Herbs and Kids – Cautious Care Giving

The herbal business is a multi billion dollar industry. More bottles of herbs are lining the shelves of the health food stores everyday and there seems to be no end in sight. Suppliers have tapped into a market for children, producing products such as: E-Kid-Nacea Plus, which is Echinacea that supports a healthy immune system. Calm Child is another blend of hawthorn berry, catnip leaf and other herbs for focus. There are many others. Millions of adults as parents all over the world are taking them, but are they safe for their children? I have found that YES, some herbs are safe for children to take, but there are important things to consider before you start giving your child herbs.

Ask the child’s pediatrician first. I bet I can tell you what they’ll say. Many herbs and concoctions have never been tested scientifically. The list of remedies is long for every malady known to man, but some may not be for adults; let alone children. They will say many herbs do not live up to their claim and may be harmful so save your money and don’t give them to your child. That would probably be pretty status quo. Some may recommend only the most recognizable of herbs. Chamomile or peppermint teas are good examples of time-tested remedies for an upset stomach. It is also smart to use herbs that are manufactured in developed countries, such as the UK, USA or Germany. If herbs come in from other countries; they hold the possibilities of being too potent or including other minerals and traces of steroids of you name it. Many bottles will give calculations for doses for children according to weight. In general, a child’s dose should be one-third to one-fourth of an adult dose, and always tell a pediatrician of any herbs the child takes. The risks can be real when taking herbs, but others believe children heal quickly and are very responsive when exposed to herbs because they are emotionally open to healing.

If you want to give your child herbs; there are a few tricks to get them to take it. Herbs can be bitter and they need a little coaxing to get them down. Powdered herbs that are mixed with honey, maple syrup, chocolate or peanut butter often works. The child can lick it off a spoon too. However, NEVER give children under the age of one honey as it contains botulism spores that little ones can’t digest. Peanut allergies are also a real threat; so consider these things before putting herbs in food for your child. Herbal ice pops are fun and great for sore throats. Make an infusion, add it to juice and then freeze it. Lime, strawberry and pineapple Jello fingers are also a fun thing to combine with more bitter herbs. You can even find veggie jellos on the market if you are conce
ed about children that are vegetarians.

If you are having trouble with your kids ingesting herbs, consider using herbs in a hot bath. The skin is the largest organ of the body. When the water is warm the pores open and the herbs are absorbed into the body.

Grow an herb garden and let the kids become familiar with the different herbs and the beneficial things the herbs can do for them. Herb gardens can be quite small so they can be grown in even small spaces. Kids love to get their hands dirty so it shouldn’t be hard to get them to help you with the planting. They also love to watch things grow so this should be a perfect match. Planting a garden is fun family time and a healthy education at the same time.