Every Mom Needs This 2-in-1 Probiotic Supplement for Her Kid

By: Em Cruz

For me, nothing is worse than seeing my daughter get sick. And as I soon found out early into my motherhood journey, young babies and kids are prone to sicknesses thanks to their still-developing systems, so we have had to deal with a few from the time she turned 1 until now that she’s a preschooler.

Another factor that can contribute to parents’ stresses when their child is sick is the fact that most kids tend to become extra clingy whenever they feel bad. And that any discomfort or pain can obviously affect a child’s mood or attitude throughout the day. Whenever my daughter was sick, she would just cling on to us for hours on end, and we always had to cancel all our plans and let her recuperate at home. There was a time when Christmas was almost cancelled because she had a high-grade fever during the Holidays. Or the time when our summer outing got canceled because she had a bout of dengue. And another time when she had to take a week off school because of tummy issues.

Fortunately though, such instances are now fewer and far between compared to before — knock on wood. I’d like to attribute it to the fact that she’s a growing child with a consistently increasing appetite for healthy food and that perhaps, her immune system is also maturing. And I would like to keep it that way, especially now that as a schoolgirl, she’s also possibly more exposed to other viruses and bacteria.

Thankfully, there are a number of options in the market that could help boost her immunity and minimize the number of health and tummy issues. And one of these is probiotics.

As a mom, I’ve heard and seen popular probiotic products sold in supermarkets, with most of them marketed as safe and made especially for kids. But before buying any of these and offering them to my daughter, I’d like to know, what exactly are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that help maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. A human digestive tract — including that of a child’s, typically has about 100 trillion healthy bacteria. These bacteria aid in digestion and help our body defend itself against illnesses. However, the balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria present in our body might get off balance thanks to a number of factors, including poor diet, stress, and even the intake of medications and antibiotics to combat certain health issues. And this is where probiotics come in. Probiotics can help restore and maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in our bodies, thereby aiding in immunity and helping protect us from tummy issues, colds, and even the flu.

Aside from getting probiotics from certain foods (my child can only eat so much yogurt in a week), I also give my daughter Erceflora ProbiBears to ensure that she’s getting enough quality probiotics every day. Erceflora ProbiBears is a yummy tummy supplement with the combined 2-in-1 PROBIO-BOOSTER of not just Lactobacillus acidophilus, but also Bifidobacterium lactis — good bacteria that can help prevent gut problems such as diarrhea, upset stomach, and other digestive illnesses. Aside from these health benefits, my daughter loves how cute and yummy it is — thanks to its cute bear-shaped white-chocolatey goodness. Such a delicious and healthy way to strengthen her tummy.

According to the makers of Erceflora ProbiBears, Lactobacillus is a good bacteria that’s present in a lot of food. Studies show that Lactobacillus was an effective treatment against infant colic and can even improve immunity. On the other hand, Bifidobacterium helps ease digestive issues such as bloating and flatulence. And it also has a longer shelf life.

You can get ErceFlora Probibears for your kids from Mercury Drug and South Star Drug branches for only PhP 540 SRP per box of 20s.

References:

Radhakrishnan, K. (2016, April 20). How your child can benefit from probiotics. Health Essentials. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/child-can-benefit-probiotics/

Can gut bacteria improve your health? (2016, October). Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-gut-bacteria-improve-your-health

Moyer, M.W. (2015, December 4). Should your kids take probiotic? Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_kids/2015/12/are_probiotics_goof_for_kids_what_research_says_about_culturelle_florastor.html

*The tips and information in this article should be taken as an opinion. Always seek the direct advice of a medical professional or your Pediatrician for any health issues or concerns.

Em is MomCenter’s editor and a doting mom to a decisive yet sweet daughter. When she doesn’t have her hands full of motherhood, she moonlights as a geek and bibliophile. Follow her mom-adventures via her Instagram.

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