Easing your child's vaccination with homeopathy

The controversial subject of vaccinations is one that every parent has to face early on in their child's life. The purpose of this blog entry is not to discuss the pros and cons of vaccination. I would simply like to make practical homeopathic suggestions to help parents deal with the after effects of the injections. So if your child is due a vaccination, you might like to arm yourself with the following remedies to make the process less painful and stressful for you and your child.

Arnica

Give Arnica 30 just before and after the injection, then again every three hours for the rest of the day. Arnica is for the bruising and trauma in general.

Ledum

Ledum is the number one remedy for puncture wounds, so if the site of your child's injection becomes inflamed, give Ledum 30 three times daily until the swelling goes down.

Aconite

Give your child a dose of Aconite 30 if they are very upset by the injection and the Arnica hasn't calmed them sufficiently.

Aconite/Belladonna

Consider giving these remedies in the 30th potency every three hours if your baby gets a fever post vaccination. Other remedies that may help your child's fever are described in a another of my blog entries.

All the above remedies are available from www.helios.co.uk. Feel free to get in touch for any further help and thanks for reading.

Using homeopathy to manage your child's cradle cap

Cradle cap is extremely common. It can range from white, flaky patches on the top of the scalp, to thick, yellow scales, which can be very smelly. It is caused by an overproduction of sebum by the glands in the hair follicles.

Cradle cap isn't pretty, but do tread carefully with it, as it can be the precursor to eczema, which is a far harder issue to manage. In practice there are many examples of babies whose cradle cap was treated with steroid creams, which suppress the eruptions, leading to the baby then developing eczema.

If your baby has cradle cap, try the following techniques:

Rub almond or olive oil generously on to your baby's scalp at night. This will soften the scales, which can then be removed the following morning with gentle shampooing or combing. 

Avoid picking off the crusts.

If the cradle cap seems to be irritating or itchy for your child, apply calendula cream.

Consider consulting a professional homeopath if your baby's cradle cap is severe or persistent.

Many thanks for reading, and please feel free to get in touch for further advice. Visit the Blog pages of my website www.southseahomeopathy.com for tips on using homeopathy to manage many other childhood conditions. 

Homeopathy for chicken pox

Chicken pox is a health rite of passage for every child; it may not be much fun at the time, but will serve to develop your child's immunity.  If chicken pox is doing the rounds at your child's nursery, it might make sense to arm yourself with some of the homeopathic and natural remedies outlined below so you can minimise the irritation and stress for you and your child. 

In addition to the homeopathic remedies listed below, consider also the following natural methods.

To help itching and avoid scarring, dab diluted cider vinegar (1 tbsp to 1 pint of water) on to the very itchy spots.

A warm bath with lavender oil, bicarbonate of soda or oatmeal will also help the itching.

Once the spots have burst, use calendula cream or lavender oil to prevent scarring.

Choose the best suited homeopathic remedy from the list below and give it in the 30th potency 3 times a day while the symptoms persist. Be ready to change which remedy you give your child as the symptoms change in line with the progression of the illness.

Rhus Tox (pictured left) 

This is the number one remedy for chicken pox. It calms intense itching in a child who'll naturally be very restless.

Belladona

This fever remedy will be more applicable at the onset of symptoms when your child is running a temperature with a flushed face and skin which is hot to the touch. He or she may complain of a headache and be drowsy but unable to sleep.

Pulsatilla

This remedy will be suitable for a child who gives Oscar-winning performances for their suffering in any illness. They are whingy, tearful, clingy, and really can't cope with their symptoms. They're likely to be thirstless and feel better for cool, open air.

Antimonium Tartaricum 

Use this remedy when your child's and (your) suffering is prolonged by the fact that the spots are taking their time to develop. This remedy will serve to accelerate the process. You may find that your child also has a cough or cold.

As ever, please visit www.helios.co.uk for excellent homeopathic remedies. Thanks for reading and don't hesitate to get in touch if I can help. 

Heal oral thrush using homeopathy

Oral thrush is a relatively common issue for young babies. Babies develop white patches in his or her mouth and on the tongue. These patches can become sore and make feeding a painful and therefore stressful experience for parent and child. 

If you're breastfeeding, wash and then dry your nipples thoroughly after each feed to prevent the thrush being passed backwards and forwards between you and your child. If you have signs of thrush yourself, treat yourself homeopathically with the same remedy that you give to your child. Limit your intake of sugar and refined carbs, which can otherwise make matters worse. La Leche League GB's website has a very informative page on Thrush and Breastfeeding for more information if your child is breastfed. 

