Your feedback on children's health and natural home remedies to support it is greatly appreciated!
Infant and Children's Remedies
Deirdre Layne | Modified on Aug 31, 2024
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Appetite Loss
Hi everyone. My four year old boy has such a poor appetite and not gaining any weight and look tired all the time. He is just 13kg and he will turning five next month. I took him to to many doctors and they all say he is fine and he was a small baby to start with and will be like that. But being his mother my instinct says if somehow I can increase his appetite he will put on some weight and increase height. I have tried giving him iron supplements that did help him a while and then it just stop working.
After trying everything and feel helpless and probably crying everyday and stressing about his health non stop and so here I am asking for some home remedy instead. Every meals times are do stressful and torture for him and myself.
Please help me and I want my child to be happy and enjoy food than hating food. Am begging for help!!!
Deena, at age 4 and a problem w/ appetite and no help from doctors, the likelihood of Parasite infestation is very high, especially if you also have pets like cats or dogs. Check for loose stools or diarrhea and/or anal itching. Look for worms in the toilet or potty. If these symptoms are confirmed, purchase some Mebendazole at the pharmacy or purchase an herbal anti-parasite complex at the health food store (use as directed on labels). All pets must be wormed.
Give the food Pineapple to encourage appetite, or Pineapple juice if it doesn't have too much added sugar.
(Modesto, Ca/ Usa)
10/18/2012
Deena-- My son and I began vegetable juicing (even beets! ) together at about this age. It was fun! We made good juice, and enjoyed making faces together if it was not so good tasting. Better add pineapple or apple or it will be bad! And never add garlic. Blech!!
I would do your best to get some Vit C in him, as this could really help, and you would know if it worked very quickly. Scurvy has loss of appetite, lethargy and depression as it's earliest symptoms. Failure to thrive can be from the same cause.
Did you know that raw milk is as good a source of Vit. C as an orange? Pasteurizing alters almost everything good about milk into something bad, like it sucks calcium out of your bones. Can you get him some real milk?
So much can be addressed by diet. Try letting him choose between two or three healthy choices, or even offer a trade if he eats something healthy first. Make it a fun time to share, and less about the food needing to be eaten. Hope that helps.--T.
(Somewhere, Europe)
10/18/2012
Deena, kids will survive no matter what, G-d willing, so take the pressure off of yourself, and mainly off of him. You might have to go to the opposite extreme for a lil' while to balance out your attitude. If you are worring about his height, it is useless worry (and may I say selfish worry - WE want them to be tall.... ), he will grow as tall as he will grow.
Next: kids eat when they are hungry. Your job is to offer the food, then bite your tongue and look the other way. Whatever he won't eat in one meal, he will usually make up his needs in another meal. Meaning that within a week's time, he will probably be getting all the nourishment he needs.
One more thing: have him help you (if you can do it pleasantly! ) in the kitchen here and there. Simple things that might be fun for him, or even only watching you once in a while.
(Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa)
10/18/2012
Hi Deena, It is, I think, normal for us as new moms to be concerned about our child's growth. As a matter of fact, all my sons were very small through their childhoods. I would even have rather insensitive comments made to me by other moms about how small my boys were. It upset me with my first son but, he was also my first child so, I was sensitive due to that. My second son was even smaller but by then I was stronger regarding comments. And my third, well, let them say what they will...
My first son had a huge appetite! Didn't seem to make him grow any faster! Second and third sons, hardly any appetite at all! What Mmsg says, they grow anyway is so true. I was not the type to run my kids to the Dr. at all so, didn't care about the growth charts, curves, etc. At any rate, each one of them hit their own stride. The two oldest not until after 18 and my youngest shot up this year and is now 16. Over the spring/ summer he grew 6 inches! And he still doesn't have a great appetite, always very picky and hates vegetables which I practically live on!
