Conscious Choice: Herbs for Sick Children

June 2000 | Herbs for Health

Herbs for Sick Children

by Meg McGowan

When our children are sick or injured, the last thing in the world we want to do is hurt them. We want to help them heal. Unfortunately the sometimes long-term side effects of over-the-counter and prescription medications can be very damaging. By choosing to treat our children with herbal remedies whenever possible, we create the potential for true healing.

One of the growing concerns about treatment of childhood illnesses is the overuse of antibiotics. This can be particularly troubling if a child has a recurring problem such as chronic ear infections. Herbs do not cause resistant strains of bacteria to develop, because the chemical composition of plants is much more complex than that of pharmaceutical antibiotics. As Stephen Buhner notes in his book Herbal Antibiotics, "Garlic...has been found to contain at least 33 sulfur compounds, 17 amino acids, and a dozen other compounds....Yarrow, another healing herb, contains over 120 different compounds that have been identified so far."

Buhner lists the top 15 antibiotic herbs as: acacia (Acacia spp.), aloe (Aloe vera and other species), cryptolepsis (Cryptolepsis sanguinolenta), echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia and E. purpurea), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), grapefruit seed extract (Citrus paradisi), honey (concentrated nectar of wildflowers of various species), juniper (Juniperus spp.), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), sage (Salvia officinalis), usnea (Usnea spp.), and wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Uncooked honey should not be administered to children under one year old because their digestive systems are not fully formed and are not equipped to deal with the potential botulism spores sometimes found in raw honey. Wormwood is a strong herb and should be used with caution.

Rosemary Gladstar, in her book Herbal Remedies for Children (Storey, 1999), addresses the challenge of enticing sick children to consume herbal remedies. An appealing taste and texture are key in avoiding a battle. Gladstar provides recipes for making a natural herbal "candy" with fruits, nuts, coconut, and carob powder; a syrup base; and tinctures that do not contain alcohol. Glycerin-based tinctures have a sweeter taste than alcohol-based tinctures and have a gentler action. (If you would prefer to buy rather than make glycerin-based herbal tinctures, look for the Herbs for Kids line at your health food store.) Warm herbal baths are another option. "The warm water opens the pores of the skin, the largest organ of elimination and assimilation, and the herbal nutrients flow in." For reducing a fever, of course, the temperature should be cool to tepid. Gladstar also suggests herbal powders which can be sprinkled into food and drinks. Not only does this method mask any bitter taste, but it is effective if a child is resistant to taking a remedy. Herbal pops are both easy and fun, though Gladstar does not recommend them for "cold types of imbalances such as flu, colic, ear infections, or respiratory infections." Begin with a triple-strength herbal tea, add an equal amount of fruit juice, then pour into popsicle trays and freeze.

Gladstar offers two formulas for determining the appropriate herbal dosage for a child. Using Young’s rule, you add twelve to the child’s age, then divide the child’s age by the total, for the fraction of the adult dosage the child should receive. By Cowling’s rule you divide the number of the child’s next birthday by twenty-four, and that is the percent of the adult dosage to be administered to the child.

When Peeka Trenkle spoke on childhood vaccinations at Frontier’s Herbfest‘99, she suggested giving children immune-stimulating herbs and supplements before and after the shots to aid them in processing the vaccines more effectively. Gladstar includes a recipe for Super Immunity Syrup that utilizes echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia and E. purpurea), astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus), oats (Avena sativa), and burdock root (Arctium lappa). Gaia’s Composition Essence for Children supports healthy immune system function with elderflowers (Sambucus canadensis), bayberrry bark (Myrica cerifera), marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis), cloves (Eugenia aromatica), Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia and E. purpurea), cayenne pepper (Capsicum spp.), ginger syrup (Zingiber officinale), and essential oils of allspice (Pimenta dioica), cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), and peppermint (Mentha piperita). Gaia’s Elderberry Ginger Syrup also support’s the body’s immunity. Given the current controversy over administering vaccinations at all, parents may want to look into homeopathic alternatives to standard vaccinations.

Gaia’s comprehensive line of herbal care for children was formulated by Dr. Mary Bove, a practicing doctor of naturopathic medicine. The herbal extracts are alcohol-free, certified organic or ecologically wildcrafted, and do not contain sugars or artificial sweeteners. Some of their blends include cough syrups, sore throat remedies, Warming Vaporous Rub, Tummy Tonic, Ear Oil, Burn Oil, and a calming Passionflower/Lemon Balm formula. (The Melissa Supreme for Children has been found to be effective in treating hyperactivity and ADD.) An inexpensive pamphlet entitled A Parent’s Guide to Children’s Herbal Care, written by Dr. Bove, details the therapeutic actions of each of Gaia’s herbal blends. It also provides information on indications for use, doses for various ages, and complementary formulas for various ailments.

Another company, Historical Remedies, features several homeopathic remedies for children. Aconite for Children treats runny noses, croup, fever, and dry hacking cough. It can also be used for cold prevention when a child is exhausted or run down. For head colds and other mucous-related discomforts, Pulsatilla for Children can be effective. This remedy also helps to ease the emotional drain of being ill. Sore throats, earaches, and dry coughs often respond to Belladonna for Children. Though Syrup of Ipecac induces vomiting, the homeopathic remedy, Ipecac for Children relieves nausea and vomiting. It is useful for treating motion sickness and asthma as well. Chamomilla for Children, however, has a similar effect to the herb chamomile (Chamomilla recutita syn. Matricaria recutita); it is calming and soothing. Arnica for Children helps to heal bumps, bruises, and wounds. Administer arnica as soon as possible after injury to treat shock and speed healing. Hypericum for Children can be used in conjunction with arnica, alternating doses to lessen residual pain whenever nerve-rich areas of the body have been injured. Burns and stings can be treated internally with Apis for Children, while using aloe, lavender (Lavandula officinalis syn. L. angustifolia) or calendula (Calendula officinalis) externally.

Becoming educated about herbal alternatives for treating childhood illnesses and injuries takes time and effort, but it is well worth it. All aspects of parenting involve a continuum of questioning and learning. Each step we take toward a deeper connection between ourselves and our children and the cycle of life perpetuates a legacy of wholeness that will reach beyond us into generations to come.

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.

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