Nutritional Supplements
As part of your child's tests, you may want to ask your doctor to test for nutritional deficiencies, such as the "B" vitamins, copper, magnesium and zinc. All of these are very important in producing a healthy immune system, as well as helping the body filter out toxins. DHA, or the Omega-3s, are also extremely important.
If you believe your child should take supplements, make sure you READ the INGREDIENTS! Not all supplements are created equal. At a minimum, do not use supplements that contain artificial sweeteners or artificial food coloring (such as Red #40). These are additional toxins that the body does not need.
Also, make sure the supplements are well balanced, meaning it doesn't contain 200% of one nutrient and only 10% of others. Another tip to consider is the amount of Biotin the supplement contains. This is an extremely important "B" vitamin that is very often skimped on by the nutritional supplement industry due to its costs.
Be very careful in purchasing the most common children's vitamins that can be purchased in the supermarket. Again, read the ingredients. You may be surprised what is or isn't included. You may want to consider purchasing the vitamins from reputable independent distributors, or on-line. Shaklee Corporation is one company that offers great-tasting, well-balanced, and organic children's vitamins and DHA supplements (www.shaklee.net/lori).