Sometimes, none of it makes sense. So, I would say, offer him good wholesome food, don't make too big of a thing of it, relax and enjoy your life with him, he'll grow in your love and remember it all goes by in a blink of an eye! Most importantly, enjoy sharing time and food with him and remember it's all going to be fine! Hope this eases your concerns. Lisa
(Modesto, Ca/ Usa)
10/18/2012
Hi again Deena! Though you said nothing to indicate a problem at the kitchen table, I thought I would share this experience, anyway. My son's step-father was a bit of a rule-master, which came out a lot at the dinner table. Lots of judgment about eating.... He was passing on what he had lived... So, we started eating together, just my son and I, earlier in the afternoon. We stood in the kitchen the whole time, and it became a time of getting some good strokes and positive attention and making gags together. Like, a safe time to stick carrots up your nose... I once went to a psychic, and she said a strange thing: 'Give yourself permission to not sit at a table to eat. ' I had also been given the third degree at tabletime, as though a time to attack a captive audience. Just something to consider. --T.
(Saint Louis)
03/01/2014
Hello I read about earth clinic online. I have a 8month old son and weighs 12 something pounds, very little, the drs are conncerned about him not eating enough. We had all blood work and test done eveything came ok he just eats how much he wants. I need help and I am worried please.
(Tennessee, Usa)
03/02/2014
Dear Aldina,
Hi there! Is your baby breastfed or bottle fed? Does he still nurse or take a bottle during the night?
What was his birthweight? Was he born near his due date?
Is he taking solid food? What kinds?
Is he crawling and sitting up?
I am asking these questions, hoping to get a better picture of things and hopefully will have some ideas to help and encourage.
Have a great day! Hope to hear from you soon.
~Mama to Many~
(Saint Louis)
03/02/2014
Mama to Many, my son was born 6 pounds 3 oz he was always a bottle fed baby I couldnt breast feeds he only takes 3 oz every 4 hours sometimes 4 oz. Yes, he will eat some solids to 3 or 4 oz of a gerber jars his fav his sweet patotes I try to switch to so many formuals but no luck his weight gain has been so slow and he is so so tiny. He is not sitting all by him self yet and no he is not crawling. He plays in his jumper and active he is been teething no teeth yet. We been at the hospital for 7 days to do all kind of test blood work and all of them are ok. They put him on a feeding tube but he throws up any extra food given thru the tube and plus he pulls the tube out :( I really dont know what to do or what it can be
(Somewhere, Europe)
03/02/2014
Aldina, 1. try feeding him tiny bits but more often.
2. RELAX! When we were dealing with a similar situation, we were told by a wise woman: as long as you see progress, even if it's slow, he will be fine. As a matter of fact, in our situation, the "baby" in question is now a big, husky father!!!
(Tennessee, Usa)
03/02/2014
Dear Aldina,
Well, it seems good that nothing has shown up. Hopefully that means it is just that you have a petite baby, at least for now. My firstborn was 6 lbs 5 ounces at birth and 18 pounds at a year. He only gained 4 pounds during his second year, and if I recall correctly, he went 9 months in his second year with no weight gain. Like Mmsg, my little one turned out to be taller than average after all. Not that the height really matters if he is healthy.
I wonder if you could try 2 ounces of formula every 2 hours instead of 3-4 ounces every 4 hours? I would try and get a feeding in at bedtime and first thing in the morning to maximize the number of feedings in a day. If he still takes a bottle in the night, that is great. Try to keep feedings a pleasant as possible...if he likes it, you can still rock him to give him a bottle and it might maximize his intake.
Mashed avacados are a great baby food that are high in fat and calories.
You could also add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of extra virgin coconut oil to his baby food, to increase calories.
Egg yolks are another high nutrient and calorie food for babies. (I believe no egg white for the first year.) You can cook the egg white and mash it and add it to other foods. (Don't give cooked egg yolk straight as it can be a choking hazard.
I tend to wait a while to give my children dairy products, but if your baby is able to have them, cheese and full fat yogurt would be good. Just be sure they are not constipating him.