It is also important that all teats and dummies are sterilised. 

For babies who are weaned, be sure to avoid acidic foods that can make your child's mouth sting. Chilled food can be soothing. 

In addition to these measures, give the best indicated homeopathic remedy from the list below in the 30th potency 3 times a day for 3 days. If symptoms persist, contact a professional homeopath. 

Borax

This is the first remedy to think of especially for breasted babies. The baby's mouth might feel hot while feeding. The area will clearly be very sensitive as the baby may refuse to feed. 

Kali Mur

Give this remedy at the onset of symptoms when the baby's tongue is becoming white and coated and there are no other strong symptoms.

Mercurius

The baby requiring this remedy will probably be very dribbly and have developed canker sores in the mouth and on the tongue, which will be very coated. 

Go to helios.co.uk for excellent quality homeopathic remedies. 

I hope you found this helpful; please don't hesitate to get in touch for further information or advice. 

Homeopathy for Osgood Schlatter

Hi all. This is a quick post to offer some help to those parents whose kids have Osgood Schlatters. This condition can cause major issues for children aged 10-15 who already have enough going on in their lives, without being prevented from getting their angst out on the football pitch or on the track.

Homeopathy can offer a way to speed the healing process. The remedy Calcium Phosphate used as a mineral salt, restores tone to weakened tissue. It will thus help in the replenishing of the tissues which have grown very quickly and in turn brought on the Osgood Schlatters.

Give your child Calcium Phosphate 6x three times daily till symptoms subside. Calcium Phosphate is also one of the biggest growing pain remedies. Obtain this remedy and all things homeopathic from helios.co.uk - go to Remedies then Tissue Salts. Thanks for reading!

Homeopathy for end-of-term-itis

It's the time of year for school children to be dropping like flies as they buckle under the excitement but pressure of the Christmas hubbub. Here are two simple ways to use homeopathy to maintain your child's good health, and prevent your Christmas cheer from being dampened by coughs and colds. 

ABC 

This remedy is a combination of the three major children's acute remedies Aconite, Belladonna and Chamomilla. Give your child a dose an hour at the first sign that their temperature is rising, and it can help nip whatever is brewing in the bud. Take no more than 6 doses. 

Schuessler Tissue Salts Combination J

This is a combination of homeopathic preparations of minerals which together provide a winter seasonal remedy to protect against coughs, colds, catarrh and chestiness. Get everyone in the family to take one a day until spring comes. 

Go to www.helios.com for these and all homeopathic remedies. I wish you a merry and healthy Christmas and thanks for reading. 

Homeopathy for hangovers

Here is a single remedy trick to help you survive being woken early and being forced to play Lego before the sun is up, when last night's Christmas party is weighing heavily on your stomach and head. 

The aptly named Nux Vomica is the number one hangover remedy, it is also a fantastic remedy for dealing with the after effects overindulgence in food, especially rich or spicy food. Make sure you've got some in for New Year's morning.

Take Nux Vomica 30 hourly for up to 6 doses. Visit www.helios.co.uk for all your homeopathic remedies. Thanks for reading! 

Homeopathy for your child's nosebleeds

Hello. Here's how to help stop your child's nosebleed with homeopathy.

Lots of children suffer from nosebleeds. They can come as a result of an injury, or come along with colds or allergic reactions with a lot of sneezing. Frequent nosebleeds which don't abate despite the acute treatment described below require constitutional homeopathic help.

Before we look at the homeopathic remedies to help your child, here is some first aid advice that would apply in the case of simple nose bleeds where the trauma is not an emergency situation. 

St. John's ambulance advises to:

1. Encourage the person to sit down. 
2. Get them to lean forwards. 
3. Ask them to breathe through their mouth and pinch the soft part of their nose, taking a short break every ten minutes until the bleeding stops. 
4. Severe bleeding that lasts more than 30 minutes needs immediate medical help. 

In addition to the above advice, give the most suitable from the following homeopathic remedies in the 30th potency every five minutes until the bleeding stops for up to six doses. 

Arnica

This is the first remedy to think of if the nosebleed comes as a result of an injury or blow to the nose, or indeed after overly enthusiastic nose picking (nice).

Aconite

This remedy is suitable if the nose bleed comes on very suddenly and your child is shocked or afraid by it. 

Melilotus (pictured here)

This remedy suits a child with a very sudden, even explosive nosebleed, which comes on for no apparent reason. 

