Ask any parent who’s lived through a young child’s ear infection. You may hear a wish for a way to skip this scourge of early childhood that’s marked by pain, crying, irritability, and sleeplessness.

Acute otitis media, or ear infection, may come on suddenly when the narrow eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the throat, swell and impede the flow of mucus out of the ear.

More common in children than adults, an ear infection may go away on its own, but physicians often prescribe antibiotics to speed the process along.

A better approach may be to ward off the condition altogether.

Preventing Ear Infections

While about 80 percent of otitis media infections in children clear without antibiotics, researchers continue to search for alternative preventives and treatments.

Be sure to discuss with a healthcare provider any supplements that you intend to introduce into your child’s diet.

• Try Xylitol

  This naturally occurring alternative to sugar “has been found in some studies to help prevent ear infections but not treat them,” according to Dana Sparks, writing on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

  A Cochrane review of clinical trials found “quite convincing evidence on the potential benefit of xylitol” for reducing the risk of ear infection.

  Sparks also noted that effectiveness depends upon high doses and that side effects include diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.

• Use Probiotics

  A literature review and meta-analysis of clinical trials found that the use of probiotics reduced instances of ear infection in healthy children if not in those who tended to suffer from recurrent infections.

  This finding is corroborated by data drawn from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which found that “risk ratios for otitis media incidence decreased with higher frequencies of yogurt intake.”

• Get Enough Vitamin D

  Children with recurrent ear infections participated in a randomized clinical trial in which they received either vitamin D or a placebo.

  Dosages of vitamin D that restored serum values of the vitamin were associated with a reduction in the risk of uncomplicated ear infections, according to the authors of the study published in Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

• Feed Babies with Care

  Staff at the Mayo Clinic suggest breast-feeding infants for the protective antibodies it provides.

  Alternatively, a parent should hold a bottle-fed baby in an upright position while feeding, rather than allowing the baby to lie down.

Young children have many nutritional needs to grow and develop appropriately. Since infancy and throughout childhood, the body requires a variety of key nutrients to support constant growth and transition. One of these nutrients is the element zinc.

What is Zinc, and What Does It Do?

Zinc is an essential micronutrient for many living organisms including plants, animals, and humans. Interestingly, zinc is also the second most prevalent metal in the human body after iron and the only metal found in all types of enzymes.

The abundance of zinc within the body shows just how this element is extremely involved with a diversity of important biological functions to maintain human health.

Not only does zinc handily contribute to the structure and function of enzymes, but it also serves as a cofactor—or “helper molecule”—for an incredible quantity of more than 300 enzymes and 100 transcription factors. Additional biological processes that zinc helps with include: DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis; regulation of pituitary hormones; and cell division and proliferation—processes that all heavily influence childhood growth and development.

How is Zinc Important for Children?

Children face the greatest risk of zinc inadequacy due to increased zinc requirements during rapid periods of growth.

Benefits of Zinc

Zinc is involved with critical physiological functions from infancy to beyond, including:

• Cognitive and motor development

  • Zinc plays a role in synaptic plasticity and in learning and can modulate brain excitability.
  • Zinc supplementation improved neuropsychological functions among children aged 6 to 9 years old.
  • Zinc supplementation is associated with better motor development in very-low-birth-weight infants.
  • Infants who took zinc supplementation are more likely to engage in physically vigorous activities (e.g., running).

• Immune health

  • Zinc helps maintain skin and mucosal membrane integrity, which is important for wound healing.
  • Zinc has antioxidant effects to protect against damage from reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species.
  • Zinc lozenges help speed recovery from the common cold and reduce its duration.
  • When given to individuals having low levels of zinc, zinc supplementation increases the number of T-cell lymphocytes, improving the body’s ability to fight off pathogens.

How Much Zinc Should Infants and Children Take?

According to the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (formerly National Academy of Sciences), infants and children should consume the recommended daily intake (RDI) of zinc to meet their nutrient requirements. Below is a table listing the average RDI of zinc in milligrams (mg) which varies across age.

Dangers of Excessive Zinc

Taking more zinc than the recommended amount may pose a danger to the child’s health since excessive zinc may suppress copper and iron absorption.

Side effects of excessive zinc intake may include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea
• headaches

Due to the severity of these side effects, it’s important to understand your children’s dietary needs very clearly and thoroughly to ensure they only receive safe amounts of zinc.

Where Can You Find Zinc?

