10 Herbs that are Great for Toddlers
In this article, I will share what some of my favorite herbs are and why I would not want to be without them. They are not necessarily listed in order of importance because that would depend on what condition I am dealing with - each of these is not only safe, but have been used many, many times in my family with amazing results.
There are many different ways to use these herbs and many other conditions they could be used for – the following suggestions are just a brief explanation on how my family typically uses them.
1) YARROW
This herb is probably one of the safest and most effective medicinal herbs known to man. Although it contains over 100 active constituents, it has been said that you will know you have overdosed on yarrow when you can tip your head and the yarrow runs out of your ear. When made into a hot tea, yarrow is considered to be a diaphoretic which means it will cause you to sweat. When taken as a cold tea, it is considered to be a diuretic, meaning it will cause you to urinate. Either way, the yarrow is helping the body to eliminate toxins.
When combined with other herbs such as Elder Flower and Peppermint, it becomes an excellent cold and flu remedy for helping a child to eliminate the toxins and mucus which are building up in their system. At the first sign of a runny nose, we administer yarrow – usually in the form of a tincture made with vegetable glycerin. If the nose is running, we want to help it run more and eliminate the problem. We believe a cold should not last more than 24 to 48 hours if you work with the body to eliminate the problem.
2) PEPPERMINT
Peppermint is known for its cooling properties and for its ability to alleviate nausea. Therefore, if a child is running a fever or is feeling nauseated – peppermint becomes one of our first herbs of choice. If we are dealing with a fever, then we will quite often use peppermint essential oil on the bottom of the feet to help bring the fever down. If we are dealing with nausea, then we will usually make a peppermint tea which the child can sip on. We will also apply some peppermint essential oil - usually diluted in some olive oil – under the nose to help calm the stomach.
3) GARLIC
Garlic is known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, so we often turn to garlic when dealing with ear infections or anything which is causing a fever. Typically, we administer garlic in the form of an oil. Oil of garlic is made by soaking garlic cloves in olive oil for ten to fourteen days and then straining the oil off of the garlic. If we are dealing with an ear infection, we warm the garlic oil and put it directly into the child’s ear to help fight the infection. If we are dealing with a fever, we quite often rub the garlic oil into the bottom of the child’s feet, so their body can draw on the antibacterial, antiviral properties of the garlic.
4) MULLEIN
Mullein is an amazing herb which we quite often use with colds, flu and ear infections to break up congestion. Our favorite way to use mullein is in the form of an oil. Like oil of garlic, mullein oil is made by soaking the mullein flowers in olive oil for a couple of weeks and then straining off the oil. If we are working with an ear infection, then we like to combine this oil with oil of garlic to put directly into the ear. We use the garlic to fight the infection and the mullein oil to help break up the congestion behind the ear drum. Again, we warm the oil by pulling it up into a dropper and then holding the dropper under hot running water to warm the oil before putting it into a child’s ear.
If we are dealing with a cold or some type of upper respiratory problem like RSV, bronchitis or other respiratory congestion, then we rub the mullein oil onto the throat, chest and back after taking the child out of a hot, steamy bath or shower. The hydrotherapy (steam) will help to open us the bronchial tubes while the mullein oil will help to break up the congestion, so the child can move it out.
5) ECHINACEA
Echinacea has been used for centuries for its ability to boost the immune system. When used with a child, we typically administer this in a vegetable glycerin tincture in combination with yarrow, elder flower and peppermint. Echinacea is seen by the body as an invader and so will respond by activating the immune system. This reaction can help to shorten the length of time we have to deal with a virus or infection. It can also be used as a preventative when something is going around the neighborhood or school – especially during cold and flu season. Echinacea should only be used for ten to fourteen days at a time because after this amount of time, the body realizes the echinacea is not a threat and will no longer react to its presence. After two weeks of not using echinacea, it can be used again effectively.
6) CASTOR OIL
Although not considered an herb, this is something I would always want to have on hand for infants and toddlers. If I have a toddler who is constipated or has a tummy ache or intestinal cramping – this is one of the first remedies I turn to. I do not administer it orally as I feel it can be too harsh. Instead, we apply it generously to the abdomen. Then, we cover the abdomen with a warm, wet cloth. Every five to ten minutes I slide my hand under the cloth to see if the skin still feels oily – if not, I apply more oil. We keep the cloth warm with moist heat (soaking the cloth in hot water and wringing it out). We then apply a corn bag or rice bag to keep it warm. Usually, after applying this therapy for thirty to sixty minutes, the child will have a bowel movement and feel much better.
7) CATNIP
I like to keep catnip on hand in case I need to give an enema. Catnip helps to relieve gas, bloating, intestinal cramps along with having properties which help to calm, soothe and relax. There is not time or space in this article to go into all of the reasons an enema might be needed or might be beneficial, but suffice it to say that when needed, catnip is my herb of choice.
8) EUCALYPTUS
I like to use eucalyptus for its aromatic properties. Whenever I am dealing with a toddler who is congested and having a hard time breathing, I like to use eucalyptus in a hot water vaporizer to help open up the respiratory passages. I typically use it in the form of an oil which is placed in a reservoir designed for this purpose. However, I also have placed it in an oil diffuser or made up a strong tea using the cut herb. After making the tea, I have had the child breathe in the steam while holding a towel over their head. How ever you decide to administer it – eucalyptus is an excellent choice for helping to open up the respiratory passages. This is one of the main ingredients in Vicks Vaporub and Vicks Vapo-steam.
9) COMFREY
Comfrey is one of our number one first aid herbs. Whether we are dealing with a sprained ankle, a cut, a pulled muscle or any other type of injury – comfrey tea is what we will soak it in. Comfrey is an incredible cell-proliferate. We have discovered through the years that if the body has the tools it needs to work with when it is repairing any type of injury, it is capable of healing and putting everything back exactly the way it was before – usually without any scarring.
10 ) ALOE VERA
We believe in keeping an aloe vera plant handy in case of any type of burn. Whether it is a burn in the kitchen, a steam burn or a sun burn – aloe is our go-to plant to begin the healing process and to reduce the pain caused by a burn. We simply cut the leaf open and scrape the get out of the inside – this can be applied directly to the burn.
These are just a few of the herbs I like to keep on hand and some of the simple ways they can be used. Although they are extremely safe and easy to use, these herbs are very effective and have seen our family through the simplest colds to things like pneumonia, croup and whooping cough – all without side-effects and/or destroying the microflora in the gut.