Phosphorus

The child requiring this remedy is likely to suffer frequent nosebleeds. Phosphorus kids are characteristically extroverted and fun-loving, but also very sensitive and impressionable. They will be prone to coughs and colds. 

As ever, visit www.helios.co.uk for high quality homeopathic supplies. Feel free to get in touch if you have any queries, and many thanks for reading. 

Helping your child's eczema with essential fatty acids

As a routine adjunct to their homeopathic treatment, I recommend taking essential fatty acids to all eczema patients. This is something you can give to your child to complement whatever other treatment they are receiving, and it can make a big difference within a few weeks. 

Sufficient quantities of essential fatty acids give moisture to the skin from within, and their release of prostaglandins helps calm inflammation. 

Hemp seed oil is an excellent source of omega 3,6 and 9. Try to give your child a tablespoon a day. 

If you're local to Southsea, Southsea Health Shop at 241 Albert Rd stocks a good quality hemp oil for £6.99.

Hope this helps and thanks for reading. 

Homeopathy for growing pains

Hello all. This week I'd like to give a few simple tips on how to manage your child's growing pains using homeopathy. 

Children are most likely to complain of growing pains at night in their calves or thighs, but some kids do suffer abdominal pain during growth spurts, too. Homeopathy can help in both situations. 

There are two major homeopathic remedies to choose between: 

Calcarea Phosphorica

Think of this remedy in straightforward situations when your child has pains that are clearly linked to a growth spurt. 

Magnesium Phosphorica

Consider this very soothing remedy when your child experiences growing pains as a cramping sensation, especially when the cramping pain is made better by warmth. The cramps can be felt in the leg muscles or in the abdomen. 

Please consider seeking professional help if your child suffers acute growing pains on a regular basis. 

Give the appropriate remedy in the 30th potency, and repeat if necessary but take no more than three doses in one night. Visit www.helios.co.uk for high quality remedies, and don't hesitate to get in touch if I can give any further advice. 

Antibiotics and homeopathy

Hi all. The focus this week will be on antibiotics and why a few well-timed doses of homeopathic remedies can save you and your child from problems later down the track.

Before going on, I'd like to be clear that I am not here to criticise antibiotics as they can produce amazing results, or those who use them. I just want to caution their use, and most definitely their overuse.

It is well known that in order to kill the unfriendly bacteria making your child sick, antibiotics also kill the friendly bacteria, which does not always grow back. Obviously, repeated use of antibiotics will deplete the gut flora further. The effects of this loss are pretty far-reaching; high on this list perhaps being suppression of the immune system and an overgrowth of unwanted microorganisms such as Candida.

There are probiotics on the market specifically for infants and children which can help to redress the balance after antibiotics, and the NHS states that probiotics can help prevent against children getting diarrhoea if taken during a course of antibiotics.

However, as with anything, prevention is better than cure. Homeopathic remedies do not have side effects and can very effectively nip childhood illnesses in the bud and thus neatly avoid prescriptions of antibiotics. Please check out my blog entries on how to help your child using homeopathic remedies to manage a good number of childhood illnesses. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if I can clarify anything. Thanks for reading. 

How to help stop your child bed wetting with homeopathy

Bed wetting can present a major frustration for parents who are already stretched to the limits, but who find themselves changing bed sheets in the middle of the night.

Causes of bed wetting can be physical or emotional. In a child who has previously been consistently dry at night, it is necessary to rule out bladder or kidney infections, though in such cases, the wetting will not be solely at night. Worms and spinal misalignment are another two physical causes. On the emotional side, anxiety-stirring events such as starting a new school, having a new sibling or moving house can be the trigger behind beginning to wet the bed. If this is the case, do factor it in while you're considering which remedy to prescribe for your child. 

Below is a shortlist of remedies for bed wetting. Choose the one that most closely matches your child's situation, and give in the 30th potency 3 times a day for 5 days. It may be that symptoms abate and then return, in which case give the remedy again in the same way. Should the symptoms keep recurring, seek professional help. 

Equisetum (Horse Tail) 

Consider this remedy if there are no obvious reasons why your child is wetting the bed, and if there is nothing that particularly distinguishes your child's situation. Consider it also if the bed wetting actually feels like it's simply a habit. The child needing this remedy can often have nightmares while they are wetting the bed. 

Kreosotum

This child sleeps extremely deeply and then has such a sudden urge to wee that they either can't or don't wake up in time. This child will often dream they're weeing. 

