Bunged up Baby

[growingthings]

Well the 7 month old is poorly now! (it never ends!) She hasn't developed the croup cough, but is congested to beyond belief. She can't feed eat or settle properly and the only thing that doesn't make her vomit is breast milk.
I am taking her off to the doc's later as I am mildly concerned that the cough has tightened and is coming off her chest how.

I am sucking out the yuck from her nose with a nasal clearing pipe, and am letting her inhale menthol and eucalyptus to try and keep her nose clear, she's propped up in bed too. She spits/vomits back the infant paracetamol, so she must be feeling pretty awful.

Any suggestions for some more natural/gentle methods to help her along.

And does anyone know whether I can give a 7mth old and a 3y old echinachea, as I think that their immune systems are long overdue a boost, as they have been fighting off virus after virus.

I've done all I can think of, but its horrible knowing that she is poorly but at her age she just can't express it very clearly, its not often I feel helpless I just want her (and me ) to get some decent kip, as that would make a huge difference I'm sure.

Any suggestions would be most gratefully recieved.

Cheers lorna x

[MrsD'ville mkII]

Poor little thing, that sounds really grim. the only thing that came to mind was a steamy room, it always seems to help with decongesting, which should make her a wee bit more comfy. All a bit of a drop in the ocean though when she sounds so grotty.

Hope she's feeling a great deal better very soon.

[Green Aura]

Have you got an essential oil burner?

If you have, and can get hold of some essential oils - namely, eucalyptus, peppermint, thyme and lavender - fill it up with water (make sure it's one of those that holds enough water for a long-burning tea light, not one of those stupid shallow saucer things. Addone drop of each oil - no more and put the burner high up where neither child can get at it. (I used to put my daughter's on the top of the wardrobe).

The combination will ease their congestion, bring down their temperature, soothe their coughs, help them sleep and boost their immune system. If they've not got a high temp miss out the peppermint as it will drop their body temperature.

For the constipation, add one drop of lavender to about1tbsp of a carrier oil - whatever you've got in your kitchen. Gently massage in a clockwise circle round the little one's abdomen, and try to get some fluids into her.

These oils will pretty much see you through their childhood ailments. Just make sure you don't use too much - less is definitely more!

[Mrs Moustoir]

I'll second the steamy room thing. My DD used to get awful croup and a steamy bathroom always seemed to help her.

Hope she feels better soon.

[Clara]

Have you got an essential oil burner?

If you have, and can get hold of some essential oils - namely, eucalyptus, peppermint, thyme and lavender - fill it up with water (make sure it's one of those that holds enough water for a long-burning tea light, not one of those stupid shallow saucer things. Addone drop of each oil - no more and put the burner high up where neither child can get at it. (I used to put my daughter's on the top of the wardrobe).

The combination will ease their congestion, bring down their temperature, soothe their coughs, help them sleep and boost their immune system. If they've not got a high temp miss out the peppermint as it will drop their body temperature.

For the constipation, add one drop of lavender to about1tbsp of a carrier oil - whatever you've got in your kitchen. Gently massage in a clockwise circle round the little one's abdomen, and try to get some fluids into her.

These oils will pretty much see you through their childhood ailments. Just make sure you don't use too much - less is definitely more!

If you are going to use this through the night a bowl of boiling water with the essential oils in it placed under near the bed (but out of reach is safer), I think the combination above is a little too stimulant for a 7mo, I would just go with a couple of drops of eucalyptus in the first instance.

Thyme is only going to stimulate the immune system if it is absorbed into the body (via massage), many experts would say that this is not appropriate for anyone under 5, so it´s out for your baby. If you want to try with your older one, play it safe and use a single drop in a tablespoon of oil to begin with. Get hold of the linalool chemotype, if the supplier can´t tell you don´t buy it - Neals Yard Remedies sell it for sure.

Likewise peppermint shouldn´t be used on your tiny.

Violet flowers make a sweet tea that is good for decongesting a little ones, don´t overdo it though as too much causes vomiting (keep it to one mild cup a day).

To reduce temperature (is that what the paracetomal was for), a cooling tea can be made from catmint, roses, limeflowers and/or elderflower.

Most products steer clear of recommending their use in those under 2s (it´s a legal thing), if the problems persist I would make an appointment with a herbalist/naturopath to get a professional opinion. There are certainly echinecea products out there aimed at kids above two so go and have a look what´s out there - I would probably look for something combined with either propolis or elderberry in this instance.

Hope LO feels better soon, Clara x

[Green Aura]

Thyme is a perfectly safe and useful infection controller and immune support even for a 7 month old as long as only one drop is used. You don't keep small children away from herb plants and they'll get as much EO as in my blend. It is not suitable for using on childrens' bodies and I would never suggest that.
It needs keeping up high because children perk up really quickly and will soon be scrabbling under the bed to play and it's much easier to knock over. The oils settle in the room as the vapour cools and gives them as small amount, just enough for the little one's.

If you don't want to use thyme, the other's will work but the thyme just gives a little boost.

One thing I should have mentioned is that you need ordinary thyme (Thymus vulgaris ct linalool) if it says red thyme don't use it for the kids as it is much stronger.

I used peppermint on my little one when she had a really high temp. Like your little one, she couldn't keep down calpol and the alternative was to stay up most of the night tepid sponging her. Instead both she and I got some sleep and she recovered much more quickly as a result.

Please Clara keep a sense of perspective. This blend of four drops is dispersed throughout the whole room over a period of several hours. Even for a seven month old, that level of dilution can have no ill effects.

[Clara]

I just think that those four oils in combination might be a little stimulating and may well do what you expect but also disturb babes sleep, I think it is perfectly fine during the day. LOs are sensitive to different extents, I would always advise starting with the minimum and building on it if you find it doesn´t work. Both thyme and peppermint are possible sensitisers (the german E monographs recommended peppermint was not to be used around the mucus membranes of an infant), and as such I would err on the side of caution and try without first - it would be a shame to create a sensitivity in an underdeveloped child that would mean s/he could never use these most useful remedies for the rest of their lives.

[Green Aura]

I understand what you're saying but I'm only talking about using them for a night or two while the kids are really bunged up - they need the mucolytic components to help break down all the phlegm and stuff that's making them congested.

They're not going to develop sensitivities with such tiny amounts for a short period of use. The lavender will quench the more stimulating effects without removing the required properties and help them to sleep.

You could, Lorna, mix the blend in an empty dropper bottle and just use 1-2 drops of the blended oils but this would encourage longer usage "to use it up", which would concern me more than a quick blast.

Anyway, enough of all this - I hope your children are feeling better soon.

[growingthings]

Cheers for all the comprehensive advice - sorry its taken so long to add on a post, but I'm sure that you understand sleep wins over the pooter everytime and its been a bit thin on the ground of late.

I have been using lavender, peppermint and ucalyptus with her and these seem to have have a really positive effect.

Also when getting her weighed by the health visitor bumped into another lady there who is a healer, and she 'worked' on her aura for a while (v. receptive apperently). I have never had any experience of this personally and do live life with a healthy dose of scepticism, - but the difference in her is palpable. She physically relaxed for the first time in days and tonight is much less comgested. Coincidence or not, IMHO it all helps. She also worked on me (and gave me a hot head!) and I have found myself feeling particularly mentally refreshed which is fabulous, what a lovely lady.

Lorna x