Written by Alexander Sperry,
Medical College of Wisconsin – Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2021
This information is to serve as general knowledge and is not medical advice. We always recommend talking with your primary care provider for any medical advice.
What is different for children and adults who get COVID?1
The human body works much differently when we are children. Children have had little exposure to many different viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. This means their bodies can either form a faster immunity or have a much more difficult time building an immunity. This is a much-argued topic, but one thing is clear, additional support is needed for children with COVID being present.
Immune Support2,3,4
Depending on the age of your child, they may or may not be able to swallow pills. One alternative to this is Pure Omega Plus Fish by Nutragen. This product contains Omege-3 fish oil, vitamin D, and organic curcuplex.
Omega-3 can help with the body’s immune cells and how they work. It can work on various mechanisms on both the innate and adaptive immune system, and it’s benefits have been known for 30+ years. Omega-3 can also be converted into various chemical mediators in the immune system allowing for a proper response.
Vitamin D is important supplement to help regulate the immune response in the body to prevent it from attacking itself. It is thought that Vitamin D regulates some of the “stop” chemical signals (PD-1) so that they do not turn off our bodies Helper and Killer T cells. This results in a reduction in inflammation and has been seen to be beneficial in patients with cystic fibrosis.
Curcuplex is a chemical that is also known as turmeric. Turmeric is a known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drug. It has been used by various cultures for centuries to help with inflammation and various other needs. It suppresses a chemical called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) as well as IL-6. These two chemicals cause a pro-inflammatory response meaning we cause inflammation. Turmeric suppresses these chemicals resulting in a decreased inflammatory response.
Probiotic
One thing we all should be on with the modern diet is a probiotic. Probiotics help to regulate the gut system by introducing and/or replacing our good bacteria. This helps us to maintain good bowel health and minimize constipation and diarrhea. One product we recommend is Ther-biotic Children Chewable Probiotics. It contains 8 different types of bacteria which can help with the gut function, plus no worries about your child not wanting to swallow a pill since it is chewable. It is a cherry flavored product and is great for children 2 years old and up.
References