Pulsatilla

This is for a mild, frequently tearful, often very clingy child, who will want want cuddles aplenty if they wet the bed. The Pulsatilla child will often feel the urge to wee if she lies on her back. 

Causticum

This remedy suits a child who may display signs of bladder weakness other than bed wetting; they may wet themselves if they laugh, cough or sneeze, or when they get overexcited. The child who would benefit from Causticum is likely to be afraid of going to bed in the dark, and will usually wet the bed in the early part of the night. 

I hope this is helpful. All homeopathic remedies are obtainable from www.helios.co.uk. Feel free to get in touch if you need any additional advice, and thanks for reading. 

Beating your child's tummy bugs with homeopathy

Hello all. This week I'd like to describe how you can manage the dreaded tummy bug using homeopathy.

Before we look at five major homeopathic remedies for nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, there are some safety points to make.

Encourage your child to drink little and often to avoid dehydration. If you do fear that they are becoming dehydrated, add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar to a glass of water and have them sip it at regular intervals.

Seek professional help if:

• Your baby or toddler has dry nappies and is listless.
• Your older child loses a lot of weight in a short time.
• Your child's vomit contains blood.
• Your child has severe and lasting pain in their abdomen, which isn't improved by vomiting, as this could indicate appendicitis. 
• Your child is vomiting a lot but the vomiting doesn't make him or her feel better, has a very high temperature and a headache or a stiff neck as this could be a sign of meningitis.

However, if you are dealing with a straightforward tummy bug or dose of food poisoning, then the remedies below could soon become your new best friends. Choose the remedy from the list below, and give it to your child in the 30th potency every 2-3 hours for no more than 6 doses in one day.

Arsenicum

This is one of the most commonly prescribed remedies for food poisoning or vomiting and diarrhoea. The child will be chilly, want to be kept warm, and will feel better for that warmth. They'll be restless and anxious, and be at their worst around midnight. The abdominal pains will be burning, and the child might have burning vomit which hurts their throat, or burning diarrhoea which hurt their anus. The child will be thirsty for sips of water.

Ipecac

This remedy suits very persistent nausea which is not always relieved by nausea. The child who'd benefit from this remedy may well have a clean tongue despite being out of sorts. They will have little thirst. This remedy would also suit vomiting brought on by coughing fits.

Nux Vomica

The child who would do well on Nux Vomica will be nauseous and want to be sick, but they'll be unable to. There'll be plenty of retching and if they can eventually be sick, then they will feel better. This remedy would be particularly applicable after overindulgence (and not just for kids, folks!) or after long periods of mental or emotional stress. The Nux Vomica symptom picture also includes being bloated and farty, with headaches also. Finally, the Nux Vomica person will not be an easy patient, being rather irritable and snappy.

Phosphorus 

This remedy suits a child who has burning abdominal pains with nausea and diarrhoea, will be anxious and restless, and will feel at their worst at night. Phosphorus patients will be very thirsty, especially for cold water. However, 10-20 minutes after drinking cold water, it will warm in their stomach and they will bring it up again.

Pulsatilla 

Pulsatilla is for the child who has over-indulged in too much fatty food or ice cream, who has been exposed to the cold too much, or has been emotionally upset, and now has vomiting and diarrhoea. Typically, the Pulsatilla child will be feeling very sorry for themselves and will want plenty of TLC. They will feel worse in warm, stuffy rooms, and feel better in cool open air. Pulsatilla poo is as changeable as the person themselves; it'll sometimes be watery, sometimes formed, but no two poos are the same.

www.helios.co.uk is a reliable supplier of homeopathic remedies.

Many thanks for reading and do get in touch if you're wanting to try one of these remedies for your child, but feel afraid to dip your toe in the water. 

Top 5 remedies for your baby post delivery

Hello again. Over the last couple of weeks I went through a homeopathic top ten for the mother post-birth. This week I'll give you the top five for your baby post-delivery. 

The proviso here is the same as ever, please bear in mind that advice given here is purely to help self-manage run of the mill after-effects of labour. Should the symptoms be severe or last for longer than you would reasonably expect, please get professional help. 

