By and large, children respond very well to herbal remedies, even if the taste can make administering them a bit of a struggle! Adding honey or mixing with apple juice will usually help to make home remedies more palatable.
Tablets or capsules can often be opened and ground up, and taken on a spoon mixed with honey, maple syrup, and so forth. Children typically fall ill and recover quickly which can be very alarming for parents since a healthy baby at 8:00 am can be a very sick one by 11:00 am.
The main worry in acute illness is controlling fever and keeping the temperature below 102 F (39 C). Children with fevers approaching this level (and above) need medical attention. That being said, the very unwell child at 2:00 pm can be running around again by 6:00 pm; kids bounce back. Get to know your child’s typical pattern when falling ill; you will often be able to recognize the difference between day-to-day problems and a potentially serious illness. The former can be safely treated with herbal remedies while the latter needs professional advice and treatment. If in doubt, always err on the side of caution and seek advice from registered doctors.
Some herbal remedies which are suitable for children.
Guidelines on dosage levels for children are given in Dosage and sensible use:
- Garlic (Allium sativum)
- Marshmallow (Althea officinalis)
- Caraway (Carum carvi)
- Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita)
- Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)
- Californian poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
- Cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum)
- Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
- Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
- Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
- Elecampane (Inula helenium)
- Plantain (Plantago spp.)
- Blackcurrant (Ribes nigra)
- Yellow dock (Rumex crispus)
- Elderflower/berry (Sambucus nigra)
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- Linden flowers (Tilia spp.)
- Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
- Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva)
- Nettle (Urtica dioica)