As the “Swine Flu” is sweeping through many local communities, and the symptoms of cold and flu season are upon us, I have been hearing from many parents asking about holistic and preventative options for their children. As a parent myself, I also feel the worry and stress of trying to keep my own son healthy and strong throughout this season. Luckily, there are a number of options for us to use that can help to strengthen our child's immune system and help to prevent or cut down on the number of times that they get sick.

As we all know, proper hand washing and a well balanced diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables can go along way to keeping our kids healthy. However there are a number of other holistic options that can prove quite helpful.

Below is a list of the Core 3:

Probiotics: These are the “good” bacteria that reside in our digestive systems and help to form a major part of our immune system. Supplementing with a child friendly probiotic has been shown to cut down on the number of colds a child has each winter as well as to decrease the length and severity of symptoms.

Fish Oil: These Essential Fatty Acids form an important component allowing our bodies to create a proper immune response. Many companies now make Fish Oil for kids that comes in a variety of flavors that children find very appealing.

Vitamin D: Recent research has highlighted that children across the United States have low levels in their bodies. Vitamin D has a regulatory function in the Immune System and low levels have been shown to lead to more cold's and flu's. Cutting edge Doctors are now recommending that we keep our levels between 50-80 year round. Ask your pediatrician to check this at the next visit.

If your child does come down with a cold, herbal remedies can be very effective during this acute stage. As a practicing herbalist who works with children I have found herbal remedies to be very helpful in these situations and well tolerated by children. My own son who is a year and a half old will even say “herbs” when he is teething because he has come to know the quick relief they will offer him from pain and fever. Herbs for children come in liquid “tinctures” that can be easily squirted into your child's mouth.

If you are interested in working from a holistic perspective towards your child's health then it is always best to consult with a Holistic Pediatric specialist. It is most useful to create a relationship with your medical provider before your child gets sick. We recommend setting up an initial visit to go over your child's health history and set up an individual treatment program. In this way, if your child does get sick we will have a previous relationship with both of you and we will be able to provide quicker and more effective interventions. As always, be sure to be open and honest with your Pediatrician about any and all therapies that you may choose to use for your child.

- Jason Henson, Lic.Ac., Herbalist