Here's How We Beat the Flu (With Some Help)

The sickness is upon us! Actually, it knocked two of our kids on their backs. Friday was not a good day for Cole, who was diagnosed with Flu B, and Emma Kelly, who was diagnosed with strep a day later. But what a miracle that modern medicine is! Cole and EK don’t realize that even though they feel like they’ve conquered this thing, they’re still considered contagious. They looked quite forlorn when we explained that we can’t send them out into the world where they may infect others. Yes, we are ALL bored out of our minds, but self-quarantining is for the greater good. (I just wish some other people felt the same way about quarantining themselves and/or their sick kids….)

Of course, Allen and I were afraid that with two down, there was the potential for the remaining four to go. But thanks to some great advice from our friend Terri at Evexias — who’s been helping Allen and me get our insides and outsides right for the past couple months — we’ve been mega-dosing vitamins C and D for the past couple days. So far, so good! Of course, I’ve washed my hands so much they can now be used as sandpaper. But I’ve never had the flu in my entire life and — yes, I’m pausing now to knock the wood on my kitchen table — I hope that I never will.

I asked Terri if I could share her recommendations and give her credit. She said she was happy to share the information but doesn’t care about getting credit. However, I believe she deserves it! I honestly believe her information made all the difference in the tremendous turnaround Cole experienced in just 24 hours. Terri says it’s important for people to understand how to give the body what it needs to heal itself — especially during a flu season where too many people have died. Regarding Cole’s Flu B, she said getting enough fluids was key so he wouldn’t become dehydrated or develop pneumonia. Fever causes a great deal of dehydration in children, but she said we should avoid giving him too much fruit juice because the sugar in juices feeds other bacteria and impairs immune function.

She also said that plain Mucinex for kids is better than Dimetapp because Mucinex will keep his secretions thin, while Dimetapp will dry him out too much. She explained that you want to keep the secretions moving so your child can get them out. If your child can’t cough it out, that’s where secondary pneumonia is a risk. She also recommended the following regimen for Cole and honestly, the difference this made in just one day was INCREDIBLE. But she also said if he became lethargic or didn’t improve, we should take him to the hospital immediately.

Her breakdown was this:

• Alternate Tylenol and Advil in a high enough dose for his weight every 2 hours.

• Mucinex for kids, as directed.

• D3 liquid 10,000 IU daily for 3 days

• Vitamin C (She said Emergen-C was good but I found a chewable gummy.)

• A child’s probiotic

• Lots of fluids, water is preferable and water with hydrate tabs are great. The brand is Nun.

• Stay away from dairy and too much sugar to keep his immune function and gut health optimal.

• Vick’s Vapor Run on chest and feet at night with socks, and even during the day, to open up his airways and help with congestion.

This is the exact schedule Allen wrote down for Cole:

• 8:30am Tamiflu

• 9:30am Ibuprofen

• 11am Mucinex

• 11:30am Tylenol

• 1:30pm Ibuprofen

• 3pm Mucinex

• 3:30pm Tylenol

• 5:30pm Ibuprofen

• 7pm Mucinex

• 7:30pm Tylenol

• 8:30pm Tamiflu

• *once a day Probiotic

Once Cole had a good 24 hours, she recommended cutting back the Tylenol and Advil to every 4 to 6 hours. Every two hours was for when he initially had such a bad fever (103.1!) and it helped him feel better faster.

As far as the healthy folk in the house, Terri recommended that everybody load up on vitamins C and D. For the adults, she recommends vitamin D at 50,000 IU a day for 3 days once you’re exposed and then 10,000 IU after that. She also recommends taking 2000-4000 mg of vitamin C for three days. We gave the kids berry flavored vitamin D drops that I found at Sprouts. We mixed it in their Crystal Light and they never even noticed. They’re also eating Vitamin C chews and taking a probiotic.

Now I know EVERYBODY has an opinion and we heard from more than one person that Cole was going to suffer hallucinations from the Tamiflu. (He didn’t.) But I’m just sharing this because it worked for Cole and it seems to be working for the rest of us — so far, so good!

I hope that your home isn’t touched by the flu and if it is, I hope you experience relief as fast as our little guy did!