Keeping kids healthy and well is always a parent’s main priority. This summer I’ve been trying out a couple of products that are great for children’s health and well being. In particular, I’m really happy to see my boys so keen to take vitamins these days! (Well Mr Z and Mr R – Mr T is still a work in progress!!) Of course it’s no replacement for a healthy diet, but it’s reassuring to see them taking these as an extra. I recently shared with you about the vegetarian vitamins we found and now I’ve also introduced a vitamin D spray. We were sent these to try out and I’ve been really impressed with the concept.
DLux is an oral spray which comes in infant (birth to 5 years) or junior (5 years+). It’s a really convenient way of getting the extra vitamin D into the children, especially as I know that only 27% of toddlers in the UK are getting their recommended amount of vitamin D. 90% of the vitamin D we need comes from sunlight and with our weather sunshine is not always guaranteed!
The infant spray is orange flavour and the junior is mint. They are in the opposite coloured containers than you would expect, which is slightly confusing but once you are used to that it’s not too much of an issue. The boys love to open their mouth to have their spray each night. If I forget, then Mr Z will remind me without fail! I did manage to get Mr T to have this on a few occasions. If you have a child who won’t take tablets, even chewable or tasty ones, then this is good as it’s one quick spray and the job is done. They can’t spit it out and its over within a second. Each spray delivers 300IU of Vitamin D and researched showed that the spray was the most effective way of delivering it with over 37% going straight into the blood stream.
The container seems to be lasting pretty well, we have been using for 2 months now and it has not run out yet. I’m sure I will be buying more of these once our samples have finished. It’s a great product. Each spray is £5.95 which seems pretty reasonable
The sprays can be purchased here from Betteryou.com
To protect against sunburn or sun damage, I have been using the Green People organic children’s sun lotion for the boys this summer. This lotion is natural, non greasy and is suitable for children with sensitive skin.
My boys have never suffered with Eczema or other skin conditions but I would still rather use something natural and gentle on them, especially when it’s something like sun screen that will be used so often through out the summer. It’s reassuring to know that this lotion is alcohol free, as I prefer that option for my children. It’s also free from parabens, lanolin, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, phthalates, artificial perfumes, petrochemicals and colourants. There is also no scent with this lotion.
This lotion is SPF 25 which offers 96% UVB protection. It’s water resistant but not pore clogging.
I find the lotion is very easy and quick to apply and rubs in well, without leaving that overly greasy feel on the skin as some brands do. This is a big positive for me as I hate leaving the children feeling greasy after applying sunscreen. I’m very happy with how easy it is to apply, and it has not irritated any of their skin at all. It seems to be doing a good job.
The sun lotion can be bought here from the Green People website
If your child does need any medical treatment, then Monkey Wellbeing is a new company which has recently linked up with the NHS and provides resources to help reassure children about treatment they may be having, whether that is an operation , a blood test, or many other procedures.
The idea was created by a mum for her little girl who was facing major lung surgery, and it centres around familiarising the child with what will happen by explaining sounds, smells, and sights, to help children recognise environments they may encounter. The books include a friendly monkey character and the monkey puppet comes alongside the packs to add a sense of fun and help you act out the situations with your child.
I think this concept is great! If only I had come across these books earlier, I would have used them for Mr T when he went in for an operation at the end of last year. The concept of showing lots of pictures and explaining the situation in details is a little bit similar to the visual support and social stories that I’ve been advised to use with Mr T because he is Autistic. We use this type of thing for many new situations like starting school, or any situation where a child may not know what to expect and could be anxious about that. I feel that these methods really do help. It’s useful for any child (or adults for that matter!) to know what to expect, and it definitely puts their mind at ease and stops their imagination running away with itself and imagining all sorts of problems, if they know clearly what is going to happen. The monkey is very cute too, which always helps!
You can find out more about Monkey Wellbeing on their website www.monkeywellbeing.com
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
the spray vitamins are a good idea