130 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
There is nothing better than parental care, home, and bed to deal with
sickness; early, good support can keep the child out of both the doctor’s
offi ce and the hospital. Having been involved in the parenting of four
children, two from birth and two from the ages of nine and twelve, I
know it takes effort, input, patience, and knowledge, but that the results
are worth it.
First signs of illness can be anything from a lack of appetite to high or
low facial color with shivering or fever. A child can be restless, loud, and
angry or quiet, withdrawn, vulnerable, weepy, and in need of holding (or
being near you). Be alert to behavior that seems odd for a particular child.
Very often they complain of headaches or nausea or will simply need
sleep at odd hours.
Knowing when to call in professional help is diffi cult, for we have
fewer large family groups nowadays in which grandparents, aunts, and so
on can help and advise: but seek help if you feel that you need it. This list
of warning signs may help you to know when to call for help:
prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, convulsions, a temperature that
fl uctuates quickly between hot and cold, blurred vision, drowsiness,
headache after a bang on the head, drifting in and out of
consciousness during fever, turning pale or blue, shallow breathing,
or eyes dull, sullen, or glazed can all be signs that you need prompt
professional help. In fact, you will probably feel it when something
is really wrong: you will know it by instinct — and trust your instinct.
Giving lots of water but less food helps all illnesses. Children generally
know what is best for them in these situations, much as animals do. But
these gut instincts are becoming blurred as natural healing skills in the
home diminish and nutrition loses its true value.
some childhood conditions
Teething
When teething, your baby should have as much calcium and magnesium
as possible. The teething pains will be greatly minimized if the new tooth
can quickly break through by having adequate energy resources to do so.
To give your baby calcium, use what are called “tissue salts”; there is
one specifi cally for teething, available from many pharmacies and health-
food stores. Give nettle leaf tea (and occasional pau d’arco inner bark) with
honey, if needed, in a bottle as a long-term measure. Short-term use of
valerian root and honey tea (seek dose advice) will help the baby to sleep;
it will also calm any fever and quickly supply large amounts of assimilable
calcium, but it must be prescribed and dosed only by a qualifi ed herbal
practitioner.
When all the child’s available energy is going in one direction,
life stages 130