How Did We Survive?

[Ariana]

It is interesting! I think it's a combination of things. Our lives are soooo much more stessful than they used to be and there is a saying that "99% of all illness is caused by stress". Plus the population growth, overuse of soaps and cleaners, compounded toxicity through the generation creating more allergy prone kids.

My dad told me an interesting story about my aunt and how when she was a kid she was always really skinny and complaining about stomach issues, but everyone just brushed it aside and she was labeled "sickly"....whatever that means!! She was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease so it could be that we know more today and take things more seriously?

[littlemommy]

My daycare kids are constantly coming in with colds. Yesterday one went home with severe diarrhea. Only one DCK has an older sibling that is in school.

My son and I never seem to catch anything. He had a couple ear infections when he was under a year old, but the chiropractor fixed that. He doesn't drink much cow's milk, which can keep the ears from draining like they should. We eat super healthy for every meal, and don't eat a lot of sugar or processed foods.

DS is 21 months and still BF'ing. All of the daycare kids were formula fed. Not sure if that is a factor or not.

[littlemommy]

I'm going out tonight to get some Tea Tree Oil soap to replace the antibacterial soap that has triclosin. Better for the body and environment, and works just as well as other soaps.

[cheerfuldom]

some of it might be overdiagnosing too. seems like every parent wants medicine every time they go to the ped. some are happy to blame a variety of physical and behavioral issues on catch-all illnesses like asthma.

I am not saying that asthma is not real! I know it is. But I know two families that have kids with supposed asthma that NEVER use their inhaler or have any significant symptoms (one was a daycare family I worked with for almost 2 years) but then anytime any issue comes up, the asthma is blamed. Similar to "oh she's teething" excuse.

[littlemommy]

some of it might be overdiagnosing too. seems like every parent wants medicine every time they go to the ped. some are happy to blame a variety of physical and behavioral issues on catch-all illnesses like asthma.

I am not saying that asthma is not real! I know it is. But I know two families that have kids with supposed asthma that NEVER use their inhaler or have any significant symptoms (one was a daycare family I worked with for almost 2 years) but then anytime any issue comes up, the asthma is blamed. Similar to "oh she's teething" excuse.

I agree. It seems like even the really good doctors are handing out way more prescriptions than they should because parent's expect it and know what to ask for. I'm proud to say that I haven't used an antibiotic (or any prescription) for years! I use holistic remedies that are just as effective and MUCH cheaper!

[familyschoolcare]

Hmm... I thought we'd be more like the movie "Idiocracy".

Maybe more like serogotes

[familyschoolcare]

We have a terrible diet. When I was coming up my family spent about twenty percent of our income on food. Now we spend twenty percent on health care and about eight percent on food.

Junk food was so expensive in those days that we only got them as a big treat. Every sweet we had was from scratch.

The chemicals used on the food we do have didn't exist when I was growing up. Our bodies are undernourished and overfed. Our chemical exposure is very high.

We have a huge amount of corn in our diet. Nearly everything has corn in it or it is corn fed. The animals we eat aren't supposed to eat corn. They are supposed to eat grass. When you eat animals that have been confined and improperly fed you will be eating sick animals and introducing their sickness into us.

Our kids get a fraction of the exercise we did as kids. We had to go outside and play unless it was dangerously cold. Now we have a nation eating crappy food in front of a screen from the time they can walk till the grave.

It's a viscious cycle. Terrible food and little exercise. It's making us weak.

Yes, exactly.

When I was getting my bible theology degeree the Old Testement Teacher was asked if she believed that people realy lived hundrends of years like ti says noah did. She explained thatback them "we" (humankind) did not have cancer, chemicials and germs did not usualy kill people at the age or 60 becaue if they where going to kill a person back then they did so as an infant. Which lead to stronger humanbeings.

[youretooloud]

I've noticed a HUGE increase in illnesses just in the last nine or ten years.

When I started in the 80s, I had one kid with chronic asthma, the kids got occasional colds, but nothing worth freaking out.

I've also seen a huge increase in food allergies.

[Hunni Bee]

Yes...and we are waayyy overmedicated. I pulled a muscle last month, I was given Vic***n AND Valium, told to take both every three hours AND go back to work!! Needless to say, I took neither...

I had a 3-year-old today who had a slight fever (99) and what looked like a fine rash...called her mom to let her know what was up and if her fever rose or she started feeling badly, she would need to be picked up. Mom said that she would be taking her to the ER this evening and get her an antibiotic!

If we get a tiny wisp of something, we are stuffing ourselves with OTC drugs and antibiotics!

[iheartkids]

I know! I don't recall going to the doctor when I was little as much as these kids do. BUT my mom was a SAHM and took on the illness with "home remedies". But nowadays if you take time off of work to take care of your sick child or yourself you need a dr's excuse/report to prove you were really sick and by golly you BETTER have been prescribed something or you weren't REALLY sick! My director once drilled me about whether I took my sick dd to the doctor once when I called in sick and I said no, it's just a common virus BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO STAY HOME AND REST! And schools/preschools/centers all require doctor excuses all the time if a child was sent home sick. So to me it kind of forces you to go to the doctor even if it can be treated at home. And because work places don't always seem understanding about it then parents are quick to pump them full of meds just to get them back in school. It's just a viscious cycle!