Children's Oscillo

Natural Relief, No Side Effects

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:23:15 +0000

Is your child feeling a bit off? Nip it in the bud with Children’s Oscillococcinum.

Safe for kids ages 2 and up
No side effects or interactions with other medications
Sweet-tasting, melt-away pellets dissolve quickly

Safe, natural relief at the first sign of flu-like symptoms. So they feel like themselves again.

Kid-Friendly Medicine

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:21:34 +0000

Children’s Oscillo is Easy to Give & Tastes Great

Parents are always searching for a children’s medicine that is easy to administer and tastes good. Children’s Oscillo’s sweet-tasting, melt-away pellets dissolve quickly under the tongue, meaning no water, chewing or swallowing is required. And, because homeopathic medicines are not weight-dependent, there’s no need to give more or less medicine depending on your child’s body weight.

In general, homeopathic medicines are considered one of the safest choices for self-treatment. There’s no risk of overdose, and no reported side effects such as making children jittery or drowsy. These medicines, including Children’s Oscillo, do not interact with other medications, herbs or supplements. Nor do they “mask” symptoms that may indicate a more serious condition.

“[Homeopathic medicines] work in a different way,” says the Los Angeles-based Lauren Feder, M.D., and author of Natural Baby and Childcare (Hatherleigh Press, 2006). “The principle is that the body knows what to do best for itself. Rather than suppressing symptoms, these medicines work with the body by sending it a signal to help rebalance itself and heal.”

Safe for Kids

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:22:20 +0000

Boiron Medicines Ease Parents’ Worries about FDA Warnings

The Problem

In 2007, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel questioned the safety and efficacy of decongestants, antihistamines and cough suppressants in children younger than 6 years of age.

The panel felt the risk of human error in administering to small children these ingredients outweighed the estimated benefits for children. The benefits for children were based on the concept that using a fraction of the dose shown to relieve symptoms in adults is safe and effective for children. However, variations in metabolism and in weight for children are significant.

The FDA needs time to investigate how these ingredients affect children of various ages. Meanwhile, manufacturers of these products have voluntarily relabeled the medications, instructing parents not to use them in children younger than 4 years of age.

Many parents don’t know their options, and without clear recommendations, they feel helpless when their children get sick.

The Solution

To fill the void for these over-the-counter medicines, Boiron, world leader in homeopathic medicines with a 75-year history, offers safe and reliable children’s cough, cold and flu solutions.

Benefits include:

Works safely and naturally without causing side effects
Does not contain any of the ingredients questioned by the FDA
No risk of overdose; dosage not based on child’s weight
Does not interact with other medications
Kid-friendly, sweet-tasting syrup and pellets

For more on the FDA warnings, visit www.fda.gov.

Why Kids Get Sick

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:59:30 +0000

9 Reasons Kids are Inclined to Catch Cough, Colds & Flu— and Tips on Keeping Them Healthy

In an average year, children catch six to 10 colds. In fact, in families with children who are in school, the number of colds per child can be as high as 12 per year.Adults, on the other hand, only catch about two to four colds per year, on average. Women, especially those 20 to 30 years of age, catch more colds than men, possibly because of closer contact with children.¹

According to the Mayo Clinic, the common cold is the number one reason why children miss school.² The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that nearly 22 million school days are lost annually due to the common cold alone.³

But colds don’t just affect school days. Parents miss millions of workdays each year to stay home to care for their sick children. When added to the workdays missed by employees suffering from a cold, the total economic impact of cold-related work loss exceeds $20 billion.⁴

Here are nine reasons why kids are likely to get sick this year, and tips to keep them healthy.

Reason #1: Colds are on the rise when kids return to school in the fall because shortly after most schools start, the weather gets a little drier and a little crisper. The lower humidity during the colder months helps both cold- and flu-causing viruses to thrive. This weather may also dry the lining of the nasal passages, making kids more susceptible to infection.⁵

Tip: Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in the home, and drink lots of fluids.

Reason #2: Young children tend to be less resistant to infection than a healthy adult.

Tip: Be responsible for children practicing healthy habits. Children need to get plenty of sleep and physical activity, drink water, and eat nutritious food to help them stay healthy in all year long.

Reason #3: Schools and daycare centers are breeding grounds for colds and flu because they connect children with other children who also may lack a fully developed immune system or lack “cold etiquette.” In comparison to spending the summer months at home and outside, a child is exposed to more children and is in closer contact with others when school is in session. Crowded classroom conditions increase the chance of coming in contact with someone who is sick or with a contaminated surface.

Tip: No matter how much you try, it’s almost inevitable that your child will bring home more than homework from school. Look at the positive side: Just as young children need to interact with other kids to develop good social skills, their exchange of cold and flu bugs helps to mature their immune system. But there’s no reason to overdo it! Be prepared to catch symptoms at the onset by stocking your medicine cabinet with essentials like a thermometer and safe, kid-friendly homeopathic medicines for the whole family. Don’t let colds and flu run rampant in your house!

Reason #4: Cold and flu viruses can be transmitted by touching respiratory secretions on a person’s skin (like when playing Red Rover) or on surfaces and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth.

Tip: Pack a few items like a small personal crayon pack, an individual mini pencil sharpener or mechanical pencils to reduce kids sharing germs. While it’s polite to share, it’s not polite to share germs.

Reason #5: Kids are notorious for not washing their hands—one simple way to avoid transmitting cold and flu bugs. They forget. They’ll insist their hands are clean. They’ll run water over their hands for two seconds without soap so they can rejoin their friends.

