After an acute illness children often have a growth spurt, either physically or emotionally.  This tends to be less noticeable if the child is given antibiotics, paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Here are some tips for nursing your child naturally when they are ill.

• Fresh air – keep the window open and if the weather is mild let the child lie outside. Many children are kept too warm during illness and the ideal room temperature is 15°C to 18°C.
• No diary produce – this increases mucus and can increase fevers, so cut out milk (including soya), yoghurt, cheese and also eggs.
• No meat and diary until two days after the child is better.
• Lots of fluids – either water with a couple of drops of Rescue Remedy, or diluted apple juice.  Hot water with lemon, honey and ginger is ideal for a fever as the ginger will help push out the fever.
• No food unless hungry – children instinctively know what their body needs so don’t force them to eat during illness.  If your child is hungry give them some light food such as a peeled, sliced apple; wholemeal toast with a thin scraping of honey or Marmite; mashed potato (no butter); vegetable soup; fruit or cooked vegetables. 
• Rest – it is important that the patient sleeps and rests a lot. Limit the amount of TV viewing or reading. Listening to gentle music or audio books is ideal. Poorly children shouldn’t have access to the computer – the less stimulation the better.

There are some homeopathic remedies which you can keep to hand which are ideal for reducing the length of an illness:

• Aconite 30 – for a fever which comes on suddenly, particularly after a shock or after being out in a cold wind. Give one tablet every 20 minutes for up to three doses. You can repeat every time the child is in pain or unsettled.
• Belladonna 30 – if the fever comes on suddenly and the child is hot and red, possibly with cold hands and feet. One dose every 20 minutes for up to three doses, as before.
• Pulsatilla 30 – if the child has been whiney and clingy for a few days and has some mucus. One dose every 20 minutes for up to three doses, as before.
• If the first remedy you try has no effect, use one of the others.  There are many homeopathic home-prescribing booklets available which can give you more information about day to day remedies.

Children will often fall asleep after being given a remedy – this is a good sign, so don’t panic!

If your child suffers from repeated acute infections or fevers it may be helpful to consult a homeopath who can prescribe a remedy to boost their immunity and help them to become less susceptible to future illnesses.  Visit www.a-r-h.org to find a homeopath near you

By Ian Quinn (Pulse Today)

The Government has strongly rejected demands by MPs for the funding of homeopathy on the NHS to be withdrawn, claiming it would fly in the face of patient choice and local decision-making.

In its response to a report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, which issued a damning verdict on the practice and called for GPs to be barred from referring patients under the NHS, the Department of Heath said it would not be stepping in - despite MPs' concerns over the lack of evidence and regulation of homeopathic treatments.

MPs had called not only for doctors to be barred from referring patients to homeopathic hospitals or homeopaths, but for the MHRA to intervene and to apply the same standards of regulation as for medicines, which they said would remove any medical claim supporters of homeopathy had.

But in its response today the DH said: ‘It is not appropriate for the Department of Health to remove the right of PCTs to make these decisions on a case-by-case basis.'

‘Capital investment decisions in the NHS are planned and decided at local level. The commissioning plans of local PCTs set out the type of services that need to be provided and therefore drive decisions about the nature of new facilities needed, or the need to maintain, update or replace existing facilities.’

The committee had also called for an investigation into the cost of homeopathy to the NHS and for new research into the evidence-base for homeopathy, but this too was rejected.

MPs had wanted regulators to ‘remove any medical claim and any implied endorsement of efficacy by the MHRA’ by ensuring the same evidence of efficacy used to assess conventional medicines was used, but the Government said this would potentially deal a fatal blow to the homeopathy market and limit consumer choice.

‘Homeopathy has a long tradition in Europe and is a recognised and widely used system of medicine across the EU,’ it said.

‘The Government takes the view that consumers who choose to use homeopathic medicines should be fully informed about their purpose and assured that standards of quality and safety are maintained. If homeopathic medicines were not subject to any kind of regulatory control consumers would not have access to such information or assurances.'

'Conversely, if regulation was applied to homeopathic medicines as understood in the context of conventional pharmaceutical medicines, these products would have to be withdrawn from the market as medicines. This would constrain consumer choice and, more importantly, risk the introduction of unregulated, poor quality and potentially unsafe products on the market to satisfy consumer demand.’

However the campaign group Sense About Science hit out at the Department of Health's ruling.

