We are all familiar with that sinking feeling as a small child lovingly presses its far from clean facial features up against our carefully-donned smart suit. For many parents the start of yet another outpouring from the nasal cavities is a source of despair not merely on the sartorial level, but in relation to the child’s health. One minute we are being told that our children don’t get enough bugs to develop their immune system, the next we are told to vaccinate them more often. Gone are the days when you sent your child out to play all day with the neighbourhood pack, worrying about nothing more than how much darning their clothes would need by the evening.

Some Areas of Concern One in five children ate no fruit at all during the week of a study by the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency. 4 to18 year olds are eating too much salt. About a third of 2 to 7 year olds are not meeting recommended activity guidelines, according to a British Heart Foundation report. The number of obese 6 year olds has doubled over the last 10 years. In the USA, 22 to 30% of children are estimated to be obese.

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR CHILD HEALTHY?
There can be no doubt that the quality of the food you feed your children will have an impact on not just their health but also their intellectual and emotional well being. American trials on schoolchildren found that supplementing with vitamins and minerals improved non-verbal intelligence and reduced delinquent behaviour1. ‘The National Diet and Nutrition Survey – Diets of British Schoolchildren Aged 4-18 Years’ indicated just why adequate levels of some nutrients might be lacking: the most commonly consumed foods, eaten by more than 80% of the group, were white bread, crisps, biscuits, potatoes and chocolate confectionery! Less than half of the children ate green leafy vegetables. Why does this matter?

Green vegetables contain B vitamins and magnesium, which help to keep you calm and well balanced. Processed ‘fast’ foods contain very little. 3 to 5% of British children ‘may be classified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder’ 2 indicating that a lack of these useful nutrients is impacting severely on our children’s ability to behave sensibly. Vast intakes of sugar not only rot the teeth of infants but also impair their concentration and make them more nervy and irritable. Fizzy drinks, the standard liquid intake amongst today’s youth, contain high levels of phosphorus, which weakens bones. A study of teenage girls has found a significant link between the quantities of fizzy drinks consumed and bone fractures.

So there are some very simple things that you can do to improve your children’s day-to-day ability to behave and learn.
LET THEM DRINK WATER!
Young children who drink tea will have difficulty in absorbing iron, and will be tired.

LIMIT THEIR INTAKE OF SALTY AND SUGARY FOODS
Fresh fruit, nuts and seeds are actually very appealing to younger children, especially if their parents enjoy eating them – children learn by copying!

GIVE THEM BREAKFAST
Missing breakfast causes a drop in blood sugar levels, which makes brain function less effective. Children perform better at school and are more emotionally stable when they’ve had breakfast. Some schools have started providing breakfast, in acknowledgement of this fact.

Should children get coughs and colds?
Children who are better nourished will have stronger immune systems and will be better able to throw off infections. It is not healthy to be overly protected from bugs and beasties – the immune system needs some challenges in order to mature. Feed your child well, make sure they run about in the fresh air regularly, and don’t worry about the occasional cold or runny nose. Turning the central heating up and dosing them with antibiotics will just weaken their immune function in the long term.

What if they have a permanently runny nose?
If they are constantly catching colds, falling prey to chest infections and leaving a trail of tissues behind them, it is worth thinking about giving their immune system a helping hand. The herb Echinacea is well known for improving the way that the immune system cleans up around the body. Echinacea improves the way the white blood cells of the immune system identify and attack invading pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Sometimes a child’s immune system has been lowered by frequent doses of medication, or they may have inherited poor immune function from their parents or grandparents.

Poor immune function is often caused by allergies, especially to foods such as dairy products, eggs, nuts and chemical additives and preservatives in food. If your child is constantly snotty, without suffering from an obvious infection, consider checking for food allergies.

One of the most common conditions seen in young children is a combination of general ‘under-the-weather-itis’, with recurrent coughs and colds and much catarrhal congestion. The child may have glue ear or regular tonsillitis or sinusitis. The overall impression is of a head full of gunge that never seems to shift. The herb Plantago is extremely effective in clearing the ear/nose/throat (ENT) tract of catarrh and mucous congestion. It expels the toxic material and provides a soothing action that assists the healing of the lining of the ENT tract. This herb has a history of use in conditions such as glue ear, having all the benefits of cleansing and healing the area affected, without the drawbacks of drugs or surgery. If your child has had more than a couple of episodes of glue ear, consider using Echinacea and Plantago to tackle the underlying cause. Plantago will clear and heal the ear passages, whilst Echinacea strengthens the body’s resistance to infection.

Check for food allergies – dairy products are a common culprit with catarrh. Reduce sugar intake and increase fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet. Turn down the central heating and encourage outdoor activities. Use Echinacea to boost immune function. Combine it with Plantago for those congestive childhood conditions.

References

‘The effect of vitamin-mineral supplementation on the intelligence of American schoolchildren.’ Schoenthaler SJ et al, J Alt Comp Med 2000; 6: 7-17.

BMJ Vol 321, P975.

G Wyshak et al, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 154, P610.