Hellobee Boards

My 3 year old takes Nature's Way (from Whole Foods). We weren't regular about it but ended up in the ER with bad stomach pains (turned out to be gas ) but doc recommended being vigilant about probiotics.

I put Kid's Culturelle in my DD's milk whenever I remember (soooo, not every day). She's 4.

I get them from my ND.

Yes. My older always has a runny nose or cough during the colder months and has her fair share of fevers and the like. I don't know if she would be more sick if she weren't on probiotics. But she def is more regular on probiotics, which is the main reason she takes them.

We get them from Amazon. Called acidophi kidz, animal parade.

@abmamma: is that a gummy?

I want to start!

@MamaG: interesting. My 3.5 has been complaining a lot about tummy aches lately and has been having some sorry stool issues. Is culturelle a powder?

yup, DS had tummy issues from the beginning. We've been using probiotics daily, mixed in with his milk at dinner.

Started with Klaire but it is $$$ so we switched to Udo's Choice. I also know people who are happy using Jarrow.

I would strongly recommend buying them from the refrigerated section at your grocery store, and not having it shipped via Amazon. A good probiotic will also need to be kept in your fridge, not the pantry.

ETA: not convinced that it helps with cold/flu, but it is a must use anytime you are on antibiotics! And for us, I think it also helps him with digestion/gas/tummy discomfort.

Also, DD was having done constipation issues a few months ago (for the first time ever) which seemed to have stopped once we started the vitamin/probiotics so that was a bonus.

We go through phases where we use the Culturelle kids. It's a packet of powder.

@psw27: So apparently a lot of our immunity is handled through our gastrointestinal system. By having a healthy gastrointestinal system with lots of good bacteria, it can help fight off getting sick. Or at least, that's a rough approximation of what the ped said.

udo's choice.

I'm good about giving it to my oldest, who just started kindergarten. We use the Culturelle powder packets. I mix it in with a drinkable yogurt and give it to her with dinner.

I should give it to my younger two.

I thought probiotics help with digestive system issues not cold/flu? We have some at home but only give them to LO when she's having digestive issues.

Yes, my LO has been on a daily probiotic since she was a few weeks old. She made it through her first year of life with one cold. That's it. One cold (which she caught from me at 6 months), despite going to a weekly music class and daily trips to the park and several visits a week to the communal toy room of our local rec center.

I'm not sure why she has been so incredibly healthy (was it the probiotic? was it lots of breastmilk? good luck? a combo?) but the probiotic certainly didn't hurt!!

I am a huge believer in the importance of gut health for overall immunologic function.

LO takes Baby's Jarro Dophilus, which you can find in the refrigerator at Whole Foods. Probiotics are good bacteria and can be killed/inactivated by improper storage and handling, so I personally spend the extra money to get them from the refrigerator at my local grocery store, to make sure we're getting maximum effectiveness. It also pays to find the brand with the most different species of bacteria, as it is gut bacteria DIVERSITY as much as anything, that is proving to be very important for immunologic function.

He's been on probiotics pretty much from the get-go. They make a big difference for him, but he has a lot of GI issues. He's on Nature's Dynmaics chewables.

I give kid's culturelle in my 17 month old's evening milk every day. She used to get sick like every other day. I don't know if it is a coincidence, but she has gotten sick less since giving probiotics every day.