UNITED STATES—When your child is ill or has had a minor injury, you just want to take away their aches and pains and make it all better again. From roadside scrapes on the knee to nightly teeth grinding, our children often have a myriad of ailments or issues which need our attention as parents.
There are many medicines, ointments, creams and syrups on the market to help with healing and feeling better, but maybe you want to try something more natural, without the added chemicals and unknown ingredients. These helpful solutions are natural ways to address common childhood ailments before you resort to medicinal methods.
Prevent Mosquito/Insect Bites
In many areas, mosquitoes are an issue for people and especially young children. There are many products on the market to prevent such bites, however, most of those products contain dangerous chemicals which are not recommended for use on children. If you use nothing while enjoying the outdoors, children are vulnerable to “being eaten alive” by these pesky insects (and potentially other bugs too).
Peppermint oil is a great way to keep mosquitoes and other insects from biting your children. It can easily be made into a mist and applied liberally throughout the day without any ill effects. The upside is that it smells yummy too!
Nausea/Car Sickness
If you have ever driven a fair distance with a child, you know that the risk of car sickness is pretty high. There’s nothing worse than cruising down the highway only to hear helpless heaves from the back seat.
Before heading out on the road, bake some ginger cookies. Ginger is an herb which is well-known for curing bouts of nausea and since you are putting it in a cookie, kids will be sure to ingest it without fuss.
Head Lice
Just the thought of your child being infested with head lice will send you itching your own head. It is not fun or pleasant when dealing with a case of head lice, but chances are you will have to at least once or twice. The over the counter shampoos to treat lice are often loaded with chemicals and can be very odorous. If you want to try a natural route, look to coconut oil.
You use the coconut oil to soak your child’s hair completely and then allow it to sit for up to eight hours. Wash the hair thoroughly and then carefully pick through for nits. Use a metal lice comb rather than a plastic one because they are better at getting the stubborn eggs. The coconut oil works to smother the lice and will leave your child’s hair soft and shiny.
Staying Natural
It is important to note that not all natural remedies will be right for all children. If there are underlying issues, it is best to ask your doctor first. However, this doesn’t mean you have to stop seeking out more natural alternatives to traditional treatments. If you can help your child at home first, it will save many unnecessary trips to the doctors office.
References:
https://www.ehow.com/how_2164042_use-peppermint-oil-as-insect.html
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/can-toddlers-drink-ginger-honey-7520.html
