How I Treated My Child’s Pneumonia Without Antibiotics

Over the past eight weeks, our community has been hit hard by the wave of pneumonia that has been making headlines nationally. Our 9-year-old was down for the count with a cough that just wouldn't go away, sneezing, fatigue - the works. Like many of his classmates, he was diagnosed with 'walking pneumonia' and the recommendation was to give antibiotics. While I am not against antibiotics when they are truly needed, I only wanted to use them as a last resort in this case, and here is why: 

This past summer, all three of my kids were put on antibiotics by their sleep-away camp after an impetigo outbreak (google that - or maybe don't if you're eating). It was actually the first time they had ever been put on antibiotics, and we didn't find out until days later.  Knowing that the gut makes up 80% of the immune system, and that it can take 2 years to restore the microbiome after a single dose of antibiotics (look up Dr. Elisa Song for more on this), we set to work as soon as they were home on rebuilding their gut health.

Not wanting to reverse the work we had done so far with our 9 year old unless it was absolutely necessary, I decided to try holistic approaches first to treat the pneumonia (with the guidance of a naturopath who happens to also be their grandmother). We got really lucky, because this coincided with Superfood Boosties finally being ready to ship, and I was able to put him on our gummies right away. Knowing how many potent and healing ingredients were in the Boosties (probiotics, vitamins, immune defending herbs) definitely put me at ease. Within just a few days of putting all of this in place, his symptoms had almost completely disappeared and he was back to his normal, cheeky self. 

For those interested, here’s what we gave our 9-year-old twice a day. In under a week, he was back on his feet:

• Elderberry Syrup: We made a fresh batch with Spoonful Herbals in Vermont, but you can also buy it online. It’s amazing for boosting the immune system. Bonus: we have elderberry extract in Superfood Boosties!
• Cherry Bark Syrup: We also made this with Spoonful Herbals. It’s brilliant for a cough, and when mixed with raw honey, it’s twice as potent.
• Vitamin C + Zinc: The immune system’s dream team! Taking both improves bioavailability. Thankfully, Superfood Boosties already include both, so dosing was super simple.
• High-Dose Vitamin D: A secret weapon for immunity. Dr. Mark Hyman advises high doses for boosting immunity when sick. (The doses sounded wild at first, but the science checks out—and so do the results.)
• Propolis Diffuser: This was our game-changer. My mom was adamant about it, and she was right. Ten minutes a day with the respirator for four days worked wonders.

The Results
Within a week, the cough was gone, and the deep circles under his eyes were history. Seeing him back to his usual self—running around, laughing, and asking for snacks (oh the snack requests - every five minutes)—felt like such a win.

A Few Thoughts

• Lesson Learned: Always Be Prepared. Having these remedies on hand meant I could start supporting him the moment he started feeling sick, and it made such a difference.
• Trust Your Gut (and Protect Theirs). I kept a close watch on him, ready to start antibiotics if needed. But taking this route first gave me peace of mind and helped protect all the progress we’ve made with his gut health.
• Propolis for the Win. This one was a standout. If you haven’t tried diffusing propolis yet, I can’t recommend it enough. Bonus: your house will smell incredible!

Every family is different, and pneumonia is no joke, so always consult your doctor. I’m just so grateful we had these tools when we needed them. For us, Little Boosties have become part of our daily routine—it’s a relief to know my kids are getting the immune support they need, especially with flu season around the corner.