They experience a lot of illnesses as they grow and develop and knowing who to turn to for support along the way when heath issues arise can be of great benefit. Your family, maternal child nurse, your GP and your naturopath together can provide a network of support.
A diet high in fresh, protein, good fats, and seasonal fruit and vegetables is essential for keeping healthy and avoiding illness. As parents we want to ensure they have all the essential nutrients as they grow, and that we have the support of natural remedies when they become unwell.
It’s not uncommon to get the blues shorty after your baby is born. But this shouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks. If depression with anxiety continues it’s a good idea to get support.
It sounds so natural but can be challenging. You may have attachment issues, concerns about your milk supply and quality, worried about routines and settling. These can feel overwhelming and confusing.
This is a spasm of the gut and occurs in 10-15% of all babies, equally in male and females. This typically begins at 2 weeks and usually resolves by 4 months. This can seem like such a long time and you may need support.
First teeth appear around 6-12 months, but can be later or earlier. Lower teeth usually come first. Often babies exhibit teething behaviour for weeks to months before teeth appear. Some children have no symptoms. Typical Symptoms include: Restlessness, difficult to settle, off feeds, especially solids, may be thirstier, sometimes fever, ear rubbing, clingy behaviour or irritable, grizzly, whiny, urine may smell of ammonia, smelly diarrhoea and maybe nappy rash.
When foods are introduced to early into a digestive system that does not have the capacity to process the foods appropriately, problems can occur. One study showed that when children were introduced to four or more solid foods before the age of 4 months, they were nearly 300% more likely to develop recurrent eczema than those children not exposed to early solid feeding.
Ninety-five percent of children’s food allergies are due to cow’s milk protein, egg whites, wheat proteins, soybeans, shellfish, fish, peanuts, and tree nuts (like walnuts). Other common allergens include corn, peanut butter, citrus fruits, chocolate, and food additives.
Children under the age of three are most likely to have food sensitivities, because their immune systems cannot yet tolerate a wide range of new substances. Fortunately many grow out of these allergies. I advise more caution in introducing foods in children with a family history of food allergies.
There can be many causes of eczema.
Asthma is a condition of hyper-reactivity of the airways and immune dysregulation. Bronchospasm and inflammation involved in asthma can be caused by a number of factors including climate, airborne & dietary allergens, emotions, stress, respiratory tract infections, hypersensitivity and immune function.
This includes difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or insufficient sleep.
Children often complain of tummy pains and these can be associated with symptoms such as headache, nausea, constipation, vomiting and joint or leg pains. These may be related to digestive issues, worry or anxiety, or food intolerances.
These may be related to a diet low in fibre, low fluid intake, lack of exercise, imbalance of gut flora, or stress, and can be supported with dietary changes, herbs and routine changes.
Gastroenteritis (Gastro) can be contagious and is easily shared between small children when they start childcare or school. It usually self-limiting, but support with herbs and lifestyle management can clear quickly.
Signs and symptoms include: a sore throat, red, inflamed, swollen, may have patchy pus formation on their tonsils, trouble swallowing, bad breath, fever, chilliness, lethargy, airway obstruction, (may manifest as mouth breathing, snoring, sleep apnoea). They may have tender, enlarged lymph nodes, voice changes, loss of voice, or vomiting. A blocked throat may stop your child eating.
This is an acute viral infection of the lower respiratory tract, where children experience respiratory distress, difficulty exhaling, and wheezing. Generally this affects babies under 12 months. The infecting virus spreads from the upper respiratory tract to the medium and small bronchi and bronchioles. These become swollen, often with lots of mucous, which blocks or partially blocks the airways.
Croup is a viral infection of larynx, trachea and bronchioles. It involves swelling and increased production of mucous causing narrowing of the airways. It often starts with a cold. Symptoms are a hoarse, barking cough (sounding like a seal), tightness in lungs and increased mucous production also occurs. These often occur at night. There is often a clear, runny nose. It usually affects children between 6 months and 3 years and is often recurrent. Children with croup can become very distressed.
This is usually first diagnosed in children and adolescents. It is characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity to the extent that the symptoms impair a child’s ability to function. When left unidentified these children are at much greater risk of social problems, decreased self-esteem, impaired learning ability and family problems. It affects 3-5% of school age population.
Please ask your doctor or naturopath before starting on any supplements. It’s better to first identify the cause and then treat it with the right remedies.