Avoid juices unless they are fresh juiced. Juice for babies tends to fill them so they take in less fat and protein.
It is great that he is playing and active. Try to get him out in some sunshine each day the weather is nice. Playing outside and sunshine seem to increase appetites in my children.
Keep us posted on how he is doing! I know you are doing your best for him and he is blessed to have such a caring mama.
~Mama to Many~
(Tennessee, Usa)
03/04/2014
Dear Aldina,
I wanted to pass along a recipe from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.
She recommends egg yolks for babys 4 months old and over.
Here is what she says to do:
1 organic or pasture fed hen egg
pinch sea salt
Boil egg for 3 1/2 minutes. Place in a bowl and peel off shell. Remove egg white and discard. Yolk should be soft and warm, not hot, with its enzyme content intact. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
I have never tried this or even heard of this, but recently was at a friend's house and there she was cooking an egg yolk for her 6 month old.
Anyway, egg yolk is a good source of nutrients and fat.
~Mama to Many~
Apple Cider Vinegar
My 4 yr.old daughter has a yeast infection not on the inside of her vagina but on the outside . She has had it for a month and I've been using nystain and lotrimin antifungal but its still here. Right now I am trying the apple cider vinegar 1 cup and 1/4 of salt in her bath water. I need some help. Someone please respond.
(Miami, Florida)
02/03/2009
Re: Fungul Infection on 4-month old baby. Try "Tea Tree & E Antiseptic Creme" to use topically. It's very soothing and antifungul. It helps tremendously. Only found in Health Food Stores. Also try giving her Acidophilus.
(Plant City, Fl.)
04/03/2009
Hi,Tahalia from Brooklyn try giving her yogurt, any kind. eat it 2 or 3 times and put it on her bottom, that will help her. and put corn stach on her bottom too watch your washing soap, corn starch it the best after the yogurt for 1 or 2days hope it helps her. anything that has salt in it it hurts and burns.
(Ajax, Ont Canada)
01/22/2012
Athlete's Foot
My 2 year old has had a rash on her feet for over a month now. I think it is athletes foot, but I have never seen it and the pictures on the internet are so extreme it is hard to compare.
It started out with a few bumps where her toes connect to her foot - on top of the foot. It wakes her up in the middle of the night itching - but during the day it doesn't seem to bother her that much. In between her toes also felt leathery. After a few weeks, in between her toes started peeling.
I was started rubbing her feet every night with a mixture of calendula, grapefruit seed extract, tea tree oil and other herbs for the skin. After 3 weeks it seemed to have gone away, but only for a few days, then it came back.
Now there are red bumps in the same place as before and little spots all over the top of her foot.
I have been trying an all natural athletes foot cream I purchased from an organic grocery store. I have using it 2 times a day for 10 days with no results.
Her feet don't stink and as far as I can tell, there isn't anything on the bottom of her feet.
Is this athletes foot? If so, is apple cider vinegar safe to use on children? Can I add it to her bath - because trying to get her to sit still and keep her feet in a bowl of vinegar for even 3 minutes is tough!
I am afraid to do anything for too long because of her sensitive skin - I don't want to cause more damage than there is.
This doesn't sound like athletes foot to me. Athletes foot won't have lumps and bumps. The leathery skin with cracks and itch sounds more like the contact dermatitis that my friend's lad had. Any athletes foot cream should have had some kind of effect if it was that. Try googling contact dermatitis and feet for images to see if thats it. If it is I'll ask my freind what she did for it.
Bed Wetting
What helps a kid stop wetting the bed?????? Help!!! Single mom of two boys...
(Battleground, Wash)
04/18/2013
There is a monitor you put in the pants that when it gets wet it sounds an alarm to wake them so they begin to connect with the wetting event as it is happening. Eventually they wake up and make it to the bathroom before the alarm. One of my kids and one grandchild used one.
Seems to run in families if there is one bedwetter, then you can have a child that is a bedwetter.
