As a final post to wrap up this series, I hope to simply encourage.  Dealing with sick kiddos on a short-term basis requires extra attention and care.

Dealing with sick kiddos on a level of ongoing basis is difficult, and often stressful.  I remember nights in the hospital thinking there must be a better way — a different option than the strong medications needed in order for our children to breathe.

The journey grew long, though now we’ve found a significant level of relief.  We haven’t completely released our physicians and allergists and have no plans to. Their expertise has been incredibly helpful, and their findings clues in the process.

Our family’s trial and error in working with an elimination diet, an anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding triggers in our home environment were successful.  We didn’t stop there, but also strengthened immune systems and intestinal tracts (check out the post to see just why this is important).

So I want to encourage you to today — those readers who’ve commented and written in, and anyone else! — that YES, it is possible to find relief naturally.

Nourish the Body

Today, a few final thoughts on some extra TLC for an asthmatic child…

• care for colds & respiratory infections gently – and try to catch them early, as they can lend towards an asthma attack.  see resources below
• during winter months, encourage warming foods & drinks – healing teas (Traditional Medicinals has several options for respiratory concerns) soups, bone broths and more warming foods keep the chest area calmer; go easy on ice-cold drinks.
• encourage rest  – extra exertion when there’s already a cold or cough issue can cause bigger issues, so rest up those lungs!
• keep the chest area warm – layers of clothing, vests and scarves add in comfort and protection from cold blasts of air during winter
• see how herbs might help – I’ve heard that asthma sometimes has a stress component to it, so certain herbs/herbal teas that promote relaxation may help:  chamomile and lemon balm being two we’ve tried more than most.  Herbal Healing for Children and Naturally Healthy Babies and Children are two books containing many recipes for using herbs.
• practice massage – which relaxes muscles, and could help in calming the body down during a mild attack or a cold

We’ve also used a line of natural products as preventative measures during seasons when we know allergies or asthma triggers are on the rise.  Native Remedies carries items for many concerns; the ones aimed at respiratory issues are:

BioVent – drops to help maintain easy breathing

Triple Complex BronchoSoothe – helps to relieve tightening of the chest

AllergiClear – promotes clear sinuses, helps control histamine levels

SOS Hista Drops – promotes respiratory health & supports immune symptoms

These aids are probably effective on their own, we also combined them with everything else we were doing to bring about a huge level of relief to our children.

Where We are Now

I started weeks ago with explaining how our journey began and what we faced on a regular basis:  hospitalizations, scary asthma attacks, feeling overwhelmed.

Now?

We’ve  nearly reversed all of their symptoms with our efforts!  Oh sure, they still get a cold and pollen counts have to be watched during the spring…but we haven’t had an ER visit (or even doctor’s visits) for asthma issues in over a year!  Since this was a regular pattern before, I’m so, so grateful.

Putting in time, energy and effort into remedying the situation with a more natural approach has been worth it!

:: ::

Resources & Links:

Boost Immune System for Cold & Flu Season

Natural Remedies for Cold & Flu Symptoms

Staying Healthy During Cold & Flu Season

disclaimer: the information presented in this post is for educational purposes alone.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.  All readers are encouraged to seek professional medical assistance before implementing any suggestions and to discern if such changes or suggestions should be pursued.  thank you.