Children – Children’s Infections

Tissue mineral analysis can provide insights into the origin and correction of children's infec­tions.

Our research indicates that in many children the tendency for infections is congenital, or present at birth. In other instances, infections develop due to improper diet or life style, or other stresses that impair the immune system early in life.

Children's Infection Patterns

A common mineral patterns seen in children prone to infections is low sodium/potassium ratio. An extremely low sodium/potassium ratio can indicate a chronic stress pattern that is strongly associated with an impaired immune system.

An elevated copper level is also a mineral pattern often associated with infections, particularly in children. Copper can be a protective nutrient against infections. When infections occur, the body withdraws iron from the blood and increases copper. Iron favors the growth of many bacteria, while copper inhibits anaerobic metabolism. However, in many children, copper is not biologically available. This means that copper is present, but cannot be utilized properly. This is associated with an increase in infections. Hair analysis indicators for biounavailable copper include a low sodium/potassium ratio.

A copper imbalance also favors candida albicans overgrowth. This is quite common in children, especially those whose infections have been treated with antibiotics.

Other Toxic Metals

Cadmium toxicity can also contribute to infec­tions. Cadmium can interfere with one's zinc metabo­lism, which is essential for the immune system. Cadmium toxicity may result from exposure to cigar­ette smoke, junk food, contaminated drinking water, food grown in cadmium contaminated soil, batteries and from environmental contaminants such as sewage sludge, and fertilizers. Cad­mium is highly toxic.

Mercury toxicity may also interfere with the functioning of the immune system. A common source of mercury is amalgam dental fillings. Millions are still placed in children's mouths each year.

Other toxic metals such as lead may indi­rectly weaken the immune system by displacing vital minerals in the body such as calcium or zinc.

Toxic metals may be the cause and the result of nutritional deficiencies, which in turn, contribute to infections. Copper destroys vitamin C. Toxic metals displace zinc and other vital minerals. Zinc deficiency impairs the release of vitamin A from the liver. Zinc is also needed for proper digestion and absorption of all the essential nutrients.

Food Sensitivities

In addition to nutritional imbalances, food allergies or sensitivities should be suspected in any child with recurrent infections. These can be identified with elimination diets or food allergy testing. Many children's recurrent ear and throat infections disappear when offending foods are removed from the diet. In some cases, sensitivity to chemicals in the home or at school is also a factor in infections.

Mental And Emotional Stress

Children who are under emotional or other stress at home or at school are more prone to infections. Stress depletes nutrients, interferes with digestion and absorption of nutrients and in other subtle ways can depress the immune system.

Correction

In veterinary medicine, the health of the offspring is known to be intimately connected with the health of the parents. It is time to realize this is true of humans as well. Prevention must begin with pre-natal and pre-conception health screening to improve the health and lifestyle of parents and parents-to-be.

A pre-natal vitamin is not sufficient. A tissue mineral analysis will often reveal multiple imbal­ances in parents that can be corrected, preferably before conception. Six to twelve months or more are needed to correct many biochemical imbal­ances.

Pregnant mothers can follow a full nutritional balancing supplement program, although it is preferable to begin a program before pregnancy.

Non-traumatic birth, breast feeding and a low-stress home environment are other simple steps that can help prevent and correct infection prob­lems. Placing young children in day care centers is often not helpful. Here children are exposed to many infections and often to excessive stimula­tion.

Children's diets are often atrocious. Sugar is disguised in so many foods that parents need to be mindful of what their children eat. Artificial colors and flavors are most often found in chil­dren's foods.

Children need high-quality food, including healthful fats and oils. These include butter, nut butters, olive oil and avocado. Eating habits are also important. Regular, relaxed, sit-down meals help improve nutrition and health.

An individualized metabolic program based upon tissue mineral analysis is excellent for any child. Adjust the supplement dosages according to weight. Tablets can be crushed or ground up in strong-tasting food, or blended in a drink.

Trace mineral analysis not only will help prevent infections. More importantly, it can often identify and guide the correction of many nutri­tional imbalances that lead to impaired health.

Antibiotics, Ear Tubes And Tonsillectomy

Studies have shown that children treated with Ampicillin and other wide-spectrum antibiotics for ear infections have a greater recurrence rate than children treated with natural methods such as vitamins A and C, colloidal silver, mullein or garlic oil drops. This should come as no surprise. Antibiotics do nothing to strengthen the immune system. In fact, they weaken it further by their toxic effects.

Tubes in the ears similarly do not strengthen the body and may cause hearing damage. Tonsil­lectomy is usually only a partial cure. Removing a part of the body may bring relief, but does not improve overall health. Operations also carry health risks. We would advise parents to give the gentler natural methods a try before resorting to surgery.

Natural remedies for infections include vita­min C, vitamin A, thymus glandular, echinacea and golden seal drops, colloidal silver and others. They can be given whenever a child is exposed to infection. They are quite safe and work well for many infections. Always consult a knowledgeable practitioner if you are in doubt about any health remedy or regimen.