Complementary Medicines & Children

Kids often seem to get sick more than adults and this can be a constant stress for parents. Many are worried and concerned about using some of the more standard pharmaceutical medications on their children and look to something more natural.

As children’s bodies, organs and systems are still developing, it is probably not a good idea to put a strain on them with possibly toxic substances that often have a long list of side effects even for adults!

Most nutrients and herbs in the Complementary Medicine arsenal are suitable for children in specifically designated doses, dependant on age and size. However it is not recommended to give them natural medicines that may have hormonal effects or act on neurotransmitters. There is controversy about giving anti-depressants to teenagers whose brains and nervous systems are still developing into their early 20’s.

Compliance can be an issue in terms of how to administer the medicine and what it tastes like, which may be why there are not a lot of natural medicines around for children, though some companies are taking it on! Supplements in the form of liquids or powders that can be added to juices or smoothies seem to be the best in terms of administration and absorbability, but many parents and children like the convenience of chewable tablets too.

The three main areas where children may be compromised are:
• Digestion eg: constipation, diarrhoea, colic and reflux.
• Immunity eg: allergies such as eczema, asthma and hayfever; infections and vaccination reactions.
• Behavioural Disorders eg: ADHD/ADD, stress, insomnia and bed wetting.

I thought I would run through the early stages of a childs life and the different requirements.

In utero
Even in the womb, the foetus is reliant on the mothers nutritional status to give it all the building blocks it needs to grow. Everything you take in crosses the placenta. Certainly a mother should cease smoking and drinking and other "toxic" social activities; and some even go the whole way of complete avoidance of environmental toxins such as eating organic food and not dying their hair!

A good broad spectrum multi vitamin/mineral is essential, along with plenty of good quality protein to provide the basic building blocks for life. The other major thing to consider is omega 3 essential fatty acids, preferably as fish or fish oil. Fish oil contains two fatty acids called EPA and DHA. It is the DHA that is so very important for the childs brain, nervous system and retinal eye development. Many maternal multi formulas contain some fish oil but most others are suitable and can be taken with a fish oil supplement (1-3 capsules a day) or a couple of good oily fish meals a week.

The mother should also have a good level of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria probiotics in her system so these can be passed on. The child picks up these, in particular Bifidobacteria, when it comes through the birth canal in labour.

Infants <6 months
Preferably children of this age should be exclusively breast fed and if the mothers diet is healthy, will provide good nutrition. However it should be noted that if the mother is deficient or if she has food allergies or sensitivities, these can be passed on to the child. This is when it continues to be important to provide the essential fatty acids and optimal nutrients to the child.

Breast milk contains omega 3 and 6, colostrum for immunity, protein peptides for growth, a balance of nutrients and a high level of tryptophan, which is essential to brain maturation in the newborn.

If the child had a caesarean birth, it will not have picked up a good dose of probiotics as it comes through the birth canal, so these should be supplemented and can be added to the milk or made into a paste and applied to the nipple. In this period of life the child has a very immature immune system, which is why the colostrum in breast milk is so good, but adequate probiotic colonisation can enhance immunity and help to protect against future allergic disorders like eczema, hayfever and asthma.

If a child is bottle fed, I would suggest a low allergenic formula or a goats milk formula and add probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis powder, fish oil and possibly a powdered or liquid multi vitamin to it. A colostrum powder can also be obtained if immunity and infections are a problem. This and the probiotics are especially important for gut infections.

I believe this is a crucial time in a child’s development and developing good gut and digestive function and inter-related immune function can set them up for life. Many things can upset this such as antibiotic use, lack of breast-feeding, vaccinations, food intolerance and stress.

6-24 months
The introduction of foods is a sensitive issue and a mother will instinctively know when but often not what. It is best to keep them off anything potentially allergenic at this age and avoid things like wheat, shellfish, eggs, nuts, oranges until at least 12 months old. Even dairy is a contentious issue and some would say to avoid this too as the childs immature system may not tolerate the proteins. Babies usually have adequate lactase to digest the milk sugar lactose, as it is also found in breast milk, if they seem to react to dairy it may be to the proteins in it. It is important to introduce one new food at a time, even dairy, and to observe any adverse reactions. These could be reflux, bloating or colic, but could also be irritability, sleeping difficulties and skin problems.

This is the period where the child will certainly be getting used to different foods and may experience illness or injuries. The basic guidelines for infants on probiotics, essential fatty acids and food introductions still apply.