So here are my Top Five homeopathic remedies to ease your baby's transition into the world outside the womb:

1. Rescue Remedy. Number 1 in this hit parade is not strictly speaking homeopathic. It is a combination of 5 Bach Flower Remedies and is a wonderful all-purpose remedy which can help numerous ailments from anxiety to sunburn. Massage a few drops of the remedy into your baby's forehead whenever they are distressed. While you're at it, give yourself a few drops too. Having Rescue Remedy in the house can come in very handy as a parent to a little one - or a not so little one.
2. Arnica (Mountain Daisy). If birth is, as they say, the most dangerous journey you'll ever make, then Arnica, the first remedy to think of after physical or emotional trauma, must be considered. Think of it especially after forceps or vacuum delivery. Remember that the mother will benefit from the same remedy, and if she is breastfeeding, the baby will be taking the remedy through the breast milk. Give Arnica 30 3 times over 24 hours.
3. Aconite (Monkshood). Aconite is a major remedy for shock. Remember it after a labour which has been very fast, and when the baby is unusually still and may have a scared look in his or her eyes. Give one dose of Aconite 30 three times over 24 hours. 
4. Stramonium (Thornapple). If the second stage of labour had been prolonged and the baby has been stuck in the birth canal, Stramonium (pictured here) is an important remedy to consider. This difficult start in life can lead to a number of different complications such as colic or unaccountable and uncontrollable crying. Give Stramonium 30 once a day for 3 days. 
5. Colocynthis (Bitter Cucumber). This is an excellent colic remedy. Older children requiring Colocynthis will draw their knees up to their chest in an effort to reduce the pain. In newborns, they're already beautifully scrunched up but you'll find in the baby who'd benefit from Colocynthis, that their crying stops when they're over your shoulder and the consequent pressure on their abdomen eases the pain. If your baby seems to have colic but doesn't relax on your shoulder, please see my earlier blog entry for other remedies that might better suit your child. Take the most suitable remedy in the 30th potency for up to three doses in any one bout of colic. 

A good way to give babies homeopathic remedies is by crushing a pill between two spoons then putting the powder on your baby's tongue. 

As ever, all your remedies can be obtained from www.helios.co.uk. My thanks to you for reading. Do give me a shout if there's anything I can clarify.

Top Ten post-natal homeopathic remedies - Part 2

Hi all. I'd like to go through the second group of remedies to speed your healing post-labour. As I wrote in the first part, I can't say strongly enough how important it is to share the information below with the person who is going to be closest to you in the days following labour, if you are fortunate enough to have such a person. It is tricky to prescribe for oneself at the best of times, and nigh on impossible when there are so many things to consider already, not to mention tumultuous hormones and loss of sleep.

After pains - Magnsesia Phosphorica

The contraction of the uterus, which takes up to a couple of months after labour, can go unnoticed, especially after first-time delivery. However, in subsequent deliveries or after multiple births, the body has significantly more work to do and thus the pains can be much more of an issue. Lasting for around a week after the birth, they can often feel like period pains, and will be worse during breastfeeding as the suckling acts to stimulate the contractions. Take a dose of Magnesia Phosphorica 6 before and after breastfeeding while the pains continue. If you aren't breastfeeding, then take Magnesia Phosphorica 30 3 times per day during the early days when the pain is experienced.

Exhaustion - Phosphoric Acid

It goes without saying that tiredness is part and parcel of parenting, especially in the early days when there is so much going on. Exhaustion, however, is not something that you have to live with, and homeopathic remedies can help to lift the heavy blanket of exhaustion and speed recovery.

The person who would benefit from Phosphoric Acid will be very weak and utterly lacking in energy. They will be so tired that they may appear indifferent to everything. This remedy will be particularly applicable after a labour which was difficult, even shocking, and not at all what you had expected. In such a situation take this remedy in the 30th potency 3 times a day for up to a week.

Cracked and sensitive nipples - Phytolacca (Poke root) 

This remedy is specifically indicated for sore and cracked nipples, especially when the pain goes through your whole body. Apply the tincture neat to your nipples after every feed.

After pains, exhaustion and feeling constantly tearful - Pulsatilla (Windflower) 

The remedy Pulsatilla acts on many different symptoms, but in each case the person will be tearful, needy and thirstless. If this fits your state in the first days after you have given birth, take Pulsatilla 30 3 times daily until the feelings lift or for up to 3 days.

Severe pains in tears, episiotomy or Caesarean Section scars - Staphisagria (Palmated Larkspur)

The person whom this remedy would help is sensitive both physically and emotionally. Pains in tears, episiotomies or Caesarean Section scars seem unusually acute. This remedy will apply particularly to women whose labour has involved intervention when none was expected, and there are consequent feelings of resentment, humiliation, or perhaps a feeling of having been assaulted or violated. Take Staphisagria 303 times daily for three days to help lift those feelings and to ease the pain.