Tip: Get kids into the practice of washing their hands. Do it with them as a routine when they come home from school and before meals. The CDC recommends regularly scrubbing the hands for 15 seconds with warm, soapy water. Reinforce this practice around the house. We’ve all heard how to encourage children to wash for the length of two rounds of “Happy Birthday.”

Reason #6: Cold and flu viruses can also be transmitted by inhaling infectious particles in the air (like respiratory secretions from a cough or sneeze).

Tip: Teach children to cough and sneeze into the corners of their elbows.

Reason #7: Children may not yet have been taught—or truly absorbed—cold etiquette. They’re very likely to wipe their noses with their hands and are not likely to sneeze into the corners of their elbows. A sneeze can expel particles from the nose at more than 100 mph! Those fast-moving particles can cover an almost three-foot radius, and once airborne, can easily be inhaled by the next little guy standing nearby.

Tip: Provide children with pocket packets of tissues. Teach them how to use and discard tissues.

Reason #8: Children aren’t likely to follow the suggestion of avoiding touching their nose, eyes or mouth as a simple way to reduce the chances of getting a cold or flu. This group is notorious for chewing on pencils and even sticking fingers and other objects up their noses!

Tip: You can’t control the classroom environment, but you can control what goes on in your home. Wash doorknobs, faucets, light switches, handrails on stairs, toys, remote controls, game controls and the family computer mouse. Also replace a child’s toothbrush monthly to prevent it being re-infected by bacteria collecting on the bristles.

Reason #9: In addition to this age group being the least likely to observe germ-stopping protocol, they also remain contagious longer than adults. The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age and health of the person. Studies show that most healthy adults may be able to infect others from one day prior to becoming sick and for five days after they first develop symptoms. However, some young children with still maturing immune systems may be contagious for longer than a week.

Tip: As a general rule, whatever objects receive the most touches have the most germs. Some viruses and bacteria can live from 20 minutes up to two hours or more on surfaces like cafeteria tables, playground equipment and desks.⁶ The good news is that cold and flu viruses can easily be killed with plain soap and warm water, non-alcohol- and alcoholic-based sanitizers or bleach solutions. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

References:

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Common cold. Available at: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/commonCold/overview.htm. Last accessed March 31, 2009.
Mayo Clinic. Children’s health. Available at: www.mayoclinic.com/health/childrens-conditions/CC00059. Last accessed March 31, 2009.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu Information for Schools & Childcare Providers. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/school/. Last accessed March 31, 2009.
Fendrick AM, Monto AS, Nightengale B, Sarnes M. The economic burden of non-influenza-related viral respiratory tract infection in the United Sates. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163;487–494. Available at: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/. Last accessed March 31, 2009.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Colds and Flu: Time Only Sure Cure. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/896_flu.html. Last accessed March 31, 2009.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu Information for Schools & Childcare Providers. (Ansari, 1988; Scott and Bloomfield, 1989) Last accessed at: www.cdc.gov/flu/school/. Accessed March 31, 2009.

Tips for Flu Season

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:03:59 +0000

9 Tips to Help Your Kids Stay Healthy During Flu Season

Boiron offers the following tips on how to help your kids stay healthy this flu season and what to do if the flu bug bites:

1. Talk to your child’s doctor. Get professional advice if your child is at risk for complications from flu.

2. Wash hands frequently. The viruses are spread by droplets from children infected with flu when they sneeze, blow their nose, or wipe away secretions from their nose or eyes. During the flu season, children should be encouraged to keep their hands out of their mouths, avoid rubbing their eyes, and wash their hands thoroughly several times a day, especially before meals.

3. Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins C and E. Foods containing these vitamins are believed to be helpful in supporting the immune system. Foods rich in vitamin E include sunflower and corn oil, sunflower seeds, and nuts such as almonds and peanuts. Your family can get their daily vitamin C from foods like orange juice, citrus fruits, broccoli and green peppers. And make an effort to reduce your child’s intake of concentrated sugar (e.g. soda, candy). Excessive sugar impairs the immune response.

4. Get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep may profoundly inhibit your child’s immune system. A full night’s sleep will help keep his body’s natural defenses at optimum efficiency. This is especially relevant to teenagers.

5. Stay hydrated. Increasing your child’s water intake will help him stay healthy. When he feels under the weather, drinking extra fluids prevents dehydration caused by fever, loosens mucus, keeps his throat moist, and lessens the chance of him coming down with flu. Warm liquids are preferable, and there is some evidence that inhaling steam early in the course of a cold or flu may reduce the spread of viruses in the upper respiratory tract. (Especially with children, be careful of hot liquids!)

6. Keep Oscillococcinum® readily available. Oscillococcinum (Oscillo®), one of the world’s most popular natural flu medicines, can reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms when taken at the onset of symptoms. Its use is supported by published clinical studies as well as more than 65 years of worldwide use. Plus, unlike other flu medicines, Oscillo works without side effects and does not interfere with other medications. It is also available as Children’s Oscillococcinum®, safe for children 2 years of age and older.

7. Exercise regularly. Not only can regular exercise lower stress, but research indicates that exercise can stimulate the immune system and promotes healthy sleep. Encourage your child to stay active year-round.

8. Listen to your body. If your child does come down with a cold or flu, have him take it easy. Spending excessive energy steals valuable resources from the immune system. Even attempting to perform normal activities at school may be too much. Besides, if you believe your child’s coming down with the flu, probably the best thing you can do for friends and family is to not expose them unnecessarily to the virus.

9. Seek help if your child gets worse. If your child’s symptoms become significantly worse after the first three days of illness, especially if his fever subsides and then returns, be sure to seek medical attention right away. The reason that flu is considered a potentially dangerous infection is that it leaves the body vulnerable to other infections, like pneumonia.