amThis seems to have "been around" forever. I remember giving it to my eldest when he was a toddler (about 15 years ago), and the tradition continued from then. It's one of those things my mum swears by, and so the children have to have the stuff every winter- not that any of them ever seemed to need building up! However, I have veered slightly from the tradition, and forgot to buy it before the onset of winter; with the advent of her second (very unusual) cold since October, I decided it was time to ply her with the stuff again.

The tonic contains all the vitamins and minerals which children need. I know they can get these in their diet, but sometimes, I like to feel 100% certain that all is well in the health camp.

The tonic itself is quite syrupy and has a kind of tangy sugary orange smell. It is marketed as having an orange flavour which children love. Not quite! It does have a sweet and syrupy orange taste but remember that the consistency of the liquid means that it IS a medicine. It is more an acquired taste than a one children will love. It's not the kind of thing they will be begging for more of, but similarly, in my experience of three, it's not something which will leave them gagging, although I do know some children who hated it and spat it out!

Give the bottle a good shake to distribute those minerals and vitamins.
Remember that once administered, it should be kept in a cool place

~~Who is it for?~~

Seven Seas Health Care Ltd
Hull HU9 5NJ

They are the makers of lots of well known health products, such as Haliborange for children. They also produce homeopathy products, and the website is well laid out to find any information for products for a particular health issue.

The tonic costs around the £3.50 mark for 200ml, so easy to work out approximately how much it would last depending on how many people are taking it.

The smell and taste are not unpleasant, although it's best to have a drink close by to "take the taste away". It's not the kind of tangy taste you want lingering in your mouth. I find it easier to give to young children than the chewy vitamin tablets because medicine is quicker to swallow and be gone.

This tonic does seem to help children shake off colds and if they do catch something, does tend to help them maintain their appetite. This is obviously just what I think of it; my children could have been the types not to catch many colds, and to never lose their appetites whatever I did, but I still claim this helps. So, I don't have proof that it works, but I think it does.