Natural Remedies For Children

*This is not medical advice, and this information should not be used as substitution for medical advice. This is for informational purposes only, the writer has no medical training or background.*

I know that  a lot of people just like myself have a hard time giving their children over the counter medicines, and are on the constant search for a better way to treat childhood illnesses. Some of the most effective fixes I’ve found to ease the complaints of little ones are; herbs, tinctures, homeopathic tablets, and surprisingly a few things from the cupboard.  Interestingly garlic and honey are both known to have antibacterial and anti fungal properties, while lemon can soothe a sort throat or sort out intestinal issues.

Colds

1 quart of water

4 garlic cloves

4 heaping tablespoons honey ( not recommended for those under one year)*

2 chamomile tea bags

The juice of one lemon

Bring the water to boil, and pour it into a large mason jar. Add the other ingredients and let steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Once the tea is done steeping and has cooled off a bit  encourage your child to drink it often. I’ve even put it bottles and sippy cups for younger ones. This tea will help them to stay hydrated and provide electrolytes. I also keep children's liquid vitamin C (preferably one containing zinc) on hand from the local health food store, and follow the dosage guidelines very closely.  (Note: it may take some children a little coaxing to drink something other than milk or juice, but the flavor is not bad.)

For Soar Throat/Coughing

Honey

Hot water

Lemon

Take honey and dissolve it in enough water and lemon juice to make a thin  syrup.  Give this to your child as often as needed to ease his or her bouts of coughing. If the sore throat is accompanied by intense coughing at night, I suggest taking a natural menthol (not Vicks) rub and putting it on their feet just before bed, then covering the child’s feet with socks. Additionally drinking as much liquid as possible will help to keep the mucous membranes moist and reduce irritation.

Constipation

Fresh Squeezed lemon Juice 

Warm Water

     This Remedy works as well for adults as it does children. Just squeeze the juice of one lemon into 8 ounces of warm water and have the child drink it. It make take a few servings before you see any results. This also works great for breast fed babies who are constipated. The mother can drink this concoction and its' effects will help her breast milk to take on a laxative effect. Another thing I like to do for intestinal upset is eat yogurt that contains a lot of probiotics.

Ear Aches 

     If you notice your child is beginning to tug on their ear, but hasn’t had the other signs of ear infection you can put 3 or 4 drops of peroxide in their ear, and often this will prevent an ear ache from turning into a full blown ear infection.

Teething

“Well, Granny used to say...” As much as I’d like to believe that soaking a wash cloth in whiskey and then freezing it is ok for children, well, I can’t! So instead at my house we take cloves and soak them in oil until they’ve imparted their properties into the oil and then rub the oil on the gums, or use the Hylands teething tablets. I usually try the clove oil first if I think the tooth/teeth are only causing mild discomfort and move to the tablets as I see her pain level has increased. It’s important to note that when using homeopathic dissolvable tablets you should not touch them with your hands, as the oils in your skin can have an effect on the way the tablets work. I usually shake the tabs into the lid and use the lid to drop them into the mouth.

Bug Bites and Stings

     Raw apple cider vinegar is a end all be all when it comes to bug bites and stings. Having grown up in the south I’ve seen my fair share of insect bites, especially those of the fire ant (really words can’t describe that pain!).  Recently on a trip home my nephew was running around the house screaming like a banshee because he got stung by some insidious creature. My first step in alleviating his pain was to soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, the second was to physically tackle him (he’s a very large 5 year old) to the ground, and convince him that it wouldn’t hurt to put to cotton ball on his leg. 20 minutes later his little red welt had disappeared and he had forgotten all about that event.

Restlessness/Sleeplessness

Lavender essential Oil

Orange essential Oil

Chamomile tea 

It's important to vary the number of drops depending on the depth of the bath, but given the typical bath depth for a toddler I usually add about 3 to 4 drops of lavender essential oil to the bath water just before bed. You can also add 2 or 3 drops of orange oil and Chamomile tea bags to the the water if you are unable to get them to drink chamomile tea sweetened with honey.  Let your little one soak in the bath right before bed, or anytime they are cantankerous and unable to be soothed. (NOTE: Be careful with the orange oil, you should always add it to water first, if you get drop of it on a non porcelain surface wipe up immediately as it could stain.)