Older siblings bringing the "germs" home from school

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anonymous

New member
My two older daughters have only been in school for two to three weeks and we've already had our first "family" sickness. My oldest started with fever and vomiting, then my middle daughter and a few hours later, Samantha started. Samantha had the worst of it. Her fever was higher, the vomiting lasted longer. She relies on g-tube night feeds (and she still has trouble keeping on weight). We had to stop them for two nights. She was miserable. No vest treatments (she usually gets three a day) because of the vomiting.

I am confident that when Samantha starts school, I will be proactive about informing the teachers and other parents about hand washing and keeping sick kids home. But, these are not Samantha's teachers, or her classrooms. I don't feel comfortable sending a huge bottle of Purell to school. I'm also not the "keeping my daughter in a bubble" type, BUT she has had a very hard time staying healthy, and these illnesses sometimes knock a couple months of progress right out the door.

Any suggestions?

Maria (mother of three daughters, the youngest, Samantha w/cf)
 
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Emily65Roses

New member
The only thing I could possibly think of... I assume you've taught your older children to be clean? Handwashing, all that. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do. My Mike came over with a cold the other day. Granted it's only a cold, but I knew I'd get it. I always do. So I just dove in and kissed him right there. Big and sloppy. He yelled at me. Haha. But I knew I'd get it anyway, so I took it right then and there to get it overwith, sort of. And here I am now, with a sore throat. If anyone in the house gets sick, you're pretty much stuck knowing Sami will get whatever it is too. And she'll probably have it worst. Same with the cold. Mike's will be gone in a few days. I'll probably have it for a few weeks. Eh. I wish I had better ideas or news for ya. Heh.
 
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anonymous

New member
Emily, you're hilarious! I hope Sami has as much spunk as you do someday. But, you're right, she does catch every little runny nose that comes through the door. It usually ends up with a round of IV's for her!

I always have the girls wash their hands when they walk in the door. Maybe I need to just squirt them with Purell as soon as they get in the car from school.

Hope you feel better soon!


Maria
 
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Emily65Roses

New member
lol <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">
Maybe you could install a Purell shower right outside the front door? Course, I think that'd sting your eyes! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif" border="0">
 
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rose4cale

New member
My daughter's school had each parent provide a bottle of Purell. They are proactive in helping to get rid of the germs which helps. But unfortunately Cale picked up the same bug as yours must have. He was up all night vomitting and spiked a fever. Poor thing woke up scared to death thinking our house was moving. I don't know if he was hallucinating (sp) or if he just had the spins...(I know what those are like).

I don't know if you could somehow bring it up to a school board member that could approach the school about helping to eliminate more bugs considering we are now coming into cold and flu season? Maybe with 2nd quarter fast approaching teachers could send home letters. Or at least send a bottle with your kids to keep in their desk/locker/bag to keep themselves as clean as possible!

Hope everyone feels better soon!
 
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anonymous

New member
If this helps my daughter used to catch every stomach bug out there until maybe kindergarten/first grade. Now she hardly ever gets those--I guess her immune system is stronger now.
I think as tough as this is right now, in the long run by the time she starts school she will have her immune system built up as opposed to being sheltered up until the first day of kindergarten & hopefully she won't catch everything going around, just half of everything going around! lol
 
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julie

New member
The immune system does seem to get a bit stronger as time goes on, but the same thing emily said is true for my husband. If I am sick and anywhere near him (which is the case unless I am deployed), he's going to get it, so we don't do too much to avoid it although he does spike up his Vitamin C (he doubles what he usually takes/is recommended for his weight and height), he also takes Sambucol Black Elderbery Syrup <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.myvitanet.com/natwaysam4oz.html">http://www.myvitanet.com/natwaysam4oz.html</a> This is VERY VERY sweet and yummy tasting!. He also takes LIQUID Specific Echinacea Extract <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://216.55.176.226/INETUCRIDGUEST_1127448374_3645_4748/catalogue/eclectic/cache/item-9public.html?cache=no">http://216.55.176.226/INETUCRIDGUEST_1127448374_3645_4748/catalogue/eclectic/cache/item-9public.html?cache=no</a>. This isn't all the time, but when I come home with a cold-he starts this regimine. It seems to do very very well for him. The Echinaca is pretty nasty tasting, I won't lie but it helps! He will take this from the moment I come home sick, all the way until he feels about 1 week past his "sickness". If he stops too soon, he will get sick again.