Please make sure that if any of the symptoms detailed above and in last week's entry last longer than you would reasonably expect, seek professional advice.

Don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like any further information about anything above. All homeopathic remedies are easily obtainable from www.helios.co.uk.

Many thanks and I wish you a very beautiful birth and baby. 

Top Ten post-natal homeopathic remedies - Part 1

However, whenever, wherever you give birth, it will be an experience forever etched on your brain in large type. Its power is like nothing else, but with that power comes inevitable strain on your body. Below are the first five of the top ten remedies to get to know before labour so you can recover from that strain as quickly as possible. 

A few words of warning first, though: you'd think that as a trained homeopath, I'd have used homeopathy left, right and centre post-natally and practise what I preach. I didn't - at least not with my first child. I was so consumed with the process of labour and then in my baby daughter, that I could see nothing else, and definitely not my own needs. Therefore, I strongly recommend that if you are lucky enough to have a birthing partner and someone by your side in those crazy days following labour, that you give them this to read and reread so they can prescribe for you, as you'll be, well, pretty busy. 

Incidentally, many of the remedies described here are also what I would term essentials for infants and young children, and thus very handy to have around as time progresses. 

Shock - Aconite (Monkshood)

Aconite is a remedy for shock with extreme fear or anxiety and would be applicable for a labour that has been very fast. Take the remedy in the 30th potency 3 times daily for two days after a rapid birth. Note also that the baby of a fast labour, who will be every bit as shocked as you and more, will also benefit from the remedy if you are breastfeeding. 

Bruising and trauma - Arnica (Mountain Daisy)

Arnica speeds up the healing process when there has been trauma to the body, which labour most certainly is. It rapidly brings down swelling and eases bruising whether or not the skin has discoloured. Take Arnica 30 immediately after birth and three times daily for three days thereafter if your muscles are still sore. Consider moving to Bellis Perennis (Garden Daisy) if the pain persists as it is a deeper acting remedy. 

Engorgement - Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) 

This is a remedy to have ready if you are hoping to breastfeed, as it could come in very handy when your milk comes through and your breasts become engorged. Belladonna is your remedy if you are feeling restless, your breasts are hot and may have red streaks on them. If you are prescribing for engorgement, discontinue the other post-natal remedies you may be taking first. Take Belladonna 30 3 times a day while the symptoms persist. 

Tears and episiotomies - Calendula (Marigold)

Calendula heals wounds and cuts incredibly fast. Use it after labour to speed the recovery of episiotomies or tears. Do note, however, that this remedy works so fast that it can actually lock in dirt, so ensure that the area is clean before applying Calendula cream or ointment. 

Epidurals and forceps deliveries - Hypericum (St John's Wort)

Hypericum is the first remedy to think of following trauma to an area of the body that is rich in nerves. Labour, especially when it involves a forceps delivery or epidural, puts enormous strain on the coccyx and the spine in general, and can cause lasting pain. Take Hypericum 30 3 times daily for 3 days. If the pain is very acute in the moments that follow directly after any injury to nerve-rich areas, give Hypericum 30 every few minutes for up to ten doses. 

We will look at the final 5 remedies next week, which will include remedies for cracked nipples (ouch) and after pains. 

As ever, please visit www.helios.co.uk for high quality remedies. 

Please give me a shout if there's anything which isn't clear, otherwise see you next week. Thanks for reading. 

Autumn coughs, croup and homeopathy – Part 2

So last week we saw the first three from a list of primary homeopathic remedies to think of when your child has a cough. We will now take a look at the remaining remedies most commonly prescribed, and end with a brief focus on croup, which can be a scary illness to have to manage as a parent. 

Before we begin, I would like to repeat last week's caution: the following advice applies only to straightforward coughs. Coughs that are very persistent or that affect breathing require professional help. If your child has a bluish tinge to their face, mouth or tongue, or if they are abnormally drowsy or limp, seek medical help immediately.

Ipecacuanha 

The child who would benefit from this remedy will have a wet cough and will bring up a lot of phlegm when they cough. Their coughing fits commonly end in vomiting. 

Phosphorus

The cough that would be helped by this remedy is dry and tickly. Phosphorus kids are sensitive, and their coughs will be brought on by talking, coughing, lying down and moving from a warm to a cold environment or vice versa. There will be a sensation of tightness in the chest, and they will be thirsty for cold water. 

