Natural Remedies to Common Medications for Kids

Keeping kids off of drugs is a challenge in our modern society, and I'm not referring to the street variety either. Just keeping our kids off of the various common medications to stop itching from bug bites, bring down a fever, or improve diarrhea can prove to be almost impossible when you are a parent encountering these circumstances with your kids. Natural Awakenings, a local publication in my hometown of Milwaukee Wisconsin, has a number of natural remedies to medication for kids, that I've found have worked with my own family.

Bug Bites

Persistent itching from annoying bug bites is among some of the most irritating situations to be in with your child. For a quick remedy to the incessant itching try some plaintain leaves or grated raw potato that you can create a poultice with. Place this on the bug bite and it will help to alleviate any itching that occurs as a result of pesky bug bites. Ice and mud used in the same way are also great for this same problem as well. I've used mud to draw out bee stingers and have been pleased with the success I've had.

Mullien garlic oil, warmed ahead of time, then drawn up in a dropper is a effective way to soothe an inflamed ear drum. Another great aspect to this natural remedy is the fact that the natural antibiotic in the garlic is a nice way to fight any ear infection that might be in the works. If you don't have the garlic oil handy, you can alternately use olive oil in a pinch.

Constipation or Diarrhea

Tried and true, probiotics (good bacteria) has been a long term family remedy in my own household and has been the most widely researched revealing some of the best results in decreasing the length of time that diarrhea has hold in young school age children and infants. You'll want food like yogurt with probiotics in it, or capsules with 10 billion or more bacteria for sure effectiveness.

Heartburn

A specific type of licorice called DGL, or deglycerrhizinated licorice, along with slippery elm and aloe have shown some promise with regard to soothing heartburn symptoms for kids, but these all should be managed under the supervision of a doctor. It's also helpful for kids with regular heartburn symptoms to focus on some of the food triggers that seem to cause those symptoms.

Source: Natural Awakenings August 2011 issue