As salam walakum, Good Morning, Evening, and afternoon.
I hope that you are all well and in good health. Today I wanted to touch on Kids Health!

When we become parents, it’s such a beautiful position, whether it’s a birth, adoption, or maybe a foster child… It’s incredible, and it can be worrisome sometimes to think of our responsibility for caring for this baby or child. Today I would like to touch on some ways to keep children healthy. 

So children’s bodies are just like ours. It heals, it gets sick, and it needs proper nutrition. What is important to note is that children need adequate nutrition to help them through adulthood. How they eat and take care of their bodies now can affect them when they are adults.

Micronutrient/Males and Females

& Symptoms of Deficiency (Just a few, not all) 

~Biotin(B7) 12 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency 

• brittle hair
• Brittle nails
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue

~Folate(B9) 200 μg/daya

Vitamin B9 ~ Daily Dose: 200 UG (micrograms) Check out B9 blog for more in-depth info.
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/10/18/holistic-nutrition-what-is-b9-why-is-it-important/

Symptoms of Deficiency  

• Congenital disabilities 
• Megaloblastic anemia 
• pale skin

~Niacin(B3) 8 mg/day

To learn more in-depth about vitamin E check out:
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/05/07/niacin-vitamin-b3-benefits/

Symptoms of Deficiency 

•  flaky skin
• rash around the neck
• Diarrhea

~Pantothenic Acid (B5) 3 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms Deficiency

• Disturbed sleep
• Nausea
• Numbness in hands, feet
• Cramps

~Riboflavin 600 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Thinning hair
• sore throat
• Anemia
• Impaired nervous system

~Thiamin 600 μg/day

 To learn more in-depth about B1 Check out:
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/10/31/holistic-nutrition-b1/

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Anorexia
• Irritability
• muscle pain
• Vitamin B12 ~ Daily Dose: 1.2 Ug (micrograms) 

~Vitamin A 400 μg/day (1,333 IU/day)

To learn more indeapth of Vitamin Check out this post:
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/04/02/the-importance-of-vitamin-a/

Symptoms of Deficiency 

• lethargy
• skin lesions
• thinning of hair

~Vitamin B6 600 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Irritable
• Aggravated
• Seizures
• Gastric issues

~Vitamin B12 1.2 μg/day

Check out more in-depth about B12
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/10/20/holistic-nutrition-b12/

Symptoms of deficiency

• Delay in developmental milestones
• feeding issues
• hyper~irritability
• Anemia

~Vitamin C 25 mg/day

To learn more in-depth about Vitamin C check out this post:
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/10/25/holistic-nutrition-vitamin-c-why-we-need-it/

Symptoms of Deficiency 

• Scurvy
• weak wound healing
• Musculoskeletal pain

~Vitamin D 15 μg/day (600 IU/day)

If you like to learn more in-depth about Vitamin D
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/10/28/holistic-nutrition-vitamin-d-what-is-it-why-should-we-have-it/

 Symptom Deficiency

• Rickets
• Osteomalacia: (softening of bones)
• Hypocalcemia (too low of calcium in your blood) 
• Vitamin E ~ Daily Dose: 7 Mg if you 

~Vitamin E 7 mg/day (10.5 IU/day)d

To learn in-depth about vitamin E check out:
https://elderberryholistichealth.com/2022/11/04/holistic-nutrition-vitamin-e-how-it-benefits-your-health/

Symptoms Deficiency

• difficult walking 
• muscle weakness

~Vitamin K 55 μg/day (AI)

Symptoms of deficiency

• Easily bruises 
• Bleeding from nose
• Bleeding in stomach

~Calcium 1,000 mg/day

Symptoms of deficiency 

• Short ~stature
• Dry Skin
• Dry Hair
• Muscle Cramps

Chromium 15 μg/day (AI)

~Symptoms of Deficiency

• weight loss
• Confusion
• Impaired coordination

~Copper 440 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Fatigue (tired) 
• Weakness
• Frequent sickness

~Fluoride 1 mg/day (AI) (Not the Toothpaste Fluoride)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Cavities
• Weak enamel
• Weak bones

~Iodine 90 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Tiredness
• Unexpected weight gain
• Difficulty learning and remembering
• weak-slow heartbeat

~Iron 10 mg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Pale Skin
• Cold hands
• Slowed Growth and development
• Rapid breathing

~Magnesium 130 mg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Weakness
• Nausea
• Vomiting

~Manganese 1.5 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Poor bone growth
• Skeletal defects
• Impaired Growth
• Low fertility

~Molybdenum 22 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Develops Seizures
• nausea
• Cramps
• Brain dysfunction

~Phosphorus 500 mg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Loss of appetite
• Anxiety
• Bone Pain
• Fragile Bones
• Numbness