'The Government has ignored the Committee’s detailed consideration of the licensing of homeopathic products as medicines,' it said in a statement.

'It has acknowledged that “there will be an assumption that if the NHS is offering homeopathic treatments then they will be efficacious” and that homeopathic products can be licensed with no requirement for evidence that they treat any condition at all. However, the Government has put forward a weak point about ‘patient choice’ instead of considering what to do about these problems. At a time when PCTs are reviewing expenditure on ineffective treatments, this is perverse.'

'We urge them to go back and give proper consideration to this part of the Committee’s report. In the meantime, we recommend a warning on the label of homeopathic products telling people that the product is licensed without any evidence that it works.'

Edzard Ernst | 26 Jul 10

So much for evidence-based government and healthcare decisions!

Brian Kaplan - London | 26 Jul 10

This is truly marvellous news - simply the most heartening thing I've read in PULSE for years.

The government's decision is a victory for liberty and democracy in this country and a slap in the face for those who would seek to thwart the rights of GPs to send patients to fully qualified doctors on the NHS who use homeopathic medicine.

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=35&storycode=4126664&c=2

When we’re packing to go on holiday, the first aid kit is often one of the last things we remember to pack.  Nature has a whole host of remedies that can help with common holiday ailments, and we don’t always have to resort to pharmaceutical drugs.

The journey

If you’re travelling by car or boat and some of the passengers are prone to travel sickness, try Nelson’s Travella which contains a mix of seven homeopathic remedies.  It is safe for the whole family including babies, children and even the dog!

For those who are afraid of flying, the homeopathic remedy Argent Nit may help.  Take one tablet every hour for 3 hours before the flight, and during the flight as required.  Rescue Remedy is also useful to take on the plane to calm the nerves – as it is a liquid it will need to be carried in a clear bag through airport security. 

If you are flying long-haul, the homeopathic remedy Arnica 30 taken every 3 hours during the flight will help you to adjust to the change in time zone.   Australian Bush Flower Travel Essence (available from some health food shops or on line) is a fabulous remedy to combat jet lag – when travelling to Australia I experienced only minor jet lag after using it and can highly recommend it.

Don’t forget to drink loads of water during the flight (buy a big bottle once through airport security, as airline cups are tiny) and avoid the complimentary alcohol on the flight as it will dehydrate you even more.

The beach

We are all familiar with warnings to apply plenty of sunscreen and not stay in the sun for too long, but sunburn can happen by accident – most commonly when walking around or on parts which we missed with the sun cream (feet and ears seem to suffer most frequently).

If you do get sunburnt, lavender essential oil is fantastic at soothing the skin, and aloe vera gel also has a soothing effect.  The homeopathic remedy, Belladonna will calm a sun-induced headache accompanying the burning skin.

The food

Even in countries where the water is safe to drink, if you have a sensitive stomach it may be worth buying bottled water (which is generally a fraction of the price of bottled water in the UK) at least for the first few days until you adjust to the change in food and climate.  The general advice in areas where the water may be less than pure is to avoid salads and unpeeled fruit and to drink and clean your teeth only in bottled water. 

If you are afflicted by severe traveller’s tummy and are incapable of venturing further than the bathroom, one of the most easily accessible remedies is to drink a glass of flat Coke – the phosphoric acid in it can revive a prostrate traveller very quickly.  The homeopathic remedy Arsen Alb is excellent for food poisoning.  It is also worth packing a bottle of Acidophillus (available from health food shops) which contains millions of ‘good’ bacteria, and will replenish these in the digestive system after a bout of diarrhoea. If travelling to an area renowned for tummy upsets, the whole family can take Acidophillus throughout the trip.

When recovering from a serious digestive upset, it is essential to drink plenty of water, with added sugar and salt to rehydrate the body.  Plain crisps are also a good way to get salt levels back up.

Things that bite

If, like me, you seem to hold a special attraction for things that bite, you need to be prepared to fend off the mosquitoes.  You can make your own natural repellent by mixing:

3 parts citronella essential oil

1 part thyme essential oil

2 parts lavender essential oil

1 part eucalyptus oil

in a small amount of vodka and then diluting with spring water.

Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of garlic so taking a supplement of 15mgs a day may help (it may be advisable for everyone you are with to take it if you don’t want to become a social outcast!).  Vitamin B1 (300 mgs daily) can also prevent being bitten, as can a glass of water containing a teaspoon of cider vinegar daily.

