Read The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies Online
Authors: Martha Schindler Connors
The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies (12 page)
Conventional remedies for diaper rash include topical zinc oxide or petroleum jelly, which can cause allergic reactions.
Candida
infections might be treated with antifungals like clotrimazole (Mycelex) or nystatin (Mycostatin), which can cause skin reactions in some people.
Doctors generally advise parents to leave a case of cradle cap alone. Infant eczema is typically treated with hydrocortisone creams and ointments, which control itching but can cause skin reactions as more serious side effects if used long term or applied excessively.
Eczema is caused by an immune system reaction that isn’t fully understood. It can appear in infancy and then disappear. Or, it can recur throughout childhood and into adulthood (in some people, it doesn’t appear until age four or five; in others, it starts in the adult years). In most babies, eczema resolves itself by age two.
Herbal alternatives include these:
| • Calendula (Calendula officinalis) | Calendula is an anti-inflammatory that can soothe and heal many rashes. |
| • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) | This is a classic remedy for all kinds of skin inflammation, including diaper rash. New research shows that it’s also effective against Candida albicans. |
| • Rice bran (Oryza sativa) | Rice—or more specifically, its outer husk, or bran—has been used topically to treat a variety of inflammatory skin problems. Research has shown that adding a decoction of rice bran to a child’s bath can relieve atopic dermatitis. Oats (Avena sativa) are also effective in anti-itch baths. |
Toddlers—children who may still be “toddling” instead of walking perfectly—fall into the second stage of childhood development: not babies anymore, not yet schoolkids. Between the ages of one and three, toddlers are exploring their world and encountering new health challenges along the way.
Infections of the middle chamber of the ear are called
otitis media (OM)
. In otitis media, the natural fluids within the ear don’t drain properly, creating inflammation and pain.
Conventional medicine treats OM with pain-relieving drugs and, in many cases, antibiotics such as amoxicillin. But giving kids too many antibiotics can lead to recurrent infections and antibiotic resistance. Research suggests that as many as half of the children who are given antibiotics for recurrent otitis media will still have drug-resistant
pneumococcus
and other common OM bugs in their bodies.
If you think your child has an ear infection coming on, you might be able to stop it before it requires antibiotics. If an infection is already established, you can use these remedies in conjunction with antibiotics to reduce pain and speed healing.
| • Garlic (Allium sativum) | Garlic is a proven antimicrobial that can be used topically (as oil-based drops) to treat otitis media in young children. |
| • Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) | This is a classic herbal remedy that can be used internally and externally to fight ear infections. Its most beneficial constituent (at least as far as humans are concerned) is berberine, a potent antibacterial that seems to prevent germs from attaching themselves to cell membranes. |
| • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) | A natural anesthetic and anti-inflammatory, lavender oil, applied in a compress, can relieve the pain of an ear infection. |
| • Saint John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) | This herb is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. A recent study found that ear drops containing Saint John’s wort and calendula (Calendula officinalis) were better than a pharmaceutical anesthetic at relieving OM pain. |
Stomachaches can be caused by many things, including infection (like gastroenteritis, or “stomach flu”), constipation, or a reaction to certain foods. Stress can also contribute.
Although most gastrointestinal (GI) problems in children resolve themselves, conventional doctors may recommend pharmaceuticals like bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), which can cause allergic reactions in some children and can also interact with other medications. Herbal alternatives include these:
| • Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) | Fennel is a natural anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, and analgesic, so it helps relieve stomach pain. It’s also a natural antacid, meaning it can neutralize excess stomach acids. |
| • Ginger (Zingiber officinale) | This ancient remedy is gentle and safe for use in children. Research has demonstrated its effects as an antiemetic (it combats nausea and vomiting) and gastric stimulant (it speeds the movement of food through the GI tract). |
| • Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) | Peppermint is a traditional remedy for all sorts of GI problems, including diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. The oil contains menthol, which relaxes smooth muscles in the stomach and small intestine (and gives peppermint its kid-pleasing flavor). |
| • Psyllium (Plantago ovata, P. psyllium) | This high-fiber plant works as a gentle bulk-forming laxative. |
If your child is vomiting a lot or is in significant pain, or if you suspect that she has food poisoning or a food sensitivity, contact your pediatrician. Most cases of gastrointestinal distress in kids go away on their own, but vomiting, diarrhea, or other problems could be signs of a more serious problem.
