NEWBORN - INFANT
AILMENTS AND HOMEOPATHY
Bringing a new baby
home from the hospital is an exciting as well as a very anxious time. Although
your baby may be perfectly healthy there are some common conditions that your
baby may experience. Now I will discuss
some infant ailments that can be treated easily and
safely with the help of Homeopathic medicines. The remedies given below with the specific health conditions are
just a few of the commonly used Homeopathic remedies and are mentioned only to
create awareness about the effectiveness of Homeopathic medicines in infant
ailments. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any health
issues.
Neonatal Thrush: Thrush
is a common fungus that is usually present in the vagina. If the natural
balance of the vagina is disturbed especially during pregnancy, this fungus can
overgrow, causing redness, itching, burning, and a flaky white, cheesy
discharge. The newborn may pick up the infection during birth or through breast
milk. In babies it develops as cracks in the
corners of the mouth and white patches on the tongue, palate, lips, and inside
of the cheeks causing it to be sore while sucking on a bottle or breastfeeding
making the baby cry during feeding.
Tips:
·
Nursing moms should add yoghurt to their diet, this will help re-establish the correct balance of
bacteria and fungi.
·
Clean your baby’s mouth from inside with a
damp wash cloth after every feed.
Homeopathic
remedies:
·
Borax and Candida tincture application to
the thrush area inside the mouth may be helpful.
Colic is sharp abdominal pain
with severe intermittent cramping. Colic is most common in the first few weeks
to four months of an infant's life. Infants with colic are uneasy and cry in
pain, especially after feeds, the baby may become red in the face and pull up
legs to ease
the stomach pain. They may become constipated or you may notice a change in the
color of their stools. In breast-fed babies, colic
can be caused by an immature digestive system, air intake while feeding or
crying, spicy or acidic food in the mother's diet, the mother's anxiety, over
stimulation of the baby or allergic reaction to any food. Colic may
become worse when baby is lying down.
Tips:
·
It may help to lay the baby over your lap on
his tummy and rub his back.
·
Be sure to wind baby properly after feeds.
·
Walking or rocking the baby might help.
·
A mother who is breast feeding must eliminate
certain foods like alcohol, tea, coffee, chocolate, spices, onions, garlic,
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peppers, berries, oranges,
grapes and apricots.
·
Offer your little finger to an uneasy baby
who has just fed. Some babies will feed continuously when colicky but the extra
milk can overload the stomach and worsen the colic when all they want is
comfort sucking.
Homeopathic remedies:
Chamomilla: It
is indicated in colicky babies who scream, are restless and want to be constantly rocked
and carried. Gaseous distention of abdomen and pain is mainly in the
navel region with hot perspiration and facial flushing on only one cheek. Stools may be green and smell of rotten eggs.
Colocynthis:
Colic with a bloated abdomen is a strong indication for this remedy. The pain
may be severe and coming in waves. Babies look extremely restless and want to
draw their legs up. They feel better when carried tummy-down, with firm
pressure on the stomach, having their tummies rubbed or after passing a stool. They may develop green diarrhea. They are worse after
eating fruits, in a warm room and before a bowel movement.
Dioscorea: This remedy is indicated in babies with a growling and gaseous tummy. The pain may be paroxysmal, with gas and burping, worse in the
morning and on lying and better from holding them upright.
Nux vomica:
This remedy is helpful in colicky pains that result when the nursing mother has
eaten spicy food, overeaten or overindulged in coffee,
alcohol, and other stimulating substances.
Diaper
rash: The most common cause
of this rash is soiled diaper left on for too long which makes the area warm
and soaked in ammonia from urine, or bacteria and fungi from stools. Buttocks,
thighs and genitals become sore, red and infected with thrush, a yeast fungus. Fungal
infection or an allergic reaction to soap or detergent left in fabric diapers
due to inadequate rinsing can also cause diaper rash.
Tips:
·
Change diapers often.
·
At each change bathe the rash
with lukewarm water - do not use soap.
·
Pat the affected area dry with a
soft towel and apply Homeopathic Calendula ointment.
·
Leaving the baby diaper free from
time to time helps the skin to dry out and promotes healing.
·
Never use perfumed wipes on inflamed skin and
avoid talcum powder, as it tends to cake on the skin, trapping germs and
causing sores.
