Children have a tendency to fall ill dramatically but also to bounce back very quickly. Parents should follow their instincts when it comes to their children’s health and always seek professional help when the child’s condition moves beyond the realm of home treatment.

Children may suffer from a wide range of ailments and a growing child’s immune system learns and acquires resistance to disease through such acute illnesses i.e.  earaches, fevers, coughs and other minor illnesses of childhood. These disease symptoms are often “suppressed” by conventional medicine rather than allowing the natural immune response of the child to grow and develop.

Childhood illnesses therefore may be seen as a natural part of the growing up process and a child who has these illnesses and whose immune system is supported rather than suppressed will be laying the foundation for a healthy maturity and a strong, illness free adulthood.

Homeopathy may assist to reduce the symptoms and suffering in childhood diseases such as Mumps, Measles, Chickenpox etc.

Homeopathy offers gentle, safe and effective support for childhood illnesses as well as issues in teenage years such as menstrual problems, acne and exam stress.

Childhood illnesses may provide an opportunity for the immune system to grow & “acquire natural immunity” & generally are not life threatening.However, as parents it is important to gain an understanding of the childhood illnesses and to be aware of the symptoms & to become more informed & effective partners with their doctors & health providers in managing & safeguarding their children’s health.

Common childhood illnesses & complaints which may respond well to Homeopathic treatment include:

  • Abdominal pain & colic
  • Allergies
  • Bed-wetting
  • Bronchiolitis
  • Chickenpox
  • Constipation
  • Croup
  • Ear Infections
  • Fever
  • Diarroea & vomitting
  • Head Lice
  • Headaches
  • Influeza
  • Nasal congestion & runny noses
  • Nightmares & Night Terrors
  • Pneumonia
  • Pyloric stenosis
  • Roseola
  • UTI infections

 

The Immune System & function
In recent years, because of the growth in knowledge on the immune system, there has been a growing concern amongst some scientists that wrongly stimulating the immune system could lead to a skewed system. The implications of skewing the Th1/Th2 immunity is explained simply by Hilary Butler, a researcher. She explains – ‘The Th1 system is the “search and destroy” defence of the body and “sets in motion a clear sequence of events which have the focus of ‘find that thing, collect it, show us what it is and at the same time destroy it”.

The Th2 is the other side of the linking circle. It is called humoral immunity, and takes place further down the line than cellular (Th1) immunity. About the same time as the Th1 immune system is surrounding, killing and getting rid of the problem, particles of the ‘problem’ are being presented to the cells which make antibodies. In order for there to be a long-lasting antibody response, there must be a strong Th1 response. These immune responses work hand-in-hand, but a healthy immune system is Th1 focused, since “search and destroy” is the most needed capacity of the immune system in every day life.

Useful & informative references on Homeopathy for Children  are available from: