A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children--Naturally (11 page)

Read A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children--Naturally Online

Authors: Sue Frederick

Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Women's Health, #test

BOOK: A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children--Naturally
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Earl Mindell's recommendations:
·
No dairy foods
·
No processed foods
·
Low-sugar diet
·
One teaspoon of fish liver oil daily
·
One odorless garlic tablet daily
·
100 milligrams of vitamin C daily
·
Multiple vitamin and mineral supplement daily
·
Liquid echinacea at first sign of cold or flu
*
Note:
These dosages are for children age four and older.
 
Page 55
Chapter 7
When Your Child Has a Fever
It's 2 A.M. and your child's fever is approaching 103 degrees. What do you do? Indeed, witnessing your child's soaring temperature may be one of the scariest moments you will face as a new parent. As frightening as a fever can be, it is actually the body's natural way of healing itself. White blood cells, which defend the body against invading viruses, work more effectively with an elevated body temperature. Furthermore, viruses and bacteria do not survive well under such circumstances. Most fevers are the body's normal reaction to an infection, usually viral in nature.
In adults, the degree of the fever may reflect the severity of the illness. In a child, this usually is not the case. A child with a cold can have a 104-degree fever. A child with bacterial pneumonia can have a 100-degree fever. Poor appetite, fatigue, and irritability probably indicate infection better than a fever does.
Controlling a fever is helpful for two reasons. First, children are very uncomfortable when they have a fever. They don't sleep, drink, or eat well. Bringing down a fever gently may help your child sleep, which is important for healing to take place and imperative to avoid dehydration. Second, bringing a fever down will help you diagnose your child's illness. A child with a 103-degree fever, regardless of whether he has a cold or pneumonia, will look and feel very sick. The child with a cold looks and feels much better when his fever is brought down. The child with pneumonia, however, will feel and look sick even when the fever is down. And remember, a fever of
 
Page 56
105 degrees or higher, or lasting more than two days, must be evaluated by your doctor.
My physician, a conventional M.D., always told me not to use Tylenol (acetaminophen) unless my child's temperature reached 103 degrees. I've done a lot of reading on the dangers of using over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol, and I've learned that it doesn't take many days of ingesting Tylenol (or other conventional fever remedies) to endanger the liver. These drugs put a tremendous strain on the liver as it tries to cleanse the blood of the after-effects of acetaminophen. They also suppress the exact body function that is helping the body to heal: fever.
From observing my daughter, I have learned that it's best to let your child's fever burn for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours of an illness, resorting to drugs such as Tylenol as seldom as possible within that time frame. If you and your child are able to do this, the illness usually will be shorter and less severe than if you stifle the fever from the beginning.
I also have found that administering homeopathic remedies at the first sign of a fever can help bring it down gently. (See chapter 11 on homeopathy.) I've often used aconite and belladonna for this reason, and they have worked well for me. Also, be sure your child is getting plenty of fluids. Herbal teas (such as peppermint/chamomile), diluted juices, and water are essential to help the body cope with fever and can help reduce it. Powdered vitamin C mixed with juice is another natural way to help bring down the fever. The herb white willow, given in tincture form and dropped into juice or water, can help immensely. I often use a liquid herbal formula made by Herbs for Kids, which contains peppermint, elder, and yarrow for reducing fevers.
One of the most effective remedies I've discovered is to make a pot of mint/chamomile tea and dilute it until tepid. Dip a washcloth into the brew and rub it lightly over your child's head, legs, and feet. This is a gentle way to help control a rising fever. Remember never to use ice cold water or alcohol, since these can cause a rebound effect, making the fever go up even higher.
Expert Advice
I asked natural healer Michael Murray, N.D., coauthor of
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine,
to share his insights into childhood fevers and natural remedies.
 
Page 57
Q:
Many natural healers have told me that it's good for a child to run a fever because it helps fight the infection. Do you believe this?
Murray: Yes, within reason. As parents, we never like to see our children uncomfortable. But a fever is "just what the doctor ordered" to help fight an infection. Numerous studies have documented the immune-enhancing effects of a fever. It basically amplifies the immune response. However, too high a fever should be avoided.
Q:
How high can a mother let the fever go before she reaches for the Tylenol?
Murray: I would recommend that before reaching for the Tylenol or any other fever reducer, a mother or father should consult a physician to identify the cause of the fever, especially in children under the age of two years. The presence of a fever is a sign that something is going on; don't ignore or discount it in a young child, as it could be the harbinger of a serious infection like meningitis or a blood or kidney infection. If the cause of the fever is relatively benign, like the common cold, it is unlikely that the fever is going to get above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which seems to be a cutoff point as to when a child starts to be really uncomfortable.
Q:
What do you do with your children when they run a fever?
Murray: We use Esberitox, made by Phyto Pharmica, and vitamin Cthose little tablets from Hylands are great for kidsto boost the immune system. Esberitox is the most popular echinacea product in Germany. In addition to containing standardized extracts of the roots from two species of echinaceapurpurea and pallidaEsberitox also contains special extracts of
Thuja occidentalis
and
Baptisia tinctoriatwo
other herbal medicines valued for their immune-enhancing activity. Esberitox also has the most solid scientific studies showing it to be beneficial during infections, including the common cold. In addition to positive studies in adults, clinical studies have shown Esberitox to be quite effective in preventing colds, flu, and ear infections in children in day care and nurseries. One of the real advantages of Esberitox is that it comes in good-tasting, small tablets suitable for children. We use those little vitamin C tablets from Hylands to provide 100 milligrams every two hours during an active infection.

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