further treatment. In addition, if your child has breathing or swallowing difficulties or vomiting accompanying their cough, they need to be evaluated by a health care provider.

So what can you as a parent do to address a viral cough? The recommended at home treatment by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children over one year of age is 1-2 teaspoons of honey at bedtime depending on age of the child (younger children a smaller dose, older children the larger dose). Honey has natural antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and helps to coat an irritated throat. The honey can also be mixed with warm freshly squeezed lemon water to provide extra vitamin C and immune enhancing properties.

For cough and chest congestion, doTerra Breathe Vapor Stick may be applied to the chest for children older than 2 years to help soothe coughs and congestion.

There are also homeopathic natural options for treating coughs. 

Reminder: For your child's safety, it is recommended to purchase products directly from the manufacturer or a healthcare professional company, not third party e-commerce sites due to recent research and reports of products being tampered or adulterated on those sites.  Reference: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35947382/

Finally, always remember that if you as a parent are concerned about your child’s cough, please contact your health care provider.

Fevers in children are not to be feared, but respected as part of the body’s natural immune fighting properties.  A fever is the body’s way of slowing the replication of a virus or bacteria by mobilizing the body’s immune fighting properties to take action in fighting the illness.

While a fever can make your child feel poorly, it is important to remember that the body is doing what it is designed to do to fight the illness. When is it appropriate to use fever reducing medications? When your child is so ill that he is unable to stay hydrated, is so uncomfortable they are unable to sleep at night, or they are feeling so poorly they are not eating. In addition, fever reducing medications may be needful if your child has a high fever, has other medical conditions, or has been instructed to take fever reducing medications by your health care provider. Administering fever reducing medications will help bring down the fever, but will not help the body fight the illness and may actually hinder the body's efficiency in fighting the illness.

While most febrile viral illnesses can be managed at home, there are times it is important to contact your child’s health care provider. Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) indicate your heath care provider should be contacted if your infant is less than three months old and has a fever, is 3-6 mos. old and has a fever of 102.5F or higher, if your child is less than two years old and has a fever of 100.4F for more than 24 hours, if your child has a high fever of 104F, or has a prolonged fever greater than three days.

A fever in a young infant, a high fever, or a prolonged fever greater than three days duration may indicate a bacterial infection or more severe illness that may need additional treatment. In addition, other concerning accompanying symptoms such as a stiff neck, dehydration, rash, severe headache, severe sore throat, severe ear pain, severe or prolonged cough, breathing difficulties, or repeated ongoing vomiting/diarrhea, would also require additional medical evaluation. 

Finally, as the parent, if you are uncomfortable with your child’s condition or have questions about your child’s illness, please contact your child’s health care provider or seek appropriate medical care. If you are administering medications to your child while they are ill, please use as directed by your health care provider or as directed on the product.

Hydration - It is important to keep your child well hydrated during a febrile illness as they are more likely to become dehydrated. It is recommended to avoid sugary drinks and sugar added sports drinks as added refined sugar may decrease the body’s immune fighting properties. Filtered water, ice chips, bone broth, coconut water, and fresh fruit purées, slushes, or smoothies are all good sources of hydration.

Rest - Children’s bodies need rest to recover and fight the illness.

Nutrition - Encourage vegetables and fruits that are easily digested which are good sources of vitamin C and vitamin A. Good sources of vitamin C include: citrus fruits, berries, cauliflower, and peppers. Good sources of vitamin A include: green leafy vegetables, carrots, and squash. Zinc is also helpful in slowing viral replication and may be found in beef bone broth. Sugary foods and fried foods may hamper the immune system and increase inflammation so they are best avoided.

​What are natural options for a viral febrile illness?

Reminder: Supplements are not approved by the FDA so choosing a reputable product obtained from a reputable supplier is important for your child’s safety and efficacy of the product.  Analysis of Select Dietary Supplement Products Marketed to Support or Boost the Immune System https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35947382

Are you interested in building your child's health, wellness, and immune resilience  through holistic pediatric care? Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

Does it seem like your kids are always getting sick? Are you tired of missed school and work days interrupting your schedule and plans? While younger children can have 6-9 illnesses per year and teens can have 4-6 illnesses a year, the goal is for your child to have a resilient immune system. Aiming to decrease the number of illnesses, duration of illnesses, and severity of illnesses is what we desire.

Did you know the microbiome is responsible for 70-80% of the immune system? What is the microbiome? It is the trillions of microorganisms that make up a symbiotic relationship with their host. The majority of these living microorganisms reside in the gastrointestinal tract and help to digest food, aid in manufacturing certain vitamins, and very importantly help moderate and support the immune system. 

The microbiome should consist primarily of healthy bacteria and microorganisms. However, many times due to diet, medications, and stress, the microbiome can become dysbiotic. Which means there is an imbalance of bad bacteria, fungi, and yeasts and not enough good healthy bacteria. This can lead to a poorly functioning immune system. The study of the microbiome's implications on health and its impact on the immune system, digestive health, autoimmune diseases, cancer, ADHD, and mental health is currently one of the fastest growing areas of medical research. 

