Understanding upper respiratory infections

CLIFTON PARK (Feb. 7) — ‘Tis the season … your child is hot, flushed and listless. She has both diarrhea and vomiting, a runny or congested nose and her bark sounds like your Saint Bernard.

“It’s this flu thing that’s been going around.”

These words reverberate through our center every day. Some people find solace in the fact that other children are also afflicted. There seems to be some kind of safety in numbers. We as a society have been taught that this child is sick. Absolutely! There is no question in our minds. These symptoms are “sickness” at its best. But wait.

Fever is actually a good thing. It’s the body’s way of “burning” the bug. It’s also the result of all the necessary body activities kicked into high gear to fight for survival. All this extra work produces extra heat — fever. It’s that simple.

At the same time, however, this might have a harmful effect on the protein of the cornea; the eyes take on a glassy appearance, the result of being continually washed with tears to cool down the cornea, which is very heat sensitive.

In its wisdom, your child’s body might need to get rid of this germ really fast via diarrhea and vomiting. There isn’t a quicker way. This is good. It’s simply another portal of exit for the germs that have invaded her body.

Breathing and respiration also increase. Your child literally exhales the invading organisms faster. You’ll notice that the skin is moist and clammy — simply another method of exit for the bugs.

At the same time, however, you notice that your child has no appetite. Even french fries, her all-time fave, gives her the heeby-jeebies. The reason is that her body energy is geared towards survival and is on emergency stand-by. There is no energy wasted for digesting food. There you have it — the logic behind the scenes.

In case you didn’t know, your nervous system — that amazing computer/internet complex that runs you — is responsible for all this marvelous activity. It’s the system that causes your immune response to spring into action to protect you any way it can. This is not “sickness.” It’s an expression of health and vitality. It’s your body doing exactly what it needs to in order to regain health.

When your child is feeling like this, parents have the compulsion to intervene and interfere with cough suppressants, antifever medication and antibiotics. We have been carefully taught that a child needs these drugs to combat disease.

Nonsense! Your child needs no interference.

There are a number of things you can do to help, however, while her body is cleaning out the germs:

  • Have your child checked by a chiropractor to make certain her nervous system is functioning optimally, so it can handle the sickness.
  • High doses of vitamin C. For a young child, I recommend 1,000–2,200 mg/day for a week. For adults, 5,000-7,000.
  • High doses of vitamin D3. I recommend 1,000 units/day for kids, adults 5,000 units/day for 3-5 days.
    Lots to drink. Water is best, but if your child won’t drink it, you can use diluted fruit juice.
  • Lots of rest.
  • Echinacea in drop form in juice. It should be administered on an age-dependent basis. For example, an average 12-year-old should be given 20-25 drops in juice two times a day for one week and then discontinue for one week, repeat as needed.
  • Avoid sugar and dairy as these can weaken the immune response.

In the event that your child is not improving on her own in a week, it means that her immune system is weak. Crisis care might be needed.

John Ferguson D.C. is a wellness chiropractor in Clifton Park.

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