If you do get bitten and the bites swell and become hot and red, the homeopathic remedy Apis should reduce the swelling and alleviate the pain.  This is particularly good for bee and wasp stings.  If the bite is bluish in colour try the remedy Ledum.

Remember that bites can occur in the UK with just as much severity as overseas.

Holiday essentials

Here are the remedies which I always take on holiday:

o               Tea tree oil – a natural antiseptic, for everything from cleaning a dodgy toilet seat to applying to a cut

o               Arnica – both homeopathic tablets and as a cream or gel, for bumps and bruises

o               Rescue Remedy – for its wonderful calming properties

o               Lavender oil – for sunburn and promote a good night’s sleep in unfamiliar surroundings

o               Milk thistle – a fantastic herb to boost liver function and invaluable after a night sampling the local wine

o               Aloe vera gel – a soothing gel which can be applied to burns, cuts, scratches, bites, rashes – any type of sore skin

The homeopathic remedies mentioned above are available from local pharmacies.  Take one tablet every 3 hours until symptoms subside.

In last week's Mail on Sunday, East Enders actress, Nadia Sawalha gives an account of how homeopathy has helped over the years, in particular with eczema.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282474/EastEnders-actress-Nadia-Sawalhas-eczema-drove-desperate-measures--decided-aside-prejudices-try-homeopathy.html

Eczema is very often the result of allergies to foods or external factors, such as animal hair or certain chemicals.  I never suffered with eczema as a child but occasionally now get a few patches of it on my fingers or inside my elbows if I use harsh chemicals for cleaning the bathroom.  Many sufferers notice a considerable improvement in symptoms if they eliminate certain foods; this differs for everyone but dairy, wheat and sugar are common eczema aggravants.

N.A.E.T. is an allergy elimination treatment, and over several treatments it is possible to redress food and environmental allergies, which results in a reduction of eczema symptoms as well as the ability to eat a wide variety of foods without ill effects. There is more information about N.A.E.T. on my website http://sussexhomeopathy.co.uk/page12.htm.

Here is the story of one woman's treatment for eczema, which involved a combination of N.A.E.T.  and homeopathic remedies.

I initially suffered with eczema as a child but grew out of it within a few years. About three years ago it came back and progressively got worse until I was literally covered in it from head to toe. After repeated visits to the GP and no improvements to my skin I was at the end of my tether.

I decided to see a lady who had been recommended to me who tests for allergies and organ function. It was suggested to me that I avoid refined sugars, yeast and anything that had once said “moo”, and take various supplements to aid my bodies’ recovery. To my relief my skin improved considerably but the eczema still remained on my hands, and being unable to eat many of the things I love was becoming a bore. My skin was very uncomfortable and painful at times. Some areas were swollen and cracked whilst others were blistered and weepy. Being a sports massage practitioner this was obviously not acceptable and I was very self conscious and embarrassed.

I then went to see Mary-Jane who used a combination of the NAET allergy elimination treatment and homeopathy to treat my condition. Coming from a science background I found it a little hard to understand how it could work but I was willing to give it go. Mary-Jane is lovely, incredibly easy to talk to and she was most understanding of the emotional as well as physical impairments that my eczema was causing. I found the food avoidance after each session nothing more than a little inconvenient and I soon began to see an improvement in my skin and digestion. After one of the treatments my skin significantly improved and my hands were 90% better.

I still get some outbreaks, especially on my hands but I feel that it is now under control. Occasionally Mary-Jane would treat me for emotional things and I found that this really improved my confidence and I am back on my way to being the happy, bubbly person that I used to be.

I have found that the NAET treatment takes commitment and has been no ‘quick fix’ but the end result is most definitely worth it, and I will continue my treatment with Mary-Jane to combat other non-related allergies that I have such as latex. My life has dramatically improved thanks to Mary-Jane, NAET and homeopathy and so she has earned herself a life time of sports massages in return!

Here is a recent article I wrote for Raring2Go magazine http://www.raring2go.co.uk/

Natural approaches for treating eczema

By Mary-Jane Sharratt BA(Hons) SDSHom MARH

The Perrymount Clinic, Haywards Heath

Although rarely life-threatening, eczema can be extremely distressing for children who suffer from it, and even very young babies can find the itchiness very uncomfortable.  There are many causes of eczema, but most children who suffer from it will have a family history of skin complaints.

