Children
and Medicine:
Prescription and Homeopathic Pro’s and Con’s
The most common medicine prescriptions
given to children are antibiotics for infection, and steroid or
non-steroidal anti-inflammatories for things like allergies and
asthma.
The thing to remember about children and medicine, since we must
often be the judge of when they’re better, is that resolving
felt symptoms doesn’t always eradicate the root cause of those
symptoms. This usually results in one of two scenarios:
- We stop administering the medicine before
the prescription is finished because the child feels so much
better. This is dangerous with antibiotics, as it can lead to
revitalized bacteria, recurrence and resistance to later prescriptions.
OR…
- Soon after the medicine is done, we get the
perception of the ailment “coming back” whereas
it was never really gone at all…just the outward symptoms
were gone. So we feel the child must have more medicine because
the symptoms came back without it. This can happen with anti-inflammatory
steroids, such as nasal asthma sprays, or NSAIDS (non-steroids),
which become long-term solutions with long-term side effects.
So what do we do when our child is
sick?
I. Know the facts about both prescription medicine
and homeopathic alternatives. Weigh the checks and balances:
Pro: Don’t rule out modern medicine completely!
Some drugs and procedures can save children from catastrophic diseases
like leukemia.
Con:
(1) While very young children are likely to get “regular”
childhood sicknesses, they’re still developing their own immunities.
Some infections, even middle ear infections, can often resolve themselves
if we give them time, whereas immediate prescription medicine can
make children dependent on medicine rather than building their own
internal healing capability. Therefore, a first infection could
become chronic.
(2) Prescription drugs contain chemicals, preservatives and synthetic
properties that don’t really belong in our body. They may
resolve the initial illness but leave side effects from the foreign
agents.
Pro: Natural remedies, such as homeopathic formulas,
use herbs, minerals and organic elements that already have a presence
in the human body, but for some internal reason might be in short
supply. Homeopathy is based on implementing
tiny particles of these elements to create, maintain or restore
proper balance. Most often, this can be done without side effects
and used for longer periods, actually building the body’s
natural defenses.
Con: Natural remedies can take longer to work than
prescription medicine. They need to get a bearing in the body. Be
persistent and patient.
Some natural remedies can produce a temporary ill feeling called
“die off”. This is good – it’s cleansing
the toxins from the body.
If your child is still in outward pain while the remedy is working,
reach for a natural pain-soother first, before a prescription drug.
See a natural health clinician or doctor for advice.
II. Know your pediatrician’s philosophy:
An increasing number of “traditional medicine” physicians
are becoming more sensitive to these prescription nightmares:
- Backlash of repeat infection because of antibiotic
resistance
- Yeast overgrowth in nasal, bronchial, and
other mucosal tissues from long-term steroids or antibiotics.
- Stunted growth, acne or irrational behavior
from steroids.
- Threat to digestive health or deteriorating
muscle and bone from long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.
- Rashy skin conditions like eczema resulting
from many types of drugs.
These doctors are becoming pleasantly prepared
to discuss natural and homeopathic solutions. If your child’s
doctor is still “stuck on prescription medicine,” try
to find a physician practicing “complementary” medicine
– a combination of both.
Consult grandma, too. Many old home remedies are died-in-the-wool
successes!
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