Not sure if this the kind of stuff you were looking for, but it looks like someone else covered the purell so.... <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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anonymous

New member
Not that it will help anything they've already caught but it would be a good idea to have them shower when they get home every day!
 
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anonymous

New member
I try to use Airborne on my son if I think he is about to get sick, or if he is in a "compromised environment". Like last Christmas, we were getting together with family and there were several people getting over colds (or just starting to get them). I gave my son Airborne for the couple of days we were with them, and he never got sick. I think it can be pretty useful (for both of your daughters) to prevent or shorten colds. I doubt it will help much with viruses or the flu though. Just my suggestion!

Darla
5 yr old son with cf
 
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julie

New member
Your welcome Maria,

Mark also recommended (he knows so much because he has worked for his dad, who owns a health food store, since he was about 13) <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/ec2.html">Echinacea goldenseal</a>, but he said be careful with this one because it shoudn't be taken consistently for more than 14 days without a break. You take it when you feel a cold coming on, and use it for about a week and then jump to using echinacea without the goldenseal. He also recommended <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.n-ergetics.com/ecart/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=144">Colloidal Silver</a> the 1100 ppm one (ppm=particles per million) It's more expensive, but also much more effective than the one right next to it (the 30 ppm). Just be careful when you are getting "natural" supplements like this, that you get the EXTRACTS (like echinacea EXTRACT) for them to be beneficial. Additionally (I asked him, and now he just keeps listing all these things... lol) He uses <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.nutrovita.com/search.asp?keyword=tea+tree+oil+mouthwash&select=Product">tea tree oil mouthwash</a> and has four about 11 years now. It kills the bacteria in the mouth and back of the throat. I've given links to all the products we use (exaclty the products we use) but it's not the source we buy it from. Mark's dad sells things for much less than online and although we don't live in WA now (we will in Decemer- yeahhhhh!!!) I could probably get the stuff from him to me, then to you-still for less than online if you are interested. If not, I understand but if you were going to give it a try I could probably find it cheaper. His dad doesn't have online capabilities-yet (we are going to fix that when we move to WA, he needs to get up to date.... but the business is called Evergreen Health Pantry in Bellevue Washington.

I use these products as well when I feel that i am getting sick, I prefer prophylactic treatments if I catch it in time <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">.

Let me konw if you have any questions division902@hotmail.com
 
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rose4cale

New member
Julie-Are there age limitations on these products that you know of? Cale will be 3 in October. Thanks!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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julie

New member
Shelly, any of the stuff above is ok for kids provided that you give 1/2 the adult dose (maybe eve 1/4 the adult dose for cale until he's about 5-6) and you give it 1/2 as often as they recommend for adults. Marks dad's store also sells this <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.naturesway.com/products_catalog/database/details.asp?details_id=233">product</a> and it seems to be well liked and a huge success with kids. It has the elderberry extract and echinacea extract in a liquid forumula that is sweet and tasty for kids. Mark said that many parents have success with that because kids are so picky. Then again, CFers are use to taking not so tasty medications and such so it might be ok.
 
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anonymous

New member
Maria,
Airborne is packed with Vitamin C and other Vitamins aimed at heading off a cold. It is becoming more and more well-known. This past year alone, I have discovered it at the grocery store, Target, and Wal-Mart. Most pharmacies sell them too. Some places keep them behind the pharmacy counter, but there is no prescription required. I think one of the big keys to it's success is the fact that these vitamins are in an effervescent formula. Apparantly, effervescent formulas are more quickly and easily absorbed into the bloodstream, making it much more effective than other formulas. No, I don't sell the product - but I did a lot of research on it after I saw a show on Oprah about it. I try to keep a supply on hand at all times. They sell it in an adult and Children's formula - I personally find it cheaper to just use 1/2 of the adult tablet on my 5 yr old son. We've used it off and on for about a year. I try not to use it for more than a couple of days at a time. I use it myself too.

Take care!
Darla
5 yr old son with CF
 
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seasprite

New member
Hey guys, I know you are all just trying to suggest anything that might be helpful against colds. But the Food and Drug Administration considers colloidal silver to be unsafe and ineffective for anyone, much less little kids. Some people who have taken it have found that their skin has turned gray permanently. The echinacea and high doses of vitamin C are probably not particularly dangerous if you take them for short periods. Still, three studies of echinacea in children and young adults in the past three years have shown no impact on colds whatsoever, and echinacea can depress the immune system with long-term use. Vitamin C does not protect against colds, though it may slightly alleviate symptoms in some people -- but that is probably because it has an antihistamine effect. Since antihistamines are drying, I wouldn't give a large dose to a cf child. Also, in the studies that have seen helpful effects, 250 mg of C is as effective as larger doses, and you can get that much pretty easily from fruits, vegetables, and juices.

They only way that we have found to avoid spreading infections is to be really careful about hygiene. That means always washing our hands if we cough or sneeze, even if we have no reason to think we're sick (since we could be infectious before we show symptoms). When one of us is sick, he or she eats separately from the others and wears a surgical mask around Jordan. That's kind of hard to ask of a young child though, so maybe all you can do is to ask the older girls to keep some distance from Samantha when they're not feeling well. Only you can decide whether the benefits are worth the resulting shift in family dynamics. For us, avoidance has worked pretty well; Jordan has almost never gotten anything from his father or me. But we're just a family of three, so that makes it easier.

Bambi, mom of Jordan, 16 w cf
 
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julie

New member
This is one of those things where there are clearly going to be differences of opinion, but everything in life must be used in moderation and not used/abused. I know for me, a non CFer that if I catch a cold soon enough with echinacea, vitamin C and elderberry, I feel relief immediately and I continue to use it for about another week.

My husband has been pretty healthy with his CF, but his life didn't start that way. His weight and health improved greatly after his use of the aforementioned products. I don't think it's a coincidence. Many things that the FDA does not endorse are regularly practiced SAFELY in other countries (sterioids for example), and it dosen't mean they shouldn't be tried.

That's my two cents
 
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anonymous

New member
Like thalidomide?

Julie, please remember that it is one thing for you and your husband, as consenting adults, to take such products even in the face of studies raising questions about their safety and effectiveness. It is quite another to recommend them for small children.

Bambi
 
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anonymous

New member
I don't think that Julie was playing Dr. I think that Julie was stating what works for her. I am a peds nurse in an emergency room ( not an RN yet) but will be soon. I am not going to say either way what you should do with your child. That is between you and your Dr. I do know that random doses of meds for a child that the goverenment is not fully aware of may not be safe. Some drs recommend herbs... anyway

Julie was just trying to be helpful and share what she knows works for her (non Cfer) and for her husband (Cfer). Yes, they are consenting adults but any parent with half a brain is not going to randomly trust someone over the internet and start giving thier kids drugs. SHe was just suggesting things to look into. As you can see, she spent a great deal of time posting links for you so that you can check it out yourself...

I totally understand what you mean about giving small children herbs, and I think you must fully understand every side effect before you give them and also have your doctors permission to take them...but maybe they actually do work.. I know I have learned in school more and more about herbs and their effects on patients both good and bad.


Anyway, thanks for the information Julie. I have taken the echinacea with goldenseal and from what I have noticed, I felt better initially but then the sickness came back with a vengenece, I could be doing something wrong...

One quick story, this was a patient of mine, his wife was randomly giving him herb suppliments that she read in a book that were good for blood pressure and other things... well she gave him the herbs and one was such a strong diuretic, ( water pill) that it flushed all the potassium out of his blood and he had a major heart attack and died. She didn't even know that the one herb she gave him had that side effect, she was given him it for other reasons....

Good luck with the germs, I know what you mean every year this time for me it is like a war of the germs.. I am back in school, and also work in an emergency room... How many times a day can someone wash threre hands??? I think I win the record....


Jennifer
32 w/CF and Addison's disease
 
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