·
If using fabric diapers wash them with a mild
baby detergent and rinse thoroughly by putting them through an extra rinse
cycle in the washing machine.
Homeopathic remedies:
·
Calendula ointment can be applied to
the affected area.
·
·
Mercurius: This
remedy is indicated when the diaper
area is very moist and is associated with teething.
Diarrhea: Frequent loose, watery stools
could create dehydration in infants and lead to serious health problems as they
cannot survive much fluid loss. Signs of severe dehydration are weariness, dry
tongue and mouth, sunken eyes and no urination for 4 to 6 hours. Breastfed
babies usually produce runny, yellow stools but these are normal and not an
indication of diarrhea.
Tips:
·
Encourage fluid intake. Prepare a
solution by adding two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of table salt to
one liter of boiling water and feed the baby frequently.
·
Consult your practitioner
immediately if the dehydration symptoms seem severe.
Homeopathic remedies:
Aethusa: This remedy is considered
when babies are unable to digest milk, leading to colic, diarrhea, nausea, and
vomiting. The children regurgitate the milk and other food within
one hour of eating or drinking, sometimes with vomiting containing yellow or green
curds. The infant sweats, appears weak, restless,
anxious, and weepy.
Arsenic
Album: This remedy works best when babies have symptoms of
stomach flu, food poisoning like diarrhea and vomiting. The stools smell offensive. The babies are
thirsty all the
time, look tired, weak and extremely restless. Warmth and warm
drinks provide temporary relief.
Ipecac: Diarrhea with constant nausea is characteristic of this remedy.
They have drooling salivation and painful urgings to have a stool.
Nux vomica: This remedy is indicated for diarrhea in breast fed babies after
Mom has eaten rich or
spicy foods. These children feel better after
a stool, but will have diarrhea again immediately after eating or upon waking.
Cold & Cough:
Common cold and cough is an inflammatory process that affects the respiratory
tract. This could be very uncomfortable for an infant as breast or bottle fed
babies cannot suck with its nose blocked or chest congested and has to use its
mouth for breathing. Your baby may dilate his nostrils when he
breathes, or use the muscles around his rib cage and collarbone to help him get
air into his lungs, or he may make a sound and tighten his abdominal muscles.
He may also make a wheezing sound when he breathes. This
may also affect the Eustachian tube leading to earache.
Tips:
·
Infants have not developed defense mechanism
and resistance to sudden changes of weather hence they should be protected from
sudden changes of weather.
·
Keep infants away from children or adults
suffering from cold or any other viral or chest infections.
·
The nose of the infants should be kept clean.
·
Infant should be kept warm and comfortable.
Homeopathic remedies:
Aconite:
This remedy is useful when the baby develops sudden cold and cough after
exposure to cold wind making the baby very restless.
Belladonna:
This remedy is best indicated for cold with a barking cough,
high fever and a red face in a very thirsty baby.
Mercurius: This remedy works
well when baby develops cold and cough with a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, ear ache and is sensitive to cold weather.
Hepar Sulph: This
remedy can be given to babies who have a dry rattling cough, like wheezing. The
baby may not want to eat or may cry while eating due to throat pain on swallowing.
Eczema:
This is an inflammatory skin disease and is known as infantile seborrhoeic
eczema in infants. It usually starts on the scalp known
as cradle cap or the diaper area and quickly spreads to the face, elbows, knees,
neck, wrists and ankles. Although this type of eczema looks unpleasant, it is
not sore or itchy and does not cause the baby any discomfort.
Tips:
·
Avoid long baths for your baby as
they can easily remove natural oils from the skin. Moisture can be locked into
the skin by applying a non-allergenic baby cream or lotion after washing.
·
Bathe your baby without using
soap.
·
Use mild detergents for washing
your baby’s clothes.
·
Try to expose affected areas of
skin to the air as much as possible. Lengthy exposure to sunlight should be
avoided as this will have a detrimental affect on the
eczema.
·
Try to wear soft cotton clothing
while carrying your baby as other fabrics would irritate your baby’s skin. Also
cotton bedding and comforters might be more soothing to the baby’s skin.
·
Avoids pets in the house as pet
hair can cause an allergic reaction on your baby’s skin.
·
Avoid excessive heat in your
house and use a good and clean humidifier.
Homeopathic
remedies:
Rhus Tox: This remedy is indicated when the skin looks blistered and gets worse
in damp conditions.
