3 THINGS I WISH I KNEW WHEN MY BABY GOT SICK
We had our daughter in Autumn of 2020, with the cold and dry winter months quickly approaching. I’ve never been one to fear sickness, for myself or my family - but that doesn’t mean I ENJOY being sick, or watching my family cope with a sickness.
While it’s SO necessary to test and build up the armor of our immune systems, let sickness ride, and endure the storm - there are some things we can do to lessen the struggle. Because let's face it, the only thing worse than being sick? You’re little one being sick 🙁
My daughter got her first cold at three months old, and mom intuition took over. I knew the signs to look for if things took a turn for the worse (blue lips, not wanting to eat or drink for long periods of time, too many dry diapers, and being hard to wake, etc), so I didn’t have too much fear when it came to the phlegmy cough, incessant boogers, and mucousy breathing sounds. While it was so sad to watch my girl go through it all, I knew I had SO many tools to aid in her comfort, without stifling what her immune system needed to do.
I’ll disclaim that there’s absolutely a time and place to be worried and take further action, but I think we too often jump to the extreme measures, when it would be more advantageous to just LET the immune system be. I realize that a grumpy and uncomfortable baby can be hard to deal with, and you just want to provide some relief, but we want to make sure that form of relief isn’t counterproductive to what their body is trying to achieve. Fevers, boogers, throwing up, and mild lethargy are such intelligent mechanisms that our body puts up as a defense. So often though, we’ll try to outsmart the body and we end up lengthening the whole process of healing.
When we let nature run its course with minimal intervention, not only can the body be more efficient in fighting off bugs, but the lasting integrity of their immune system gets etched permanently into their body’s memory. This sets them up for SO much success in the future! Because if you haven’t seen it already... bugs, illnesses, and viruses aren't going away anytime soon, they are simply a part of life. Rather than trying to control the external environment, we can focus on building up our INTERNAL environment to better adapt to these bugs.
Let’s get rolling. These are some of our seemingly counter cultural thoughts when it comes to dealing with sickness. Some you may have heard, some might be new. Some may apply to you, some may not! That’s the beauty of information on the internet, you can take what you need, and leave what you don’t!
Be sure to read to the end for TWO honorable mentions that are some of Dr. Jordan’s favorite tricks for sickness!
When I grew up, I was taught in school that anything above 100° needed to be stopped in its tracks before there was irreparable damage. As a teenager, quite honestly I didn't really care so I never questioned it. As I got older, and learned more about the beauty and intelligence of the human body, more questions started to arise.
What is the purpose of a fever? Our body will raise its internal temperature to a level that is unsustainable for the bug, bacteria, or virus that’s trying to replicate in our body. Essentially stop the bug in its tracks before things get worse. SO, in my discerning thought process...WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I WANT TO STOP THIS?! Potentially controversial, as fevers bring with them a whole slew of uncomfortable symptoms: headaches, chills, body aches, lethargy, upset stomachs, constipation OR diarrhea. While certainly uncomfortable, these are not life threatening side effects.
When DO we need to take more action? First, it’s important to monitor your symptoms primarily, versus just stressing over the number on the thermometer, as EVERY person’s bodily response will vary. Some will have severe symptoms below 103° , and some will experience little to no drastic change at 104°. If you or your child have a high fever accompanied with little to no urination, unable to keep anything down, severe head or neck pain, or becoming unconscious, immediate medical attention is warranted. So you don’t have a fever that warrants more attention, what can you do to make it more comfortable? My favorite remedies:
https://www.earthley.com/products/pain-potion (pregnancy safe)
Peppermint oil on the back of the neck (pregnancy safe)
Designs For Health - Inflammatone (not if pregnant)
MOST importantly - STAY HYDRATED!
In short, Tylenol lessens the efficacy of our immune system in the short and long term. In long, it all has to do with many things honestly, but one important antioxidant in our bodies called glutathione.
Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant, neutralizing harmful free radicals that can damage immune cells and impair their function. Glutathione has many jobs, but its role in immune function takes the cake. protecting immune cells from damage caused by free radicals, which allows them to function optimally and effectively fight off infections. It also has the ability to stimulate or inhibit the immune response to control inflammation within the body [1].
So what does Tylenol have to do with glutathione? Great question 🙂 It actively DEPLETES it! [2] The effect of this? Lessened symptoms, less effective immune system response. While to some reading this that may seem like a fair trade off, it’s like “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. It *may* lessen your symptoms short term, but it can lengthen the time that you’re sick, because your body isn’t able to launch it’s immune response to full power.
To me...simply not worth it! Along with the potential it has to cause long term glutathione depletion (setting you up for increased susceptibility to get sick in the future) and liver damage. When there are SO many other options to bring comfort, I highly suggest having remedies on hand to combat symptoms rather than immediately jumping to more extreme measures.
As always, there are absolutely unique situations that call for immediate attention. Judge according to YOUR body, as no one knows your body better than YOU do.
WEEK HELPS (SOMETIMES EVEN A DAY!)
If you’re reading this blog right now, it’s likely that you’re already familiar with chiropractic to some degree. Oftentimes, even IF familiar with chiropractic, many people are surprised to learn that chiropractic adjustments can play a role with the immune system.
The nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves) control every function of the body, including the immune system. It makes sense that the very thing that controls our living bodies can affect ANY function of the body, so in regard to sickness, that logic can also be applied.
When Dr. Pete and I are sick, we get adjusted multiple times a week...sometimes multiple times a DAY. While this may seem excessive to some, it’s our first measure to ensure that our body is able to function to its highest capacity. When our body’s are expressing symptoms, we like to say “our body’s are expressing HEALTH”. When we are ‘sick’, it’s a proper response of our body to react to the invader within our body accordingly.
If someone or something doesn’t belong in our home, we need to efficiently escort it out by any means possible. Some intruders are stronger than others, which warrant a heavier response. We’re quick to see these symptoms as bad things, when in reality it's our body acting intelligently to protect us long term.
So, how do adjustments actually help???? Specific chiropractic adjustments improve nerve function, reduce inflammation, and improve blood flow - ALL of which have a positive impact on efficient immune function. In order to mount an effective immune response, our body has to be able to communicate well WITHIN itself. When our body can communicate well, the proper functions of our organs, cells, and tissues follow.
SOME BONUS THINGS THAT HELP WHILE SICK? 🙂
Breastmilk in everything, squirt up nose, in eyes, etc. Our breastmilk is LOADED with immune benefits that are specific to the exact bug that our body is fighting. Multiple times a day, you really can't over do it!
Wet Sock Remedy:
https://www.healthforlifend.com/blog/doctors-blog/naturopathic-medicine-wet-sock-treatment/
When it comes to doing what’s best for YOU and your FAMILY, no one has a better compass than you. There are things we learn over time and through experience that help guide our compass, but ultimately at the end of the day, you get to decide what is best for you, and what brings you peace. Information is illuminating in how we can best serve our bodies, hence why we love providing SO much of it!
We hope that this information was life giving to you, and as always, you are doing a GREAT job, and you are your baby's best advocate.
When it comes to the navigating health issues that arise, there are so many questions. We hope that our blogs help to answer some of them! Amidst all of the different seasons you’ll walk through as a family, we hope that you find value in these blog posts, that you find tangible help within them, and that they guide you forward in peace.
Keep up the good work, and if this blog post was helpful for you, and you want to learn more, check out our other blog posts, connect with us at The Nest, or follow us on Instagram.
You're doing a great job,
Dr. Jordan + Dr. Pete
