Top Ten Home Remedies for Your Children

Fill Your Medicine Cabinet with These Natural Home Remedies – Your Kids will Love Them and You!

Achoo! Achoo! What's that? One of your offspring sneezed. The youngest in a brood of 4, Kiarha is feeling hot and uncomfortable. This is accompanied by frequent coughing and a runny nose. You frantically approach her and take her temperature. It registers 380C (100.40F). She has a cold. Boy with Sore Tummy

You start to worry and head to your “medicine” cabinet. You slowly open it, and you stand aghast. There's nothing there except your sleeping pills.

Kids get sick and parents worry. Sometimes you're so worried you find yourself at the ER department of the local hospital in the middle of the night. Why? She might have something contagious or more serious. Fear not, concerned parent. Here are some home remedies which are child friendly that you can try.

Fill your medicine cabinet with nature's little helpers

Echinacea. Echinacea is a plant which belongs to the daisy family. Most commercially available preparations of echinacea are from the expressed juice formulation. This is specifically suited for colds. When your child has a cold, he or she experiences an inflammatory reaction. It's the inflammatory reaction to the virus that's responsible for the symptoms. Echinacea reduces the severity and duration of the symptoms if given during the early part of the disease process. It allows your body's normal defenses to take care of the cause of the problem. The effectiveness of Echinacea also depends on the way the extracts were prepared. Make sure you buy from trusted sources and look for a non-alcohol liquid preparation for maximum absorption..

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Probiotics. To fight any disease process especially if infectious in nature, you need a well oiled immune system. In order to have one, you need optimal absorption of nutrients from your digestive tract. Effective absorption requires the presence of beneficial bacteria in your intestines. When you give your child antibiotics for an infection, the intention is to get rid of bad bacteria. What you don't know is that you're also wiping out the population of beneficial bacteria. Other microorganisms will seize the opportunity and do damage. In the case of your digestive tract, these opportunistic microorganisms can hamper proper absorption of nutrients and the lack of good bacteria allows invading microbes to infect the body. In the end, it's your immune system which shall suffer the consequences. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, which are reintroduced into your gastrointestinal tract to restore the normal balance of good microorganisms and are a very important part of a healthy immune system. Antibiotics are also notorious for causing diarrhea not just in adults, but in children as well. Studies have shown that probiotics decrease the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

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Arnica cream and drops. No running inside the house! How many times have you said this yet the kids still continue to run? After a few minutes, you hear one of them crying. When they slip and fall, it's your turn to run to their aid. Arnica cream and drops will come in very handy. For well over a thousand years, Arnica has been used to help heal wounds and bruises. Arnica natural remedies come from the plant Arnica montana. They can also be used for muscle soreness, strains, sprains and swelling. Arnica cream should not be used on an open wound, the drops may be given orally instead.

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Bee Propolis liquid. Propolis is a naturally occurring substance collected by bees from young tree buds. Studies show that it can shorten the length and severity of yours and your child’s colds. It has antimicrobial properties against fungi, viruses and bacteria. Propolis is often called ‘nature’s antibiotic’. It can also be used to disinfect wounds and burns and support healing (use the alcohol free liquid for this!). The same alcohol free propolis liquid is also great for a sore throat and can be mixed into a teaspoon of Manuka honey to soothe your child’s throat.

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Calendula cream. How's your baby's bottom? Does he/she have sensitive skin? He/she might benefit a lot from calendula cream. It's soothes dry, sensitive skin (skin that gets easily annoyed, I mean irritated). Calendula is a herb which also goes by the name marigold. It contains flavonoids, a type of plant antioxidant which help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Calendula has wound healing properties and mild antimicrobial benefits. A good remedy for your home first aid kit, calendula can be used as a topical cream for wounds and minor burns. As mentioned above, it's also useful in cases of nappy rash.

6. Children's multivitamin & mineral. Great for those picky eaters and to top up your child’s nutrients when you think they could be getting low. It's a lot easier to prevent illness from ruining their fun rather than treating them for it. Multivitamins for children are slightly different from adults. For one, they have to be easy to swallow and suitable to their taste. We all know what its like when children choose to eat only foods they like! The majority of children's multivitamins available nowadays are flavoured liquids or chewable tablets. Some even come in their favorite animal characters. Children below 2 years of age may not have enough teeth yet to chew on their multi. It's best to give them the liquid form. Look at the label and make sure all the vitamins and minerals are included.

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Vitamin C. You're probably asking why I separated this from the children's multivitamins above. Well, this important vitamin becomes an immediate superstar in times of cough and colds. This is especially important at the beginning of the sickness. A lot of studies have already documented the fact that this vitamin can shorten the duration and lessen the severity of flu symptoms. The exact mechanism remains to be determined, but they all agree that it works. Why wait for the explanation? Hmm.

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Natural cough syrup. What is a cough? After reading the question, you tried coughing for yourself did you? Just kidding. The cough that you just did was voluntary. At the same time, a cough can also be INvoluntary, like when your cough reflex gets activated, and you suddenly feel a violent rush of air from your lungs. Coughs can be normal and abnormal. It can become abnormal when it happens frequently. It can be a symptom of infection along your respiratory tract. There are a number of natural cough syrup formulations available for children. Conventional cough syrup preparations which contain addictive substances like codeine are beyond a shadow of a doubt, unsuitable for children. Natural cough syrup preparations are made from medicinal herbal extracts (pine, marshmallow, mullein, sage, wild cherry, horse chestnut, licorice and thyme) with a natural sweetener such as Manuka honey. Make sure the product you choose contains all natural ingredients and some are even gluten-free. Of course, they can also be addictive in a good way, BECAUSE THEY TASTE SO GOOD.

9. Herbal Decongestant. A decongestant is something which clears air passages (stuffy nose, trachea or windpipe in your throat, lungs). With regards to a stuffy nose, you can easily spot this in a child when he or she speaks. The quality of her voice is somewhat nasal. Don't worry dear parent or guardian, there is something you can safely give them to relieve them of that, without worrying. These all natural products are petroleum free and can be easily rubbed or placed under the nose, on the throat, and on the chest. These herbal preparations are used to relieve respiratory symptoms. Some of the main players (ingredients) include peppermint, menthol, eucalyptus, thyme, tea tree oil, and ginger.

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Herbal tea (rosehip, licorice, chamomile, peppermint). You might think I'm kidding when I say tea can be given conveniently and peacefully to sick children. Tea preparations meticulously formulated for kids are available. Most contain the natural herbs rosehip, licorice, chamomile and peppermint. Detailed instructions are given on how to prepare them. Herbal tea preparations are usually given to kids to relieve them of tummy aches, stomach upsets or indigestion.

As you can see, there are a lot of natural home remedies you can give to your children. I'm pretty sure you still have some questions unanswered. Feel free to contact any one of our qualified naturopaths to address any concerns you might have. Let us be your guide in caring naturally for your child's illness.