This is where they can become picky eaters too, so an easily administered Multi vitamin/mineral in powder or liquid that can be added to drinks is a good insurance that they are at least getting balanced nutrition.

Lack of appetite can be a deficiency of Zinc or Iron, and poor immunity may need more Vitamin C and more of those probiotics!

Most supplements are not labelled as suitable for children under the age of two. This is not because they are dangerous as everyone needs adequate nutrition, but simply because our regulating bodies like a child of this age to be seen by a healthcare or medical professional, to ensure the problems is not something more serious. Certainly parents and carers will need to seek professional advice about dosage at least.

2-12 years
These are the years when anything can happen and as I have said earlier, just about anything can be used to manage the conditions, dependant on dose and ease of administration!

As there are probably too many conditions to go through here, I have suggested a few general herbs and nutrients that are safe to use for children:

Nutrients:
As nutrients are basically our building blocks that are utilised by the cells and for numerous biochemical and enzymatic reactions in the body, of course they are fine for children! As I have said, dosing needs to be adjusted and consultation with a qualified healthcare professional can work this out. There are Recommended Daily Intakes set for children, but remember, that like the ones set for adults, these only represent the minimum amount needed of a nutrient to prevent a deficiency, and not therapeutic amounts. All of the following nutrients are absolutely fine and safe for children to take in multi vitamin and mineral formulas or in prescribed therapeutic doses:

Vitamins:
B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Betacarotene, Vitamin K and essential fatty acids (sometimes known as Vitamin F collectively).

Macrominerals:
Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Silica, Sulfur, Chloride, Sodium

Microminerals:
Chromium ,Copper, Zinc, Iron, Iodine, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium and Zinc

Herbs:
There are so many herbs out there and I often find in my work that many do not have a lot of solid scientific evidence behind them, but many still do have a long history of traditional use and are well represented in the professional literature.

I have compiled the following list that I believe are gentle and safe for children.

Arnica as a homeopathic preparation or a cream
Chamomile
Calendula (Marigold)
Corn Silk
Dandelion
Dill
Echinacea
Elder Flower
Eyebright
Fennel
Flax seed
Garlic
Ginger
Golden Rod
Goldenseal
Hops
Horseradish
Horsetail
Licorice
Lavendar
Lime Flower
Marshmallow
Meadowsweet
Milk Thistle
Mullein
Nettle
Oats
Passionflower
Peppermint
Rosemary
Wild Cherry Bark
Homeopathy, Flower Remedies and modalities like massage, osteopathy and reflexology are all also fine!

There are many good books on the market that go through the A-Z of Childhood ailments and cover natural options in more detail. However, I do urge you to speak to a healthcare professional about the best supplements and dosages for your individual child.

Sara Hopkins ND BHSc
Research and Product Development Officer
Healthworld Ltd

Vaccinations
This is a very contentious issue among healthcare professionals and parents alike, with many for, many against and many undecided! What I would like to say here is that unfortunately the Australian Vaccination Schedule provides a tiny baby with more than 20 vaccinations before they are one year old! Aluminium is a common preservative in them, where it was once mercury, and there can certainly be side effects to them.

If you are going to vaccinate, it is probably a good idea to allow a good month between each vaccination, to closely monitor the child for 48 hours after each one and to exercise caution or postpone if the child has an infection, a fever, is teething, is not eating well or is not sleeping well.

The child needs to have a good strong immune system and good liver function to be able to cope with them.

I would like to thank Henry Osiecki and the information provided in his Childhood Behaviour Seminar. The Vaccination Awareness Information Service (VAIS) also has good information on 07 3824 7580 or at vaishln@bigpond.com

The Hygiene Hypothesis
There is evidence now that it may not be the best thing for children to be too clean and hygienic. Young immune systems evolve by actually having contact with "bugs" in the environment.

To put it simply, we all have 2 main arms to our immune system seesaw – the T-helper 1 (Th1) and the T-helper 2 (Th2) sides. When we are born we have a predominance of Th2 and we need to stimulate our Th1 to bring the seesaw into balance. We do this by being exposed to infections.

Th2 is associated with allergies, asthma, glue ear, hayfever, sinusitis, ADD/ADHD and anxiety.

There is evidence to suggest that children who are reared in very hygienic environments and who have no exposure to animals, have increased rates of asthma and allergies. This may be because they are not exposed to infections, dirt, bugs, pets etc and their Th2 immunity remains dominant.