Herbal Medicine Center

Archive for June 10th, 2010

Many parents demand antibiotics when their children are sick. They are   surprised, maybe even angry if they leave the doctors office empty handed. Moms do you know that medicine are more dangerous than the disease or illness.

My grand children once came to stay at my house for the weekend.  I was shocked when my daughter in law opened a draw full of medicine to pack some for the kids to take with.  My head was spinning from all the orders when and how they must take the medicine.   How do you tell your daughter in law that she is harming your grand children with al the medicine?  Some of the medicine was herbal medicine, but even herbal medicine can cause harm to the body.

Babies who received antibiotics in their first year of life may increase their risk of asthma by the age of 7.  Antibiotics are poisons that are used to kill bacteria, but unfortunately bacteria are not the only organisms that antibiotics kill.   Every time your child swallows antibiotics the beneficial bacteria within his intestines are also killed, which can lead to a condition called dysbiosis.  If antibiotics are taken on a regular basis it can lead to diseases like cancer, diabetes and vasculitis.  Antibiotics also weaken the immune system and destroy the friendly bacteria that guard our intestines.

Antibiotics does not work for colds and other viral illnesses, it has a dangerous side effect.  The routine use of antibiotics can worsen conditions for children.  There are side effects to antibiotics which may include allergic reactions, diarrhoea, rashes and vomiting.  Antibiotics should not be given for a common cold.  Over time, this practice helps create bacteria that can resist treatment, higher doses or stronger antibiotics are needed to treat the illness.

Cough and cold medicine should not be given to children especially under 2 years; it can cause symptoms like drowsiness, unresponsiveness and addiction.  Most of the time children are overdosed by either simply giving too much, to often, or mixing medications with the same active ingredient.  This can have some powerful effects on a young child and even death.  It can interfere with the heart’s electrical system causing an arrhythmia or constrict blood vessels too much, causing hypertension.

Never give aspirin to children, especially during viral illnesses.  Using aspirin during an illness caused by a virus can cause Reye syndrome, a potentially life threatening disease with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and extreme fatigue that progresses to a coma.

Rather go for non medical treatments, especially with flu and colds.  Let your child get enough rest, it will allow his body to rejuvenate and give him plenty of water, juice (freshly squeezed) or broth, that will help for dehydration.  To help loosen congestion, use a humidifier or vaporizer.  Keep your child’s immune system strong with a healthy diet; include lot of apples and bananas.  Let him get enough sleep.  Teach your child to wash hand all the time and not to put his fingers in his mouth and nose.

Parents abusing antibiotics and cough and cold medicine when it comes to their children are a big concern.  Is it a quick fix because life is too busy to have sick children?