Page 89 - Special Issue: Healthy Baby
P. 89

My father is a doctor. He was an old-time  for children but is now prescribed for children—  Home
          country doctor who would make house calls in  something that happens often these days.  care also
          the middle of the night with his black bag. He     Home remedies work with the immune
          was the kind of doctor you could call at two in  system rather than suppressing it. Acute illness— strengthens
          the morning if your child had a fever of 105, and  diarrhea, runny nose, vomiting, headache, and so   the bond
          he would come over. Those doctors don’t exist  forth—is actually good for your child. Managed   between
          much any more. I grew up watching him practice  properly, acute illness can give your child more
          medicine in a traditional way. Even though he  vitality and prevent chronic illness—which is not  parent and
          was a conventional doctor, he still practiced very  good for your child.             child.
          traditionally. When I was a little girl, I would     Home care also strengthens the bond between
          often go on house calls, go to the hospital with  parent and child. When my nine-year-old son is
          him and make his rounds. A lot of my expertise  not feeling well, he comes to me and tells me how
          comes from the wisdom I observed growing up  he feels. He trusts me, he knows I can make him
          watching my dad in his medical practice.  feel better. He is not afraid of me. Most children
                                                    are afraid of doctors. But they have a relationship
          ADVANTAGES                                with their parents and when their parents are able
              On reflection, the advantages of home rem-  to make them feel better at a time when they are
          edies are obvious. First of all they are non-toxic.  at their weakest and most vulnerable, the bond
          Recently, we have been hearing about cold  with their parents is strengthened.
          remedies pulled off pharmacy shelves. Some of     With these advantages in mind, let’s turn to
          them have been on sale for decades and then we  some traditional remedies for common childhood
          learn that these should not be given to children  illnesses.
          under six years old. That news was a shock even
          to myself, jaded as I am about over-the-counter  EAR INFECTIONS
          medicines and pharmaceutical drugs. At least     Childhood ear infections are intimately con-
          with home remedies, you know you are not going  nected to diet. Well-fed children do not get ear
          to poison your children.                  infections and breastfed children whose mothers
              These remedies are also low in cost. Many  have a good, traditional diet simply do not get
          of the best home remedies don’t cost any money  ear infections. If you are breastfeeding and your
          at all.                                   baby is getting ear infections, then you need to
              Another advantage concerns speed of treat-  reexamine your own diet.
          ment. You don’t have to call anybody or wait for     The most common dietary culprit is pasteur-
          a call back.                              ized milk—both in the infant and in the breast-
              Home remedies prevent your child from  feeding mother.
          being used as a guinea pig. With home remedies,     If, despite your best efforts, an ear infection
          your child is not going to be one of the statistics  occurs, a warm wheat bag on the ear provides
          from a toxic over-the-counter medicine or a  enormous pain relief. A warm wheat bag is
          pharmaceutical drug that was never approved  made of fabric filled with plain unground wheat



                                        WHEN HOME REMEDIES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE
            TRAUMA: If your child has a serious injury, head for the emergency room. Our trauma doctors are wonderful gifts to
            our society and we need to make use of them when bad things happen. When your child falls out of a tree and a bone
            is sticking out through his skin, you don’t want to treat that at home.
            EXTREMELY HIGH FEVER: Most fevers play a beneficial role in your child’s health but an extremely high fever (over
            104degrees) can be a dangerous situation for a young child and you may need to get emergency care.
            TROUBLE BREATHING: This is another situation that calls for quick action. If a child is unresponsive, limp in your arms,
            or has glazed eyes, you need to get help. Dial 911 or hurry him to the emergency room.


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