Petroleum: This remedy works very well when the skin erupts with yellow crusts and is
worse at night.
Graphites: This remedy is considered when the skin looks cracked and oozing.
Calendula ointment and olive oil can also help as local
application.
Sleep problems:
There are many reasons why babies suffer
from sleeping problems. Sometimes sleep problems become chronic and a pattern
of insomnia sets in. The main causes of sleeplessness in babies could be colic,
nasal congestion, teething, a lack of bedtime routine, and a high sugar diet
and stimulants like coffee and tea by nursing mothers.
Tips:
·
Set up a routine schedule for
naps and night time sleep.
·
Treat any condition that is keeping
the baby awake.
·
Keep evenings calm and do not
over stimulate the baby too much.
·
Make sure the baby is not hungry
while going to sleep.
·
Nursing Moms should avoid coffee,
tea, chocolate drinks and other stimulant foods.
Homeopathic
remedies:
Aconite: This remedy works best when the baby wakes up due to a fright or nightmare.
Chamomilla: This remedy is indicated when the baby is irritable and only
stops crying when picked up and carried around. The moment it is laid down, it starts crying again.
Coffea: This remedy is best indicated when the baby is over stimulated.
Nux Vomica: This remedy can be given when the baby always wakes up around 4.00 am crying and cannot be
consoled.
Passiflora: This remedy is also useful in treating colic and its high safety
profile makes it a gentle and very effective choice for treating the symptoms of insomnia in babies.
Teething: Teething usually begins at about the age
of six or seven months, with most of the first teeth breaking through before
your baby is 18 months old. Some babies have a tough time and may refuse food,
become clingy, irritable, suffer excessive dribbling of saliva, become
sleepless and restless at night, gums may be red and swollen. He will try to
cram his fingers into his mouth and chew on his fingers or bite any hard object
that he can get hold of. It is important to realize
that the symptoms of teething do not include diaper rash, vomiting, diarrhea or
loss of appetite. These are symptoms of an underlying illness, and not teething,
but stress and discomfort of teething can lower a child’s resistance to
infection.
Tips:
·
Hugs, kisses and cuddling your
baby more often helps.
·
Offer cold water or teething
rings that have been chilled in the refrigerator.
·
Rub your child's gums with a
clean finger.
Homeopathic
remedies:
Chamomilla: This remedy is indicated when the baby is hyperirritable, screaming and
hitting with inflamed gums, drooling and a desire to
keep fingers constantly in the mouth. Stools are loose
and green. One cheek of the baby is hot and red, while
the other is pale. They demand things but reject them as soon as they are
given. During sleep they toss and turn and may cry aloud. The only relief they
experience comes when they are being carried about or rocked.
Ferrum Phos: This remedy works well when the baby has inflamed gums with fever.
Calcarea Phos: This remedy helps the teeth come through if they are slow in coming.
Homeopathic
medicines have a widespread application for pediatric complaints,
the pellets can be dissolved in water and given to even a newborn baby. A
growing number of parents today are concerned about the side effects of
conventional drugs, especially in the treatment of newborns and infants. Since
Homeopathic remedies are free of any chemical toxicity, it is the ideal
medicine for people of all ages, even the most sensitive like a newborn baby. Babies
respond very well to Homeopathic treatment since they have not been exposed as
much to conventional drug therapy as adults. Homeopathy
is fast acting and brings back the healthy state in the quickest possible
manner; be it fever, cough-cold, diarrhea, asthma, etc. Homeopathy helps in
building body resistance in children who habitually have recurring infections
due to lowered resistance power, as a result of which the child will not fall
sick frequently. Homeopathic remedies are very soothing, and work by stimulating
the body to heal itself. Homeopathic medicines
are diluted to minimum doses by a special method that releases their healing
potential. This minimum dose can improve symptoms without causing any side
effects. Homeopathic medicines being gentle, safe, non-toxic, FDA approved are
effective in treating various problems during infancy. Correct Homeopathic prescribing during
infancy increases the likelihood of a healthy child. Since Homeopathy works with the body's natural defense system the
Homeopathic medicines will strengthen the overall health functioning of the
baby. The remedies given above with the
specific health conditions are mentioned only to create awareness about the
effectiveness of Homeopathic medicines in infant ailments. It is not advisable
to resort to self-medication for any health issues.