Holistic Solutions for Back to School Illness

I have already seen a huge surge of parents on my Facebook feed talking about their kids being sick after only a few days or weeks back at school. Such is life. Kids go back to school, they make new friends, they meet their new teachers, and they come home with less than exciting new illnesses. With so many children in one place if one of them has a runny nose and cough then logically many will end up with it. What can you do?

Well, actually there is quite a bit we can do to prevent illness by strengthening our children’s immune system and their capability of fighting off germs and bugs. If you need ideas I have plenty in my article 15 Ways to Boost Immunity and Keep Illness Away Without Vaccines. The natural mom actually has quite a bag of tricks at her disposal. In that article I discuss everything from air purifiers, to probiotics, to herbs, and which common foods actually lower our defenses and open us up to illness.

What though when your kids get sick anyway. It happens. There are holistic solutions for dealing with those little ups and downs too.

Cold/Flu – Give your kiddos plenty of warm liquids and fluids such as bone both. Also give them an immunity boost with elderberry like Sambucol. You can also make your own pretty easily. Other than that…lots of rest and steamy showers will help them ride it out comfortably. If they are congested put a few drops of peppermint essential oil in their shower and that will clear the sinuses right quick.

Pinkeye – This is a common childhood ailment but it can be very uncomfortable and irritating. Apply chamomile tea bag compresses, as hot/warm as you can get them. This is antiviral and antimicrobial. You can also use Boiron Homeopathic Eye Drops and their Pulsatilla orally to help with discharge.

Head Lice – Ew! Few things are as gross, in my opinion, as bugs that live in your hair but this is another common problem that school age children must face. Let’s just hope you catch it BEFORE it spreads to the whole family. Luckily you can treat it with natural ingredients such as coconut oil and essential oils. I have a homemade lice shampoo recipe you might want to try. LiceMD Lice is also an effective store bought brand that does not use pesticides. It is a way better option that most others on the market.

Ear Infections – Because of their anatomy children are more susceptible to ear infections. Also popular diet staples such as sugar, diary, grains/gluten, and soy can help things along. To treat, work on cleaning up their diet and use the soothing herbals found in Gaia Kids Ear Drops.

Fever – If your kiddos have a fever then rejoice rather than panic. Their body is already on top of the situation and is fighting off whatever bug they have. Fevers are GOOD. We don’t want to give them any conventional meds that will break that fever, rather we just want to make sure they are comfortable. They need rest and fluids primarily and Aconitum Napellus can help them sleep.

I know every parent gets frustrated and perhaps a little worried when their littles get sick but with a little planning and a little trust…we can use natural methods to help them ride these ailments out.