~Potassium 2,300 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Weakness
• Feeling Tried
• Confusion
• Constipation

~Selenium 30 μg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Retardation
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Confusion 

~Sodium 1,000 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Seizures

~Zinc 5 mg/day

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Growth retardation
• Impaired Immunity
• hair loss

~Choline 250 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Feeling Anxious or Restless
• Fatty liver 
• Muscle Damage
• Hyperhomocysteinemia 

~α-Linolenic Acid 900 mg/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Decreased Growth
• Scaly rash
• Weak Immunity 
• Poor wound health

~Linoleic Acid 10 g/day (AI)

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Decreased Growth 
• Poor Immunity
• Numbness
• Weakness

Now, if your children are eating a whole nutritionally dense diet, you wouldn’t have to worry about deficiency. I would keep an eye out for formula babies. Not all formulas are created equal. So keep an eye on symptoms. If ever concerned, always visit your doctor or practitioner. Always safe then, sorry! 

Just like adults, children are not all the same. We all have different digestive systems in a sense. Some digest things faster or slower. We all absorb differently. Someone may have Chroen’s or gluten intolerance. So bookmark this page. So you have something to look back on. 

Whole Nutrition?

What do I mean by a Whole nutritional-dense diet? When we think about what we put in our mouths or children. Yes, we must think about what they like, but we must focus on nutrition—cutting out junk food, sugar, colors, perspectives, etc., which can cause other health issues. 

• Fruit
• Veggies
• Grass-fed meat
• Grass-fed milk products (cow, goat, and maybe even camel)
• Yogurts (probiotic, no sugary ones)
• Honey for a sweetener (unless baby age)
• Grains
• Lentils
• Beans

Implementing these in the children’s diets should keep them on track with their vitamins and minerals. 

Sleep! 

I know it seems like children can keep going and going and going! They need rest, though. Again children’s bodies are different. Usually, you can trust a child’s sleep pattern, but Mayo Clinic Recommends 

• 4-12 months (12-16 Hours, including naps) 
• 1-2 Year Old (11-14hours, including naps) 
• 3-5 Year Old (10-13 hours, including naps)
• 6-12 Year Old (9-12 hours)
• 13-18 Year Old (8-10 hours)

Signs of Sleep deprivation

• Not Active
• Not engaging in activities
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Not paying attention
• Not social

If your child is having issues getting to sleep.. Some things can help, like essential oil spray (for bedding)

• Lavender
• Chamomile
• Bergamot
• Eucalyptus
• Clary sage

.. but sometimes our children just need a little love. We are moving throughout the day: school, work, and transportation. Bedtime is an excellent opportunity to spend time together. Make a bedtime routine. Get closer to gather. 

• Reading a book
• Praying together
• Talking about the day. (good and bad)
• Nice hot bath or shower before bed. (maybe add some essential oils to the water) 
• Just sometimes, we need a hug. 

You know this time is so precious, and it goes so fast. So try hard to be present and be there as much as possible. 

Activity!

Children in gen. should naturally have a lot of energy. If not, it could be something to look into, but children should at the very least get 60 min of physically active a day. If you haven’t yet. Limit Tv usage and get the video games, Ipads (unless for school) away from the kids. They were created with the intention and in the way of getting our children addicted to them. We have a massive obesity epidemic, which most likely is from a lack of activities sitting in front of the tv (watching, gaming, or ipads, phones, etc). Right now, the USA is 1 and 5 in child obesity rate. 

To look at our children’s activities and habits most likely means we have to look at our own practices.. I was watching about child obesity, and one little boy said. ” I started gaming because my father was a gammer, and I just wanted to spend time with him.”

Is your child’s health less important than a video game, computer, tv, or movie you want to watch? Is your health really worth losing? 

Again, doing activities with your children builds bounds. 

• Like football? Coach a team (with your kid) *same with all sports
• Start trail walking/hiking.
• Do some fishing
• Go to the playground. Play on the playground with the KIDS! They will love it. You build bounds, and you show an excellent example for other children. 
• How about busting out the bonfire and roasting some marshmallows?

Don’t have a yard? 

• Go camping. Find a yard or state park. 
• Bike together
• Swimming (lake, beach, center?, Park)
• Buy some silly glow-in-the-dark glasses and run around in the dark! It’s fun for the kids and a laugh for you. 

There are so many ways that you can be active with your children and stay active. Most kids will follow you. They love you! You will want to go to the gym. Most likely, they will go and find something for themself. We must find a balance between what we like and what we enjoy… Ultimately, you are just creating solid bonds, healthy bodies, and more opportunities for happy memories. 

I hope you enjoyed todays post!