Pulsatilla

This indispensable children's remedy is prescribed as much on the mental and emotional picture as on the physical symptoms. When he or she is ill, the Pulsatilla child will be tearful, clingy and whiny. They will not leave you alone and will constantly want cuddles and love. Characteristically their cough will be productive in the morning, bringing up yellowy-green mucus. The Pulsatilla child feels much worse cooped up in a stuffy room and perks up out of doors. 

Spongia 

Picturing the sea sponge from which this remedy is prepared will help you to remember the kind of cough that it will help. The Spongia cough is very, very dry, barky and croupy. It is the second stage croup remedy to think of if you haven't got in there quickly enough with the first stage remedy Aconite. The cough is often deep and may sound like wood being sawed, which can be a very frightening sound to be coming out if your child's body. The Spongia cough is generally helped by warm food and drinks. 

If one of those remedy descriptions matches your child's situation, give the appropriate remedy in the 30th potency every 2 hours for severe coughs, or 3 times a day in milder cases, each for 3 days maximum. Visit www.helios.co.uk for your remedies.

Croup

I'll finish with a few words regarding croup and identify how it differs from a bog standard cough. Croup is a frightening sounding cough affecting children who are usually under the age of 4. The usual process is that a child gets a fever with hoarseness, which then turns into a loud barking and harsh cough. To make things harder for an already sleep deprived parent, the croup is invariably worse at night.

As previously described, Aconite is the first remedy to think of at the very first stages of croup, when your child wakes at night feeling anxious and restless with a cough and perhaps also a fever. 

If it's too late for Aconite and the cough is already established, Spongia is generally a very good bet. If the cough is becoming rattly but your child is unable to expectorate, then reach for some Hepar Sulph. 

In addition to these remedies, make sure you consider other factors. As the temperature is dropping at this time of year, radiators are coming on and drying out the atmosphere in your child's bedroom. Consider putting a humidifier in their room if their cough is croupy or dry.

Steam can bring immediate relief to a child with a croupy cough. Bring your child into to the bathroom with a hot bath running, or consider boiling the kettle in an enclosed room. Obviously ensure your child is not near enough to the source of the steam to hurt themselves. 

Temperature changes can bring on a lot of coughs, so try to keep the temperature consistent. If your child's cough is worse for lying down, consider putting a pillow under their mattress. 

Finally, plenty of fluids will help loosen up the mucus, allowing your child to expel it. 

I hope this has been of some help. Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything that I can clarify. Thank you for reading, and I wish you and your children a cough free Autumn.

Autumn coughs and homeopathy – Part 1

So Autumn is upon us, and though as John Keats once wrote it is "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness", the charm of those mists may understandably pass you by if you've been up most of the night with a coughing child. 

Change of season is a classic time for coughs and colds, and so this week and next we'll look at how to manage your child's cough using homeopathy and natural methods. 

Before we start, it's important to state that the following advice applies only to straightforward coughs. Coughs that are very persistent or that affect breathing require professional help. If your child has a bluish tinge to their face, mouth or tongue, or if they are abnormally drowsy or limp, seek medical help immediately. 

It can be tricky to prescribe for your child's cough, as unless you are a homeopathic geek, then one cough can sound much like another. However, to help you choose the right remedy, think about when your child got their cough (did they go out on a cold, windy day?), are there times of the day when their cough is better or worse, and are there other factors which either make the cough better or worse, such as drinking, fresh air or warmth? Lastly, is your child's cough dry or do they cough up a lot of phlegm?

If the onset of your child's cough seems to coincide with a vaccination, consult a practitioner. 

So below I'll describe the first few remedies from those which are most commonly prescribed for children's coughs. The second half I'll detail in next week's post. 

Aconite (Monkshood) 

The Aconite cough hits a child pretty fast. The classic scenario is that after being caught in a cold, dry wind during the day, the child wakes around midnight with a dry, croupy cough which makes them anxious and restless. They are often thirsty. Aconite is the number one remedy for first stage croup. (I'll go into greater detail about croup next week.)

Bryonia (Wild hops) 

This remedy suits a cough which comes on when a cold that has been hanging around for a while moves down to the child's chest. The cough is dry and painful. Because this kind of cough is exacerbated by movement, your child might hold their chest when they cough to limit the motion. The child will be sensitive to drafts, and the cough may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting or headaches. 

Hepar Sulph

This would be the remedy for a barking cough, when mucus in the chest is starting to loosen up but is still hard for your child to expel - you can just hear it rattling around. The child who would benefit from Hepar Sulph will be very sensitive and irritable, they will also be chilly and feel much worse for cold drinks, drafts or cold air.

