With back to school just around the corner, now is the time to start easing into the back to school bedtime routine. Children may be accustomed to a more relaxed bedtime schedule during the summer months, but with back-to-school, bedtime routines may need to be reestablished.

​The transition is easiest if the routine is eased into approximately two weeks before the first day of school. A 15 minute earlier bedtime every few days the two weeks prior to school starting, helps the transition go smoother. In addition, the week or two prior is a great time to work on preparing clothing each evening that will be worn the next day. If preparing clothing and belongings needed for the next day is done the night before, the routine will go much smoother In the mornings for off to school timeframes.

Bedtime routines should be handled with a matter-of-fact approach with your child and should be consistent. It is important to set a time preceding the actual bedtime to accomplish the bedtime routine activities so that the actual bedtime can be accomplished without delay. Working with your child to develop a consistent bedtime routine that meets your child’s individual needs and assures adequate sleep on a nightly basis is important. 

Adequate sleep is essential for optimizing children’s physical and mental health. Lack of sleep can affect children’s normal growth and development including brain development and neurocognitive development. Too little sleep can impact a child or teen’s social and behavioral health. Lack of sleep has been implicated in poor school performance, behavioral disorders, and as a contributing factor in ADHD. In addition, sleep is essential to a healthy functioning immune system providing resiliency in fighting colds, flu, and infections. 

Children should spend approximately 40% of their time asleep during childhood. The AAP recommends the following sleep guidelines for children:
Infants: (4-12 months) 12-16 hours including naps
Toddlers: (1-2 yrs) 11-14 hours including naps
Preschoolers: (3-5 yrs) 10-13 hours including naps
Grade schoolers: (6-12 yrs) 9-12 hours
Teens: (13-18 yrs) 8-10 hours

Guidelines for Bedtime Routines:

• Turn OFF screens at least 1-2 hours before bedtime.
• If screens are needed for homework in the evening use amber blue-light blocking glasses.
• Keep TV, phones, and screens out of the bedroom.
• Avoid wearable devices with wi-fi during sleep.
• Avoid caffeine and sugar in the evening.
• Establish a consistent bedtime routine.
• Snuggle, cuddle, and have storytime for children before bed.
• Keep pets out of the bedroom.

If your child experiences back-to-school sleep struggles, Wellness 4 KIDS is here to help. Contact us for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call or learn more at Wellness4KIDS.net

If you have daughters in the tweens and teens age, you are likely aware of the popular marketing of skin care and cosmetic products to this population. However, pediatricians and dermatologists are becoming increasingly concerned in regards to a number of these marketed products and the potential health risks they pose for our tween and teen girls.

The pediatric population has a more delicate skin structure than adults making them much more sensitive to the chemical composition of many of these products. They are also more likely to develop a contact dermatitis from products. In addition, many of these products contain fragrances and endocrine disrupting ingredients that may be harmful.

Things to avoid in Tweens & Teens skin care products:

• Acids
• Harsh chemicals
• Exfoliators
• Retinols
• Scrubs (bead or seed products)
• Fragrances
• Phthalates
• Parabens

Instead focus on a gentle fragrance free cleanser and moisturizer and use a zinc oxide containing pediatric friendly sunscreen when needed.

References: https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/edcs

Interested in natural options for addressing your child’s health struggles? Wellness 4 KIDS is here to help. Contact us for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call or learn more at Wellness4KIDS.net

The active ingredient in Active Skin Repair Kids is used in hospitals’ burn and wound care centers and is backed by clinical research studies. It contains a natural ingredient molecule that has natural antibiotic and antifungal properties. It is safe and nontoxic and may be even used around the head and near eyes, mouth, and ears. (But do not spray directly in the eyes, ears, or mouth.)

😎Active Skin Repair Kids can be taken on your outdoor hiking adventures, backyard barbecues, camping trips, and beach outings. It is available at this Fullscript link in the First Aid Favorites or Children’s Favorite Sections.

Interested in natural options for addressing your child’s health struggles? Wellness 4 KIDS is here to help. Contact us for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call or learn more at Wellness4KIDS.net

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.