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HOMEOPATHY
AND CHILDREN
It is every parent's worst nightmare. Your child (or grandchild) is
in pain and you suspect an infection. Acute earaches and sore
throats can hurt a lot. The younger the child and the more
severe the pain the more upsetting it can be for parents and
child.
Many parents who turn to their doctors for help are prescribed
antibiotics for the infection and Tylenol for the pain and to
bring the fever down. Unfortunately, antibiotics will only
'work' for bacterial infections and since so many colds, coughs,
earaches and sore throats are viral in origin, this type of
treatment is not going to be effective.
Homeopaths are concerned about the effects of repeated courses
of antibiotics, especially on a child's developing immune
system. Because many cases of infection will subside within 24
hours, especially earache (whatever treatment is given) some
doctors are now adopting a wait-and-see policy for children with
minor, acute infections and are willing to support parents who
choose TLC and alternative medicine over antibiotics. Many
parents are choosing to save antibiotics for when they are
really needed because of their concern over side effects:
diarrhea, thrush, loss of appetite and behavioral changes are
all common.
We need to approach these illnesses in our children in a way
that encourages their own natural immunity.
Ear Infection
An earache is mostly caused by an infection of the middle ear, a
tooth abscess, sinusitis or a sore throat and it can be
accompanied by a cold and/or a fever. There is a build-up of
catarrh in the middle ear with a middle ear infection, and it is
this which causes pain as it presses against the eardrum.
The only symptom of earache in a baby may be fever and
inconsolable crying. They sometimes rub one or both ears, or
rubs or bang their heads but these are common symptoms in
infants who do not have an infection so there is no need to be
concerned unless fever and distress are also present.
It is not the end of the world if the eardrum perforates with a
subsequent discharge from the ear. It will give instant relief
from pain and, provided your child is in a clean environment,
the eardrum will heal well in a couple of weeks with no
troublesome consequences. In fact, in Europe (notably in France)
a special instrument is used to pierce the eardrum of those with
a painful middle ear infection, to relieve the pain and enable
the pus to drain.
Recent studies have shown that antibiotics are not always
effective for the treatment of earaches; that they will resolve
in the same length of time whether antibiotics are given or not.
Children who have had antibiotic treatment however, are more
likely to 'develop' glue ear (a chronic condition in which
catarrh builds up in the middle ear causing some hearing loss)
and a tendency towards repeated earaches. Antibiotics also wreak
havoc on the favorable bacterial flora of their digestive
system, causing digestive problems.
Fever
Parents often ask whether they can give the Tylenol for the pain
even if they decide against the antibiotics. I know how
heart-breaking it can be to watch your little one suffer and of
course I understand giving a analgesic (painkiller) at night so
that everyone can get some healing sleep, but and this is a big
but, it is important to remember that a fever is the mechanism
by which your child's body fights an infection. If you bring the
fever down artificially (with Tylenol, or even a homeopathic
medicine) then the infection can take longer to heal.
Small children who develop a fever, especially infants under six
months old, must be watched carefully because they are
vulnerable to becoming quickly dehydrated. Delirium and tantrums
sometimes accompany high fevers, and, although these are
distressing, they are not usually dangerous.
Children with fevers need careful nursing so that they don't
become too hot, or too chilled. A child who feels cold with a
fever needs wrapping up and a hot child needs uncovering. It
really is as simple as that. If you want to bring a fever down
naturally, then sponging a child down really does work. Some
children can be dunked in a lukewarm bath, other need much more
careful treatment — you can remove one limb at a time of a
shivery (but feverish) child from under the bedclothes and
sponge it down with tepid water until the limb is cool, letting
it dry and replacing it before going on to the next limb.
Constitutional Treatment
A child with recurring infections (including earaches and sore
throats) is suffering from a chronic condition. Constitutional
homeopathic treatment has a marvelous track record in helping
children recover their vitality. There is usually an inherited
factor which the professional homeopath can take into account
when prescribing as well as other more serious stresses such as
childhood vaccinations which are now thought to be a major
factor in the increase in childhood infections.
Children with glue ear, those who a prone to convulsions with
their fevers, and those with any chronic condition, including
those with allergies, should always be taken for constitutional
treatment so that the underlying causes can be dealt with.
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