Zinc can be found naturally in a wide variety of foods, such as:

• meats
  • beef
  • pork
  • chicken
• seafoods
  • lobster
  • oysters
• grains
  • fortified breakfast cereal
  • oatmeal
• dairy
  • yogurt
  • cheese
  • milk
• seeds
• nuts
• peas

Surprisingly, oysters contain the greatest amount of zinc, offering a whopping 74 mg per serving!

Overall, ensuring your children receive the recommended amounts of zinc can ultimately promote a wide range of benefits for healthy growth and development.

As a pediatrician, new parents always ask me, "What are the best vitamins for babies to help support brain and bone development?"

And my reply is always that the secret to healthy development lies within the first 1,000 days of life.

Your baby's important systems begin to develop at conception and continue throughout early childhood. Specifically, the first 1,000 days of life, from conception to age 2, are critical for your child's brain development but also for a variety of other systems.

Your Baby's First 1,000 Days

So what can you do in these first 1,000 days to enhance and support your baby's development? Let’s tackle each phase during this critical window.

• Phase 1 - Pregnancy

  Proper nutrition during pregnancy is all about supporting your baby’s brain development and cognition. During pregnancy, women should focus on a healthy diet and good supplementation, not only for themselves but with their growing babies in mind as well.

  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    During pregnancy, I recommend women start with a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are the building blocks for brain development and are absolutely essential. Foods high in Omega-3s include fish, soybeans, and nuts.

    One important Omega-3 fatty acid is DHA. DHA plays a critical role in fetal brain, eye, and nervous system development. While DHA is naturally found in some foods, many women fall short on getting the amount needed for optimal health, especially during pregnancy. Starting a supplement high in DHA is a great way to support a healthy overall pregnancy while also supporting your baby’s growth and development.

    ChildLife Essentials supplements, such as Prenatal DHA, Pure DHA, and Cod Liver Oil, all support your growing baby with the necessary DHA and other Omega-3 fatty acids essential for proper brain health.

  • Music and Speech

    Studies also repeatedly show a link between what our babies hear in the womb and positive brain function and development. Music can be a fantastic tool for jumpstarting your baby's cognition. In fact, one study found that "extensive prenatal exposure to a melody induces neural representations that last for several months." Your baby may be able to recognize sounds heard throughout your pregnancy! So playing music and talking to your baby during pregnancy are fantastic ways to support a healthy brain.

• Phase 2 - Newborns and Infants

  Once your baby is born, bone development becomes a top priority.

  In fact, osteoporosis in adults can often be traced back to inadequate bone health in childhood. To prevent future concerns, it is important to speak to your pediatrician about proper nutrition and supplementation needed for healthy bone growth.

  • Vitamin D

    One nutrient critical to bone health is vitamin D as it helps our bodies absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is found in some foods naturally, and it is also produced in our skin in sunlight. However, not much vitamin D is transferred through breast milk, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children stay out of direct sun as much as possible.

    These restrictions make it difficult for your newborn to receive the AAP's recommended 400IU of vitamin D daily. If your baby is exclusively or even partially formula fed, all formulas are now fortified with vitamin D. But if you are exclusively breastfeeding, the AAP highly recommends supplementing vitamin D.

    ChildLife Essentials Vitamin D3 Drops are an effortless way to give your infant the vitamin D needed for healthy bone development. In addition to healthy bones, vitamin D also promotes immune, respiratory, and heart health!

  • Vitamin K2

    Vitamin K2 is another important nutrient. It helps blood clot properly and helps make sure calcium is able to function appropriately. Vitamin K2 is essential in getting calcium from the bloodstream into bones to ensure proper bone strength and development.

    I recommend ChildLife Essentials Organic Vitamin K2 Drops for proper calcium absorption.

• Phase 3 - Toddlers and Beyond

  Of course, healthy habits begin in infancy. But you should continue to reinforce these habits throughout childhood:

  • Healthy Diet

    Healthy foods and snacks provide your child with adequate nutrition needed for growing brains and bodies!

  • Good Sleep Habits

    School-aged children need up to 11 hours of sleep. And preschoolers need a total of 13 hours of sleep per day. When our children are run down and tired, they become more vulnerable to illnesses.

    According to the AAP, "Children who get enough sleep have a healthier immune system and better school performance, behavior, memory, and mental health."

  • Limited Screen Time

    Read to your child instead of watching TV. Pretend play and engaging in activities that support critical thinking are also excellent ways to continue to promote healthy brain development throughout childhood.

