I get quite a few messages in my inbox asking about one thing or another and I try to group them into like categories to answer for you guys. Today's topic is pediatric herbalism as I answer a few common questions about childhood ailments. Just so you know: I'm not an expert. I am a practicing nurse who has spent five years studying herbal medicine, but medical advice is cautiously given and just suggestions. Don't do anything I say if you don't feel comfortable and by all means, consult a doctor first! Also, please note that these are general guidelines. Truly, with more specific information I can tailor a plan to your needs and family. Email me at mkmatthew@hotmail.com and put Dear Katie in the subject line.
*Most of these remedies are adapted from Demetria Clark, herbalist extraordinaire. You can get her book on herbal healing for children here.
I only had time to answer two questions today, so we will make this a multi-parter! Enjoy...
Dear Katie. My three year old has severe motion sickness. I don't like the idea of giving her the pills we can buy because it knocks her out! Do you have any suggestions?
Poor baby! I understand how awful nausea can be. The first herb I would recommend is ginger! Ginger is an amazing digestive herb traditionally used for nausea for hundreds of years. For a three year old, I would try candied ginger as well as some iced ginger tea about 30 minutes before the trip. If your baby doesn't like the taste of the ginger tea, try diluting it with a bit of apple juice. Also, small simple snacks like crackers can do wonders. If the body is busy digesting gentle food, nausea seems to be less severe. Another thing that might help is a bit of peppermint oil on a cotton cloth. Traditionally, the aroma of peppermint is said to help with nausea. Also, hard peppermint candies with REAL peppermint oil can help. Make sure your daughter has plenty of ventilation on her and that she is facing forward. Hopefully this helps!
Dear Katie, my 20 month old daughter has been getting chronic Urinary tract infections. We have tried different antibiotics but nothing seems to help. I'm at my wit's end. Please help us!
First and foremost we should talk about hygiene. Little girls have a short urinary tract that is very close to the anus, where the bacteria that most often causes UTIs, E.Coli, lives. When cleaning baby, make sure that you are going from front to back with a clean wipe each time. If your baby will sit in a bath, try making a strong calendula tea and throwing that into a bath with about an inch or so of water. Also, limit the amount of sugar that your baby eats. Bacteria feeds on sugar, so starve that bacteria! Try and heat up her food with some spices if she will let you by adding things like ginger and cinnamon to applesauce or by adding cinnamon to some water and putting it in her sippy cup. Don't get me wrong-don't add tons and tons, but just a sprinkle here and there could do wonders. Increase the amount of protein she is eating to beef up the immune system. Smashed beans, hard boiled eggs, ect. Natural antibiotic type foods include foods with a high sulfur content like garlic and onion. If none of this works, email me again and we will do a little more digging into the underlying issue.
