My Son’s Newly Diagnosed Immune Deficiency and What We’re Doing About It

Life takes so many twists and turns and for the last year I've been pulled to work on what's going on with one of my son's health. About two years ago he started to get sick more and more often and then stay sick longer and longer. It was alarming and quite perplexing. Nobody quite knew what was happening with him and we weren't getting the answers we needed to help him. After a lot of appointments and tests (this is honestly where the work I do turned out to be a huge boon, because I knew what tests to ask for and didn't relent in my quest to figure out what was wrong), we finally got the referral to an immunologist that identified what was going on. Turns out it's an immune-deficiency that leaves him unable to fight certain bugs that land in his mucus membranes. Apparently, it's quite common among caucasians, but only 30% of folks show symptoms. We have no idea why it's only shown up now, as he was apparently born with this, but it may have something to do with puberty. We're all scratching our heads over this one.

But the bottom line is this: his health has been such that the joys of his life have been taken away and it's been a very sad and difficult time. The one thing that's in our control is to do a trial period in a warmer, sunnier place--not because there are fewer bugs, but because viruses have shorter lives in warm air, and you get to be outside more often. In Seattle's long, cold winter, everyone is contained inside all the time where bugs get passed around (thus our spike in cold/flu season). So come January, we plan to take him to sunny central California (hello, SLO!) and see if it makes a difference. I won't be leaving my home here, however. His dad and I will be taking turns with him there to finish out the school year, and then we'll see. 

I'm grateful we're able to give this a try, though splitting the family will be difficult. But I know you parents will agree: we'll do anything to help our babies. 

In case you're interested, here's a quick glimpse of what we've been doing to keep his immune system stronger and healthier (this can help all of you!):

1. Frequent hand washing

2. Nightly neti potting (then a dab of oil to keep his nose from drying out)

3. The Wellness Formula: An Herbal Defense Complex Immune System Support (this is one the whole family takes and I swear by it!)

4. Elderberry syrup

5. Garlic, garlic, and more garlic (a potent anti-inflammatory and immune booster)

6. Foods loaded with vitamin C

7. High-quality probiotics

8. Zinc for immunity (15-30 mg a day)

9. Daily stuff everyone should take such as fish oil, Vit D and a multi

10. Ig 26 for gut support (this nutrition based supplement puts more Immunoglobins into his system)

11. Colostrum 5-10 grams a day (there’s a sufficient amount of evidence that this adds a significant amount of IG’s into his system and coats the mucus membranes of his gut—in fact, many marathoners are taking this because they are prone to respiratory infections and it’s been proven to help with this)

Items 1 through 9 are what you, too, can be doing to help get yourself through the long winter months when colds and flus abound.