What does this mean for your child? The microbiome needs healthy foods including a variety of fruits and vegetables that provide the prefiber that feed the healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. A diet low in vegetables and fruits and high in ultra processed foods and refined sugar, starve the healthy bacteria and instead feed the harmful bacteria, yeast, and fungi leading to a dysbiotic gut microbiome.
In addition, medications (while sometimes very necessary) can destroy or harm a healthy microbiome. Common medications that harm a microbiome include antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories drugs, antacids, and steroids.

How can you promote a healthy microbiome for your child? By encouraging adequate sleep, minimizing stress, and very importantly providing a healthy diet of whole foods:

• Diverse variety of fruits and vegetables from the rainbow of colors
• Fermented foods
• Limiting refined sugars and ultra processed foods

​In addition, it can be helpful to supplement with a viable researched children’s probiotic supplement. 

Two of my favorite general children’s wellness probiotic supplements are NutriDyn’s Kids Chewable Probiotic for children of safe chewing age and Kids Liquid Probiotic for younger children or those who prefer a liquid.  These probiotics are scientifically formulated and designed to support the digestive and immune systems. These specific probiotic supplements contain clinically validated viable probiotics. The chewable probiotic also contains a highly absorbable prebiotic. They should be kept in the refrigerator to maintain viability. They can be purchased directly from NutriDyn in the Children’s Health Section at this link. NutriDyn​

Are you interested in less sick days, missed school days, and missed work days for your family? Wellness 4 KIDS specializes in working with children to address and support the needs of a healthy microbiome and addressing pediatric health challenges. For children with special health challenges, Wellness 4 KIDS individualizes probiotic strain recommendations to meet the specific needs of the individual child.

​If you would like more information on helping your child develop a healthy microbiome and supporting a healthy immune system, please Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

I am thinking about this wonderful time of year for making memories with your family. I am also thinking how challenging it can be to keep families healthy at this time of year when there are so many activities and family gatherings to attend.

When supporting the immune system, focusing on healthy foods that support the immune system is priority. Incorporating healthy vegetables and fruits for their antioxidant and nutrient benefits is paramount. Also important is limiting ultra processed foods, added refined sugars, food dyes, and chemicals. In addition, in our home we also incorporate a few supplements to add further support during the cold/flu season. My favorites include a highly viable strain specific probiotic supplement, Vitamin D3/K2, zinc, and elderberry.

While supplements may be helpful for additional immune support, it is needful to address supplement safety and the  importance in children. Since children have a smaller body mass, and developing bodies, they are much more sensitive to chemicals, additives, and impurities. Therefore, the quality of supplements is very important for both efficacy and safety.

Supplement Safety Tips

When choosing supplements for your child, it is important to choose supplements from reputable research based companies. Supplements should be approved for children and contain quality ingredients that avoid added sugar, artificial sweeteners, food coloring/dyes, and food additives.

Due to recent research and FDA investigations on supplements purchased from Amazon or other third party e-commerce sites,  Wellness 4 KIDS  does not recommend purchasing oral supplements from Amazon, E-Bay, or other third party e-commerce sites. There have been ongoing incidents reported by FDA investigations and manufacturers of products purchased from these various sites which have been altered, contained contaminated or harmful ingredients, relabeled, improperly labeled, or had altered expiration dates.

In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers performed lab analysis on 30 randomly selected immune supplements purchased on Amazon. Of the 30 supplements analyzed, 17 of the supplements were mislabeled and did not contain the ingredients as listed on the label. Of the 17 supplements mislabeled, some did not contain the ingredients as indicated, some contained adulterated ingredients, and some contained additional ingredients that were not indicated on the label (see reference below).  In addition, supplements may be ineffective or expire prior to date if they have not been stored in a properly climate-controlled environment. Many of these warehouses may not be climate-controlled to ensure efficacy or stability of the product. Therefore, your child may not benefit or possibly even be harmed by supplements that have not been obtained from a manufacturer and healthcare product supplier that ensures quality and safety standards of its healthcare products.

Wellness 4 KIDS recommends FullScript and NutriDyn for quality children’s health and wellness supplements. FullScript and NutriDyn are health care professional companies with rigorous quality, safety, and storage standards. Both companies carry a variety of professional grade children’s health and wellness products that have undergone review and approval by a medical/health care review board. They offer professional products from a variety of trusted healthcare manufacturers at competitive prices and have a reputation of quality customer service. In addition, they accept payment with a FSA or HSA card for approved health care products. 

Fullscript carries a number of reputable immune support supplements, natural children’s cough/cold/flu products, and viable probiotics for children. NutriDyn carries an excellent prebiotic/probiotic combination supplement for children as well as a couple immune supplements for children. Children’s health and wellness supplements can be found in the Children’s Health Sections at the links below. 

FullScript
NutriDyn

Are you interested in building your child's health, wellness, and immune resilience  through holistic care? Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.

References
Analysis of Select Dietary Supplement Products Marketed to Support or Boost the Immune System 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35947382