PrincessMommy Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 My son (13) was dx with a viral infection that acts just like croup... and laryngitis on Sat. My neighbor's dd had something similar and she was sick for 12 days! This is his spring break from school and our Holy Week, I'd really like him to get better sooner. He was feeling better yesterday, but today he's worse again and his temp is back up. And he's in tears because he's sick on break. I feel so bad for him. So I'm wondering what I can give him to help boost his body's fighting power. I have Elderberry syrup but I don't know if that will help as he's 4 days in. Would the Oscillococcinum work after the fact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Vitamin D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Vitamin D. Is that the same as Vit. D3? Because I have D3 here at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5of5 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 D3 is supposed to be more bioavailable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 nothing wrong with Elderberry syrup, even at this point. we do Emergen-C throughout an illness and B complex 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Vit d and c. Grapeseed extract helped me kick a major illness over the winter, but I think it was bacterial. I'm not sure that it would help at all for a viral infection. I've read that elderberry is a great anti-viral, but in my experience, it hasn't made a difference. Water. Make sure he's pounding it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Elderberry is a good choice. Also Vitamin C and zinc (to help absorb the C). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I have not used it much but colloidal silver is supposed to be quite effective. I think grapefruit seed extract is quite anti-viral as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 you can try allicin. http://www.amazon.com/ALLI-C-Allicin-Vitamin-Bioflavonoids-vegetarian/dp/B002OSHSBU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1428336323&sr=8-4&keywords=allicin it's a stabilized form of a specific compound found in garlic. that is supposedly antiviral as well as antibacterial. it actually came up in one of dd's classes. beware labels with mcg instead of mg. they do that so it looks like they contain more . . . nope, sorry, 6000mcg is not remotely the same as (let along more than) 300mg of the compound . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 When any of us get sick with something that involves a sore throat or lung infection, we increase D3 and eat more raw garlic that's been crushed and allowed to sit for about 10". Usually, we eat the garlic -- a lot of it -- on garlic toast. If your son does not have asthma, you could also try blasting a humidifier. That works like magic here. Springtime seems more humid where I live but the humidity in our house is still only around 25%. When our lungs are having problems, I crank our three humidifiers until the humidity is around 50%. I had many decades of annual bronchitis and/or pneumonia and I'm now convinced it was the dry winter air. In the past five years or so, I haven't even had a slight cough or sore throat since I began using the humidifier. I use it from about October until the beginning of June. For some, it can make a big difference. This is probably not a good idea if your son has asthma, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Is that the same as Vit. D3? Because I have D3 here at home.Please be careful on vitamin D - it is well known to be immunosuppressive in even moderately high doses (2-5000 IU daily can cause problems, depending on the individual). That's not something I'd supplement right in middle of an infection because it could very likely slow his healing or make him more prone to additional opportunistic pathogens. Elderberry, zinc, and loading up on antioxidants are all good moves. Sleep is absolutely crucial to healing as well. There is lots of research available on D, but this is an easy, layperson starting point if you don't want to fall down the pubmed rabbit trail: http://mpkb.org/home/pathogenesis/vitamind/longterm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Not to be the one bearing bad news, but two of my girls got this (or something similar) and it has been a bugger to get rid of. They have both been sick for going on 6 weeks now! They're both on steroid inhalers and that is helping. That and getting plenty of rest and water. They were mostly able to carry on with their activities after the first few days, but my one daughter couldn't sing (she's in the college choir) for a month and my other daughter had to stop running. For both of them, it began with a fever, a mad cough plus laryngitis, and then turned into bronchitis. For every two steps forward they'd go one step backward. But, they are slowly getting better. The good news is that you caught it early and it's during break so he can take it easy and get lots of good sleep. It's a bummer to be sick though over break. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 These have to run their course, but I would still offer the traditional comforts- chicken soup/bone broth, with lots of soft mashed garlic, chopped parsley etc. Easy to get down in a warm soup. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thanks everyone for the tips. I had zinc with Elderberry tablets plus the syrup. And I bought EmergenC. He's been resting all day and it's so beautiful outside (last day this week without predicted rain too)...so I let him play outside for a bit in the warm sun. Hopefully, it won't set him back. Not to be the one bearing bad news, but two of my girls got this (or something similar) and it has been a bugger to get rid of. They have both been sick for going on 6 weeks now! They're both on steroid inhalers and that is helping. That and getting plenty of rest and water. They were mostly able to carry on with their activities after the first few days, but my one daughter couldn't sing (she's in the college choir) for a month and my other daughter had to stop running. For both of them, it began with a fever, a mad cough plus laryngitis, and then turned into bronchitis. For every two steps forward they'd go one step backward. But, they are slowly getting better. The good news is that you caught it early and it's during break so he can take it easy and get lots of good sleep. It's a bummer to be sick though over break. Ugh... Thanks for the heads up. That would be much worse than 10-12days of a virus. So sorry your kids have been sick for so long. That sucks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Not to be a Debbie Downer but...this has made the rounds at my house, too. I was the one who had the worst of it - when I finally went to the doc after almost 3 weeks (I'm Mom! I can't be sick!!) I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Pneumonia?!! I never even considered that - I figured it was just a bad cold & cough. Thanks heavens I have adult daughters nearby; they went grocery shopping and made dinners, etc. for me. It really does take a long time to get over - I missed the month of March :( and am just now feeling back to normal. My kids all had some version of this but no one was down for over 10 days. It sounds like you are right on top of things and your son will recover quickly (quicker than me, I'm sure!). :grouphug: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 I sympathize....two years IN A ROW dd was sick over our entire winter break. She had sleepover plans, all kinds of things that got cancelled. One time I went in and she was just crying over how miserable she was and missing all the fun. :( This year she made it through though! Although came down sick this morning with the fever/sore throat thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Pomegranate juice is supposed to have antiviral properties. I give it to anyone in our house who has a virus that doesn't involve vomiting. Vomiters do not get pomegranate anything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I hope he feels better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 We had that here, Ds and I went through two rounds of antibiotics, two different steroids, breathing treatments, and the whole shebang. I was sick for about four weeks and nearly ended up in the hospital but I already have asthma and we weren't yet recovered from strep/flu when we got that virus so it hit us extra hard. We had a bad winter. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Please be careful on vitamin D - it is well known to be immunosuppressive in even moderately high doses (2-5000 IU daily can cause problems, depending on the individual). That's not something I'd supplement right in middle of an infection because it could very likely slow his healing or make him more prone to additional opportunistic pathogens. Elderberry, zinc, and loading up on antioxidants are all good moves. Sleep is absolutely crucial to healing as well. There is lots of research available on D, but this is an easy, layperson starting point if you don't want to fall down the pubmed rabbit trail: http://mpkb.org/home/pathogenesis/vitamind/longterm All the research I've read states that vitamin D modulates the immune system, but doesn't suppress it, and is actually beneficial to immune function. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23857223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I push vitamin C and D here along with organic yogurt. I've also found apple cider vinegar a teaspoon full orally a couple of times a day very helpful with throat issues. My family finds it disgusting and will avoid it at all costs, but I believe it helps me avoid some viruses or diminishes them. It's cheap and easy. Hope he feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 How is he feeling today, Debbi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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