If one of those remedy descriptions matches your child's situation, give the appropriate remedy in the 30th potency every 2 hours for severe coughs, or 3 times a day in milder cases, each for 3 days maximum. 

Visit helios.co.uk for all your homeopathic remedies. 

If you need further advice please get in touch, and I'll see you for the remaining cough remedies next week. Thanks for reading. 

Self-help your baby's colic with homeopathy and traditional techniques - Part 2

Hi to all

This week's post follows on from my post last week regarding colic. Here we'll identify the top 4 homeopathic remedies to help deal with this often exhausting ailment.

Chamomilla (Chamomile)

This is a remedy par excellence for a wide range of childhood illnesses. The child needing this remedy will react very strongly to the pain she is suffering: she will be cross and will make you feel as if the pains she is experiencing must be unbearable. It is possible that the colic will be concurrent with teething, and might be accompanied by some pretty disgusting smelling, green diarrhoea. The child might be placated by being rocked quite vigorously, but that will only provide temporary relief. She will be made even angrier if her abdomen is touched.

Colocynthis (Bitter Cucumber) 

The baby who would benefit from Colocynthis will be very restless and irritable. He will bring his knees up, double up with the pain, and will cry out if you try to move him out of that position. His pain will ease if pressure is placed on the abdomen, so an older child may press their fists into their belly; babies will feel better if lying over your shoulder.

Dioscorea (Wild Yam) 

The baby this remedy suits will assume the opposite position of the Colocynthis baby: she will be outstretched, lie flat or might throw herself backwards. The stretch clearly eases her discomfort.

Lycopodium (Club Moss)

Lycopodium is a very gassy, bloated remedy with more than its fair share of flatulence. The baby's abdomen may well be full of air and possibly be gurgling away. The baby will feel better for a good fart, which it may well do very frequently. The Lycopodium baby will often be in a hurry to feed, which will result in taking in too much air and putting himself (and you) in a vicious circle.

If one of these remedy pictures sounds like the experience of your child, give that remedy in the 30th potency 3 times daily for up to 3 days. Visit www.helios.co.uk for all very high quality homeopathic products.

Please note that there are specific remedies to deal with colic that seems to stem from a traumatic birth. Please see a registered practitioner if you think that might be your child's situation.

I really hope that's been of use. Please feel free to get in touch if you have anything you'd like to ask. 

Self-help your baby's colic with homeopathy and traditional techniques

Colic can present a significant challenge for many parents; it's not easy to know what to do for a child who is in pain but unable to say what's wrong and what's going to make things better. Colic is caused by trapped wind and varies a great deal from child to child in terms of intensity and frequency, but there is much that homeopathy and traditional wisdom can do to ease both your baby's and therefore your own suffering. 

Below I'll detail the traditional wisdom and some general points to consider, and in my post next week we'll see the principal homeopathic remedies that you can prescribe for your colicky child. 

• If you are a breastfeeding mother, please first consider your own diet, as there are a number of foods which are known to affect babies through the milk. The following are the usual suspects: dairy, brassica, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, spicy food and citrus. As you can see, the very things that the exhaustion of nursing a colicky baby will lead you to reach for, can in fact compound the problem. 
• Staying on the subject of diet, if you're weaning your child, ensure that you eliminate any suspect foods from your baby's diet.
• A major cause of colic is taking in air while feeding. This can be an issue in bottle-fed babies when the teat is not of an appropriate size. It can occur in breastfed babies if the flow of milk is too strong. This can be eased by ensuring regular feeding or trying different positions. 
• Consider giving your child fennel seed tea. Simmer a teaspoonful of seeds in a pint of water for 5-7 minutes, strain the seeds and leave to cool. Give your baby the cooled tea in a bottle or on a teaspoon. 
• Gentle abdominal massage in a clockwise direction can help your baby to poo, which may ease things.
• Cranial osteopathy can do wonders for colicky babies or unexplained crying in very young babies. Give cranial osteopathy especial consideration if your labour was long or traumatic.
• Last but absolutely not least, look after yourself and make sure you're having enough fluids and eating regularly, and take a break if that's an option. It's all too easy to lose sight of your own needs when managing the needs of a baby. 

I hope that has been of help. We'll look next week at homeopathic remedies for colic but in the meantime, if you have any queries, be sure to get in touch. Thanks for reading.