  • Dietary Supplementation

    When parents ask me what vitamins are best for babies and children, I always suggest starting with a multivitamin. ChildLife Essentials offers two excellent multivitamin options for children with their Multi Vitamin SoftMelt Gummies and Multi Vitamin and Mineral liquid formula.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, proper nutrition is vital during the first 1,000 days of your baby's life.

Important systems, like brains and bones, are all developing during these critical years. Nutritional gaps can lead to significant health concerns later in life.

So help set your child up for a lifetime of good health, and choose the best vitamins for babies, from conception through early childhood.

With the flu season upon us — as well as the COVID-19 global pandemic — families might be wondering how to celebrate Halloween without spreading germs. If you’re in a location where Trick-or-Treating or gatherings are possible, here’s how to have a pleasant but healthy celebration.

Staying Germ-Free on Halloween

• Stay Close to Home

  Ultimately, the best way to prevent virus or germ transmission is to stay home. If you have children who are excited about trick-or-treating, but you need to opt out of visiting your neighbors’ homes, consider fun, festive activities — like Halloween scavenger hunts around your home, pumpkin carving, a scary movie night, or a virtual costume contest with distant family.

• Embrace the Outdoors

  Because the CDC recommends outdoor activities over indoor activities, consider alternatives to house parties, such as visiting a pumpkin patch, walking through a decorated haunted forest, or seeing family at a socially distant backyard gathering.

• Give Everyone Space

  If you must go trick-or-treating in public, be sure that your family is six feet or away from other families, and that you avoid overcrowded homes, haunted houses, or streets. This protects you from germs or viruses while also thoughtfully protecting others incase you’re carrying something asymptomatically.

• Respect Others' Choices

  Remember that you might be more immune to germs or illnesses than others, such as the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions. If homes have their lights off, doors closed, and do not seem inviting of trick-or-treaters, skip to the next home.. Respect that these families might be making a conscious health decision to opt out of trick-or-treating this Halloween.

• Sanitize When Possible

  Because many children will be reaching into the same pots of candy all night, be sure your family washes their hands whenever possible to kill any bacteria. If you cannot get to soap and water for parts of the evening, consider using a hand sanitizer — ideally without harmful chemicals.

• Incorporate Masks into Costumes

  If you go to a public area or party, you should always have a mask. Luckily, many people are already wearing face coverings or masks on Halloween. Consider creative ways to work your mask or PPE into your costume and further stunt transmission of germs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, postpartum depression in the US affects between 11 and 20 percent of new mothers. it impacts the mom’s ability to care for and bond with her infant, as well as her ability to function in daily life.

The Effects of Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression can also produce long-lasting consequences in children’s cognitive, social-emotional, and physical health outcomes. The depression does not come alone though: It is associated with insomnia, fatigue, agitation, appetite problems, low self-esteem, and anxiety. 

The anxiety often coexists with the depression in postpartum states. If breastfeeding is occurring, it is even more important to explore prevention strategies as many women will not take pharmaceuticals while breastfeeding. It can take several weeks for the therapeutic effect of pharmaceutical antidepressants to occur, and the drugs may have adverse effects on the breast-fed infant.

Probiotic Effects on Postpartum Depression

One recent study involves a two-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial testing the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 on atopic disorders including eczema, but also on pregnancy outcomes and postpartum symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

Pregnant women were randomized to receive either placebo or 1 billion colony forming units of Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 daily, over a period of six months if breastfeeding. Mothers in the probiotic group reported significantly lower depression and anxiety scores than the placebo group.

Probiotics, Mood & Behavior

There is a growing body of literature linking the gut microbiota to brain chemistry, mood, and behavior. Many health problems, including mental-emotional disorders, are associated with altered gastrointestinal function and alterations in gut microbial makeup. 

The findings of the recent study are consistent with two previous clinical studies of the effects of probiotics on mood. One was a randomized clinical trial in a population of 40 people with major depressive disorder treated with Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Bifidobacterium bifidum or placebo. This study found a significant reduction in symptoms of depression in the probiotic group. 

In another study, 39 people with chronic fatigue and anxiety were randomized to Lactobacillus casei or placebo and found a reduction in anxiety, but not in depression. 

Not all studies have demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect of probiotics on mood, but larger studies are being done to better understand this gut flora–brain connection. It will be interesting to watch this unfold and to better understand the possibilities for both prevention and treatment. In time, we will also better understand what might be the most effective probiotic species and strains, duration, and dose.