Conventional treatment usually involves the use of topical applications of petroleum-based or steroid creams.  In severe cases where the skin is prone to infection, oral steroids or antibiotics may be prescribed.  Over a long period of use, steroid creams can thin the skin although they are usually effective in keeping the symptoms under control. However, there are natural treatments available which can help achieve real improvements in the skin.

Homeopathy treats not just the symptoms but also the cause of the problem.  Its aim is to eventually eliminate the eczema altogether.  Treatment is tailored to the child’s particular symptoms so two children with differing symptoms will probably receive different remedies.  Whilst some remedies, such as Sulphur, have a reputation for being useful in eczema treatment I strongly advise against home prescribing.  If the best remedy for the child is not selected, the symptoms can become considerably worse.  You can visit www.a-r-h.org to find a homeopath near you.

In practice I see many children with eczema whose digestion is not working efficiently.  Sluggish or irregular bowel movements can result in a build up of toxins with a resulting flare-up in the skin condition. In this case, improving the digestion of the child is one of the first steps to treating the eczema, and some dietary changes can often help.  Some parents find that eliminating dairy products, wheat and refined sugar from their child’s diet can result in the eczema improving considerably.  I recommend giving a probiotic to the child for a couple of months (health-food shops usually stock a product suitable for children). You can then reintroduce each food type gradually and see if it affects the skin.

Something else that may help your child’s skin is oat baths (a handful of porridge oats in a pop sock hung under a running tap).  If the skin is cracked, manuka honey applied to the affected area will heal the skin (best applied just at night, with clothing over the honey otherwise it makes a bit of a mess of the sheets!). 

I also advise looking in your cleaning cupboard and replacing harsh chemicals with natural cleaning products. The same applies to washing powders, fabric conditioners, soaps and shampoos, as children with eczema will often be sensitive to the chemicals contained in many products.  Finding creams that are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulphates and petroleum to apply on the skin is also recommended.

There are many natural ways to help children with this uncomfortable condition, and if you can eliminate eczema when they are young, your children will thank you forever!

This week's WOMAN magazine (3rd May 2010) includes a letter to which I was asked to reply.  Here is the question and the full answer (which was slightly edited for the publication). Of course it is impossible to give a complete answer in 150 words or from such a brief question, as a number of things can contribute to tiredness and we are all different.

Q I always wake up tired although I sleep well and have to rely on coffee to keep going. What should I do?

A It is really tough when you are sleeping really well but still feel tired, and from a holistic point of view you need to look at the underlying cause of your exhaustion.  If you have recently been through a period of extreme stress or overwork you may find the remedy Kali Phos helpful. It is available as a tissue salt from New Era and assists in cases of nervous exhaustion. The tablets can be taken safely three times a day until you feel your energy is restored.

You may have an underlying medical condition, such as under-active thyroid which is affecting your energy levels and your doctor can do a blood test which will show if this is the problem. If it is, I recommend a consultation with a qualified homeopath and they will be able to prescribe the remedy most appropriate for you and your symptoms. You can find a homeopath by visiting www.a-r-h.org.

A wonderful research article was only recently published in the journal 'Homeopathy'  (Volume 99, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 57-62 Special Issue: Biological models of homeopathy Part 2)

Here's what happened:

The study in question was a double blind random controlled trial (RCT) of 52 sows who were randomly treated with either the homeopathic remedy, E.Coli 30 or placebo.  The sows subsequently gave birth to a total of 525 piglets. 

The study showed that there was a reduction in the incidence of E.Coli diarrhoea in the homeopathically treated group, with piglets in the placebo group experiencing over six times more diarrhoea.  

The researchers pointed out that although average duration of diarrhoea was not significantly different for both groups, 1.86 days on average in the placebo group compared to 1.3 days in the homeopathically treated group, the difference of half a day can make large differences in the overall performance of piglets.

The owner of the farm where the experiment was carried out was initially quite sceptical about homeopathy. However, after the experiment he decided to give E.Coli 30 to all sows. Since then E.Coli diarrhoea has hardly occurred at all.

The authors state that "Advantages at farm level of administering E.Coli 30 homeopathic remedy are ease of application of the treatment by the farmer and cost reduction. These advantages and the positive results from this study make the homeopathic agent E.Coli 30 an attractive potential alternative in the prevention of E.Coli diarrhoea."

Hmmm . . . food for thought . . . .

So, given the double blind RCT structure of the trial - the 'gold standard' of science, does this research indicate that homeopathy works, double blind RCTs don't work - or that little piglets tell great big porkies?!