| Author | |
Bernadette7
Forum Newbie
Joined: June 16 2009
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 16
|
| Posted: Oct 19 2009 at 2:30pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Last fall/winter, our family was so sick. We were constantly ill with vomiting/diarrhea,etc. I was hoping to start this flu season differently. Already we are sick with high fevers, colds, etc. What am I doing wrong? I have other friends with big families that never seem to be sick. We eat somewhat healthy (maybe a little too much sugar), we get outside for exercise, my kids take a vitamin and I just started them on Elderberry and Euchinea. Maybe this is just the way it is with a large family and lots of littles? All I know is that it gets very discouraging and frustrating. Any advice?
If it helps any, we have six chidren ages 10 and younger and I am 9 months pregnant with blessing number seven!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
10 Bright Stars
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 16 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 728
|
| Posted: Oct 19 2009 at 3:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bernadette,
We had a season with lots of illnesses a few years back. The only thing that I noticed if that if we are around families with other kids, we always get sick. Now, I tend to try to germ-x, even while in their company or at least before we eat wherever we are. I just say we have weak immune systems which is true it seems!
Also, I have started wiping off carts etc. SO, LOTS of hand washing which is obvious enough. Then if I kid of our own gets sick, we try to keep their bottle or whatever a little separate from the other kids. Lots od fluids, rest and always making sure we do the dishes in a timely manner. (We used to get the flu all the time before we got a dishwasher for example.)
So, avoiding families with lots of kids, co-ops, things like that. Careful about the shake of peace at church, especially with other kids. I just try to look prayerful and keep my eyes down if a kid around us has been sneezing the whole time. In fact, they have stopped doing that at our church altogether for now. I don't know anything about homeopathic stuff so can't help there.
So most of my suggestions are probably no brainers, but I do think large families tend to get ill more, especially if you DON'T go that much. (We stay home a lot so I think we aren't exposed to much, but when we are, we pick it up. )
Good luck!
Kim
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LLMom
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 19 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 995
|
| Posted: Oct 19 2009 at 4:42pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have 7 dc and they are rarely sick. A friend and I were discussing why they don't get sick much. We came up with 2 possibilities. I rarely take them to the store, and they eat yogurt everyday. My friend swears its the yogurt. I actually will find out this winter because 3 of the dc asked if they could switch to drinking an extra cup of milk instead of the yogurt because they really don't like it. (and milk doesn't have the good bacteria like yogurt) We agreed this summer. It isn't really sick time here yet so we will see.
__________________
Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmyown
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5128
|
| Posted: Oct 19 2009 at 7:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We have had a couple of really bad years, but it has been awhile. First thing we do is hibernate. I do have the advantage of having a husband who does most of the shopping and having kids old enough to babysit if I need to run out. But we rarely go out during the winter. When we did co-op, we got sick. It isn't worth it to me.
My kids take Vitamin C, Echinacea and Elderberry at the first sight of any illness in any one. We don't do hand sanitizers, bathe infrequently, and my house isn't exactly immaculate, so I think they have a good tolerance to germs. 
We also try to spend a lot of time outside, I think this builds their immune system, too.
Good luck. I remember those bad years that I thought would never end. I will pray you have a better one.
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: Oct 19 2009 at 8:04pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
The too much sugar thing could be a factor. Sugar can severely depress your immune system, especially for the hours following its consumption. When my kids get sick, it is often when there is a combo of a germy place and sugar. I severely limit sugar at the first sign of a sniffle and try to keep it at a minimum for all of cold season.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Babs
Forum Pro
Joined: March 07 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 162
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 2:23pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have noticed that our family is much more likely to get colds/sinus infections when we have more sweets than usual available.
In the past when the boys were younger and now if anyone is sick I wipe everything anyone might touch in the bathroom, including door handles and light switches every day if I can. I also wash more things in hot water if someone is sick.
These suggestions have really helped us. I hope your family is more healthy this winter.
God Bless,
Barb
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Karen T
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 927
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 4:30pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
As others have mentioned, you may be picking up lots of cold/flu viruses by being around other families or things like the grocery cart, etc. However, I wanted to mention that there really is no such thing as "stomach flu" despite what people often call it. In other words, if you are having GI signs like vomiting/diarrhea, it is almost always either something you ate (either contaminated, undercooked or spoiled food ) OR inadequate handwashing after the bathroom, etc.
Now, if you have other signs of flu (coughing, fever, etc) and then have GI signs, certainly that's different but if it's only GI stuff you may need to look more closely at the kids' habits and your kitchen habits, etc. Years ago I was cooking chicken and must have contaminated my drinking water somehow while i was preparing it - no one else got sick so it wasn't the cooked chicken, but I ended up in the hospital for IV fluids, etc.
Karen T
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bernadette7
Forum Newbie
Joined: June 16 2009
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 16
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 7:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you all for your advice. I am trying to cut back on the sugar to see if that helps. I've also put paper towel in the bathrooms instead of handtowels, to see if that helps, too. Sickness in my children is a huge stressor for me. I really want to surrender it to God and let it go but I think it's a lack of control thing for me. 
We are pretty clean people. We are always telling the kids to wash their hands. I keep a pretty clean house. We always are careful when we are out and use sanitizers and wipes when needed. Our bathrooms are cleaned daily.
Please keep your prayers coming. I really would like to bring a baby home next week to a healthy house!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MarilynW
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4275
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 9:54pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bernadette7 wrote:
Thank you all for your advice. I am trying to cut back on the sugar to see if that helps. I've also put paper towel in the bathrooms instead of handtowels, to see if that helps, too. Sickness in my children is a huge stressor for me. I really want to surrender it to God and let it go but I think it's a lack of control thing for me.
We are pretty clean people. We are always telling the kids to wash their hands. I keep a pretty clean house. We always are careful when we are out and use sanitizers and wipes when needed. Our bathrooms are cleaned daily.
Please keep your prayers coming. I really would like to bring a baby home next week to a healthy house! |
|
|
Bless you - I could have written some of your posts. I am praying that you will all be healthy soon and baby will come home to a healthy home. This is always my wish too.
After years of no illness we have been hit hard the last couple of years. Sometimes I feel it is unfair as we eat healthily, have a clean and organized home, get plenty of sleep, have good handwashing habits, use non-toxic cleaners, get fresh air and exercise etc - yet we have got sick more than my relatives who eat junk, don't wash hands etc. I find the paper towel thing in bathroom and kitchen are lifesavers - even though this is tough on our small budget, I consider it too important to change. Some changes I have made
1) Lysol wipes when people are ill - instead of our home made green cleaners
2) Antibacterial handsoap instead of organic healthy soap when people are ill
3) Color coded cleaning cloths - one color for bathroom, another for kitchen, another for dusting etc
4) Occasional uses of bleach after illness - usually do not have bleach in the house
When baby is ill I would make sure nobody with even a sniffle comes near your house.
Can you make lots of nourishing soups and stocks before baby comes - they were a lifesaver to me during postpartum.
__________________
Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tami
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 27 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1066
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 10:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
When we've had recurrent sickness, I always run the toothbrushes through the dishwasher (or buy a new set, if their time is up).
__________________
God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
wifemommy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 10 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 732
|
| Posted: Oct 20 2009 at 11:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I open the windows  Fresh air in the house is so important. It works well for us... Annie
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 6:46am | IP Logged
|
|
|
For the bathroom, I bought a stack of washcloths for drying hands. I keep a small laundry basket for spent towels. They get washed with the other towels, but they are distinctive from the other washcloths. It might be too much extra laundry for some, but it is cheaper than going through paper towels.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: We are always sick....
