I’ve been a mom for over 10 years now! Whoa! It’s by far the most challenging “job” I’ve had and the one with the highest risks! I remember how panicked I felt the first time my eldest son got sick, but I was confident in my knowledge and I felt so relieved and satisfied to see how quickly he responded to natural remedies.
If you've ever felt scared, helpless or panicked by your child’s cold or flu, or injury, it's time to put together an herbal first aid kit! Do away with that helpless feeling and instead take action and put together an herbal first-aid kit to have on hand that will deal with any of the common childhood complaints you know you are most likely going to have to deal with sooner or later!
There are no hard and fast rules to this kit. Simply think about covering your bases and choose appropriate remedies in ways that you can easily deliver for your children. For example: A 10 year old may be perfectly capable of swallowing a capsule, but an infant is definitely not. If a child is allergic to herbs in the ragweed family, chamomile will not be appropriate, but many other herbs with similar properties can be used instead.
Some children will drink lots of fluid when sick and are not fussy about taste. These children respond very well to teas. Most children will take an herbal tea with enough raw honey in it (remember not to give honey to children under 1). Alternatively you can add elderberry syrup to make any other remedies more palatable and elderberry in itself is very beneficial as an antiviral and immune supporting herb.
Some children respond better to a tincture because they can take a few drops or a dropper full and it’s over-with, rather than consuming a large volume of liquid. Tinctures also have the benefit of keeping viable for many many years and being readily available without requiring any time to boil water or steep a herb. Some parents worry about alcohol being in tinctures, and if you are worried you can add a tincture to a hot tea and much of the alcohol will evaporate. You can also find tinctures made with glycerin or vinegar, though they do not keep as long and in many cases are not as potent as alcohol tinctures.
Some children will not take anything by mouth no matter how hard you coax, bribe, attempt to hide it, etc. These children respond best to essential oils. Essential oils are also the first remedies I reach for in any case where support is needed for cough/lung/respiratory health. Their highly penetrating quality means they work quickly and get where they need to go. In my professional opinion, every household should have at least a few key essential oils in their household wellness box, if only Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon & Frankincense. If you would like to order essential oils through me, click here.
Dried herbs to consider:
Catnip
Chamomile
Red Clover
Elder Flower
Linden Leaf & Flower
Yarrow
Tinctures to consider:
Catnip
Cleavers
Elderflower
Elderberry syrup (alcohol extract or not)
Elecampane
Lemonbalm
Red alder
Usnea
Yarrow
Miscellaneous Helpful:
Clay and/or Activated charcoal
An all purpose healing salve for cuts, scrapes, rashes, etc.
Arnica ointment or liniment
Essential oils
You can put together an amazing kit for anywhere from 50-300.00. I would love to help you build your kit as soon as possible so that you're prepared and ready for the next fall, cold or flu that comes around. I have a full apothecary of dried herbs as well as tinctures I grow myself, organically, or wild-craft and tincture in organic cane alcohol. You’ll find the best prices and the highest quality herbs in my apothecary. Contact me to book an appointment to shop today.
Parenting is a huge undertaking. Being responsible for the lives of other people and their well-being can feel like a massive burden. Having knowledge and confidence in our capabilities to handle whatever life throws at us helps lighten that burden and give us strength, courage and faith to be the best parents we can be for our children.
Here, however, I would like to especially make the point that if your child is ever exhibiting any symptoms that make you think they require medical attention- get it for them. If they’re having trouble breathing, if they are exhibiting signs of dehydration, listless, unresponsive, have a sudden high fever, a serious wound or ANYTHING that leaves you questioning or needing reassurance, please, please take them to a doctor. Get a professional opinion, get their lungs and ears checked, get blood work or urine samples if necessary. Don’t be that parent that makes headlines because they failed to get necessary medical treatment for their child.
For example, my youngest child, my daughter, just had a fever that lasted 6 days. She was alert, she was drinking lots of fluids and urinating. She was not crying or stiff and her temperature was in an acceptable “safe” range. I knew it was viral because my middle son had also had a fever days before with the same cough though his was gone in 36 hours. After day 4, I still brought her in just to be safe. I wanted her lungs listened to and a general check up. The doctor assured me that her lungs were clear and that there was no secondary ear infection or anything concerning to worry about. I took her back home and resumed my herbal protocol and continued to monitor her closely. She was fully recovered and healthier than ever 2 days after that.
The herbs supported her immune system, helped expectorate any phlegm from her airways, managed her fever and worked with the body to bring about healing. That is the beauty of herbs: They work with the body and help it to do what it needs to do. No side effects, only safe & effective results.
You’ve got this mama! Those kids are lucky to have you!