Growing up means facing new social and developmental challenges, which can create anxiety and bring issues like attention difficulties to center stage.
Most young children are lively, but excessive energy can be hard on both parent and child. Children who aren’t emotionally mature enough to calm themselves get overly agitated, which can interfere with sleep as well as daytime functioning. Some young children also become anxious.
Parents looking for a way to safely calm a child—without pharmaceutical sedatives—should investigate the following herbs:
| • Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) | This soothing herb can brew a mild, pleasant-tasting tea that can calm an agitated toddler. It also works in a bath. |
| • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) | Lemon balm is another gentle, kid-friendly remedy for anxiety. Recent research found that a combination of lemon balm and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) reduced restlessness and improved sleep in young children. |
| • Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) | This is a classic remedy for anxiety, nervousness and excitability, and insomnia. |
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a behavioral disorder involving inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that most often shows up in preschool or early elementary school; as many as 9 percent of American children aged eight to fifteen have symptoms.
A recent study found that “green” outdoor activities—things that exposed kids to trees and grass—reduced ADHD symptoms significantly more than activities that were conducted in other (i.e., indoor) settings.
Conventional medicine most often treats ADHD with stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall) and methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) or atomoxetine hydrochloride (Strattera). Side effects can include decreased appetite, insomnia, anxiety, stomachache, or headache.
Herbalism offers a few alternatives (these herbs can also be used in conjunction with conventional ADHD treatments):
| • American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) | Preliminary evidence has shown that a combination of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) and American ginseng extracts can reduce anxiety, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in children. |
| • Flax (Linum usitatissimum) | Research shows that kids with ADHD have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for psychological functioning. There’s evidence that supplementing kids with omega-3s, like those in flax oil, can alleviate symptoms of ADHD. |
| • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) | It’s best known for improving cognitive functioning in older people, but research shows that ginkgo can reduce anxiety, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in kids, too. |
| • Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) | An extract from this tree’s bark has been shown to reduce hyperactivity and increase attentiveness and concentration in kids with ADHD. |
Most preschoolers and school-age kids get between six and ten colds every year (they don’t call it the common cold for nothing). Influenza, a.k.a. “the flu,” is much less common (and much more serious). It puts more than 20,000 children under the age of five into the hospital every year.
The flu can be especially tough on young children. Thus, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all children between six months and five years old get a flu shot. For more on colds and flu, see
Chapter 13
. Several herbs can help keep a child’s immunity high—and her risk of colds and flu low.
| • American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) | American ginseng is an adaptogen—it increases the body’s resistance to stress—and research shows it might decrease your child’s risk of getting sick (and if he does, it can reduce the severity and duration of his symptoms). |
| • Andrographis (Andrographis | This herb seems to boost immune function. A combination of andrographis and eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) has been shown to paniculata) significantly improve symptoms of the common cold in kids. |
| • Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) | Echinacea stimulates immunity and has been proven to reduce the severity and duration of colds. |
| • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) | This is an ancient remedy for bronchial congestion, sore throat, and coughs—and most kids love the taste. It’s a natural expectorant, cough-suppressant, and pain reliever. |
| • Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) | The “slippery” mucilage in this tree’s inner bark makes a soothing remedy for cough-ravaged throats. |
Cough and cold medicines can cause serious problems—and send about 7,000 kids to the hospital every year, most often because of accidental overdosing. Research shows that cold medicines seldom produce significant improvements in children, even when used properly, and they’re not recommended at all for children under four.