Childhood Diseases
The primary childhood diseases—measles, German measles, mumps and chickenpox —are caused by viruses. Most of us are affected by them only once in our lives—after the first exposure, the body recognizes the virus and usually builds up a lifelong immunity to it. Until recently, most people encountered all four viruses as children (which is why the illnesses are called childhood diseases). Today, vaccines are used to foster a person's immunity without his ever having to experience the illness, but even vaccinated children occasionally come down with one of these illnesses. In fact, according to the Merck Manual, the incidence of German measles has been increasing since 1988, and most children who have contracted this disease during this time have been vaccinated. The symptoms of these diseases, as well as minor adverse reactions to the vaccinations, can be fought using herbs. If your child experiences breathing problems, a rash, persistent fever or crying, or appears unusually inattentive after being vaccinated, this could be because of a reaction to the vaccine. You should contact your pediatrician immediately. 
Measles start off with itchy pink spots on the face that spread to the rest of the body. The child will probably also have a cough, high fever, sensitive eyes and a runny nose. German measles, also called rubella, is less contagious and usually less severe, with fewer spots and a low fever, if any. The child's glands will swell, but this swelling is rarely accompanied by a sore throat. Chickenpox causes only a moderate fever, but results in itchy spots that scab over, headaches, and an occasional sore throat. Mumps produces a moderate fever and noticeable swollen glands on the neck. It rarely occurs in children under two years old, and at least 25 percent of cases are so mild that they go unnoticed.
Most likely, your doctor will recommend the same treatment for all these childhood diseases: bed rest. You can, however, lessen your child's symptoms and make her more comfortable with an herbal remedy. A child suffering from any of these illnesses always seems to get well much more quickly and to have a relatively light case if he drinks a tea of catnip, lemon balm, burdock and the Chinese herb bupleurum. Catnip lowers a fever and reduces the eruptions of measles and chickenpox. Long before viruses were found to be the root of these diseases and vaccines were developed to fight viruses, the Chinese treated these illnesses with burdock and bupleurum in an effort to enhance immunity and liver function. Laboratory studies have shown that burdock and bupleurum destroy the measles virus. The virus responsible for chickenpox is inhibited by antiviral agents in lemon balm and by bergamot essential oil. Lemon balm also destroys the mumps virus. Lemon and yarrow reduce the fever that generally accompanies these diseases, and mullein encourages the drainage of swollen glands.
Childhood Diseases Tea
1 teaspoon burdock root
½ teaspoon bupleurum root (optional)
1 quart water
1 teaspoon each catnip leaves, lemon balm leaves, mullein leaves and elder flowers
½ teaspoon each yarrow flowers and peppermint leaves (for taste)
Combine burdock, bupleurum and water in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add other herbs and steep for 15 minutes. Strain out herbs. Give as much as the child will drink—at least 2 cups daily for a 50-pound child. If your child does not like the taste of this tea, mix it with fruit juice to make it more palatable. Store extra tea in the refrigerator.
If your child comes down with one of these diseases, her appetite and ability to hold down food will probably be reduced. However, if she can tolerate food, the sickness can be treated through the addition of certain herbs to her meals. A small amount of burdock can be prepared as a vegetable, Japanese-style. The Chinese recommend saffron and coriander leaves (known as cilantro in Mexican and Oriental cooking) to encourage sweating in eruptive skin diseases like chickenpox and measles. If your child has one of these diseases, it is also a good idea to sponge off her skin with an herbal wash or to apply wet compresses. These treatments reduce the itching, speed healing of the sores and reduce possible spread of the infection. Use a strong "tea" of burdock, calendula and lemon balm for the wash or compresses.
Eruptive Skin Wash
2 teaspoons each burdock root, calendula flowers and lemon balm leaves
6 drops bergamot essential oil (for chickenpox only)
3 cups water
Place burdock root and water in a saucepan and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining herbs. Cover pan and steep for 10 minutes. Strain out herbs. Add essential oil and stir well to distribute evenly. Sponge gently over skin eruptions, or make a compress by soaking soft cloths in this wash. Wring out the cloth and apply on afflicted skin.
For mumps, drain the glands and reduce the pain and swelling with the neck compress suggested for swollen glands (see chapter 93). A child with mumps will also benefit by taking a tincture that encourages lymph drainage. If ear or other infections are also present, follow the instructions given in this chapter to combat these problems.
Mumps Tincture
Equal parts calendula flowers, barberry and mullein leaf (if available)
For a 50-pound child, give 10 drops 3 times a day. Take this along with the Childhood Diseases Tea. Because this formula is not very tasty, it is best given as a tincture with a small amount of water or fruit juice.
| Bolstering Immunity All children are exposed to numerous illnesses at school and day care, but some kids seem to have sniffles or stomach upsets almost constantly, while others suffer only an occasional bout of a cold or flu. Resistance to illness is determined by many factors; diet, heredity and stress are all relevant, but the strength of the immune system is likely the most important consideration. The best kind of herbal medicine (like the best modern medicine) is not treating your child once he falls sick, but preventing him from getting sick in the first place. When I began writing this chapter, I asked for herbal success stories from parents. Over and over I heard stories similar to the one that Joan told me about her baby Nathaniel: "Except for an earache, which I treated herbally, he hasn't been sick yet. I think this is because of the immune herbs I give him at the first sign of any problem." Marsha's son is 11, so I figured he had had more chances to get sick, but she said, "Well, Zaya has never really been sick. Maybe that is because since he was little, I have given him herbs like echinacea to boost his immune system." Repeated illnesses are a sign that a child's immunity needs to be bolstered with herbs such as echinacea, chamomile and shizandra. In one Russian study, more than 200 young children were given an herbal combination based on echinacea; these kids had fewer colds and fewer days of fever than children who had not taken herbs. Chamomile, used traditionally in Germany and also heavily researched there, has been proven to increase resistance to disease. A study done in the Russian town of Chirchik showed that children given shizandra proved more resistant than other children to a serious flu epidemic that swept through town. Echinacea, chamomile and shizandra can be given as a tea, pills or a tincture. You can purchase these herbs at a natural food store. Immune Booster Tea 2 cups water 1 teaspoon echinacea root ½ teaspoon each chamomile flowers, shizandra berries (if available) and peppermint leaves (for taste) Boil water and pour it over the herbs. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out herbs. At first signs of illness, give 1 cup daily for every 50 pounds of body weight. As a preventive measure—for instance, when your child is about to start school or go on a long trip—give him 1 cup daily for a week. Store extra tea in the refrigerator. |
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