Many children suffer adverse reactions when given drugs for problems that can be treated with safer alternatives. But, do consult a qualified practitioner before taking this route.

INFECTIONS

• Bacterial and fungal
• Colloidal silver. Take care not to overdose: 100 mcg/day is safe for a child weighing 20 kg (Curr Probl Dermatol, 2006; 33: 17–34)
• Tea tree oil. As effective as standard antibiotics for skin infections, including MRSA (J Antimicrob Chemother, 2003; 51: 241–6), although it may cause skin reactions.
• Colds
• Echinacea (Lancet Infect Dis, 2007; 7: 473–80) and vitamin C (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2007; 3: CD000980)
• Saltwater nose drops
• Inhaling steam from water containing Friars Balsam, a 600- year-old herbal remedy.
• Coughs
• EPs 7630, a herbal medicine from geranium (Pelargonium sidoides) roots (Phytomedicine, 2007; 14 [Suppl 6]: 69– 73), made by Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, Karlsruhe, Germany; www.schwabepharma.com
• CORSHE-E, an Ayurvedic herbal linctus (J Herb Pharmacother, 2004; 4: 1–12). A similar product is Olbas Cough Syrup.
• Urinary and bladder
• Cranberry or blueberry juice (N Engl J Med, 1991; 324: 1599).
• Diarrhoea
• Individualized homeopathic medicine (Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2003; 22: 229–34) .
• Inner ear
• Naturopathic herbal ear drops containing tea tree oil, garlic and other herbs (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2006; 3: CD005657)
• Individualized homeopathic medicine (Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2001; 20: 177–83)
• Homeopathic Pulsatilla (J Am Inst Homeop, 1986; 79: 3–4) .
• Sore throat
• Throat spray containing 15-per-cent sage ( Salvia officinalis) extract (Eur J Med Res, 2006; 11: 20–6); a similar product is Echinacea Throat Spray, made by A. Vogel, Switzerland
• Slippery elm, as a pre-drug therapy
• Do nothing, rather than use drugs like penicillin (BMJ, 2003; 327: 1324–7).
  

PAIN

• Headache
• Peppermint oil applied to the forehead and temples (Nervenarzt, 1996; 67: 672–81)
• Acupressure (Digital Dissertation Abstracts, 1990; DAI-B 50/ 12: 5890)
• Self-hypnosis (Pediatrics, 1987; 79: 593–7)
• Check for food allergy (J Pediatr, 1989; 114: 51–8)
• Feverfew may work (Lancet, 1988: ii: 189–92), although a recent survey casts some doubt (Curr Opin Neurol, 2005; 18: 289–92)
• Homeopathy (although there are no clinical trials).
• Toothache
• Oil of cloves
• Activated charcoal compress
• Tincture of Plantago major (plantain)
• Purple passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) for hypersensitive teeth
• Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) bark tincture to numb teeth and gums.
  

BAD BEHAVIOUR

• Remove additives from the child’s diet (Lancet, 2007; epub ahead of print; DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3)
• Check for food allergy in general (J Pediatr, 1989; 114: 51–8)
• Pycnogenol, the extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree (Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 2006; 15: 329– 35)
• Omega-3 and -6 supplements (Pediatrics, 2005; 115: 1360-6)