One alarm was $50 the other was $1000. Shop around.
Also, some food colors can make bladder leaky in adults and children.
Also, tension from personality or stress can cause muscles to fail and bladdr and bowel leaks in adults and children.
(Austin, Usa)
04/18/2013
Please read the article on Slate.com about bedwetting. I encourage you to read the entire article. I was a bedwetter as a child, believe me this is worse for your kid than it could ever be for the adults.
(Rustenburg, North West, South Africa)
04/19/2013
(Slc, Utah, Usa)
04/19/2013
Hi Harm; Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, may be associated with B12 deficiency.
Here's a link to a study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302062/
(Battleground, Wash)
04/19/2013
I had one child out of three that struggled and my son had one of two that struggled. That son was never a bedwetter. My mom had one of five and my spouses family had one of four kids that wet the bed.
I asked around trying to figure out how to help my bedwetter, read books and tried not to traumatize the child with the issue.
(Fort Collins, Colorado, Usa)
04/19/2013
Wow! Thanks Somewhere in Texas for that link to the article about constipation causing bedwetting. It makes so much sense that that would be the cause. Especially when you put together other remedies that people have put forth over the years; avoiding gluten, dairy, or other food allergens, adding minerals and vitamins that help, honey, apple cider vinegar, etc. Constipation is a problem that can cause so many other troubles, including needing an appendectomy! It is such a simple solution, although it may be hard to cure. Thanks for shedding a little light. This is why I love the internet.
(Toronto)
02/08/2017
Bed Wetting
Hello, My 14 yr-old Step Son suffers from PTSD and Autistic like delays / symptoms due to 12 years of neglect and abuse from his previous living environment. Needless to say, he still wets the bed nightly (occasionally during the day also for a myraid of reasons).
Over the last 2 years, his Father and I (as well as his PCM, Psychiatrist and Counselors) have dedicated:
- countless hours of therapy
- sleepless nights (getting up every hour to pee only to discover he's wet the bed in between time)
- changes in diets (increased water and cranberry/apple juice intake, minimal to no sugary sweets or beverages, minimal exposure to dyes, carbohydrates & glutens)
- changes in bedding (plastic air matress with hypoallergenic bedding)
- changes in routines (no fluids after 7p.m. and reminders every 30 minutes to pee)
in efforts to potty train and relieve my Step Son of this heavy burden.
All to no avail... Yet. Although we are scheduled to seek the wisdoms of a Urologist, I am a firm believer in the balance between "Modern" & "Alternative" medicines and tend to wonder what more could we be doing holistically.
I also find it important to note that in the morning, my Steppy's room smells very heavily of amonia & fish from the previous night's wetting.
Any hints, tips or suggestions? Callarlilly
(Renville, Mn)
12/01/2012
(Rustenburg, North West, South Africa)
12/02/2012
(Austin, Texas)
12/02/2012
It could be as simple as constipation. This article in the NYTimes explains....
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/when-bedwetting-isnt-an-accident/
(Slc, Utah, USA)
12/02/2012
(Anon)
12/02/2012
The poor boy. 14 years old is a difficult age- I wouldn't refer to it a potty training. In this case I would think he needs good quality b vits and zero sugar, zero fruits and zero fruit juice including zero cranberry. Has he been checked for glucose intolerance/ diabetes? Children from broken homes sometimes carry the burden of the emotions of their parents and themselves it's a tragedy but a challenge that can be overcome. Liquids of any kind are symbols of emotions and in the teenage years these emotions are very confusing and heightened and are not always expressed in the most obvious way. Just a few ideas for you.
(Toronto, On, Canada)
12/03/2012
Bed Wetting
★★★★★
I have 3 children that wet the bed, One is 8 year old girl, one is 6 year old boy and a 4 year old girl. I had read online that Cal Mag Zinc tablets help stop bedwetting for children. So I decided to try it on my older two. Well, It worked! I went to Walgreens and got a cheapo bottle of Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc. My 8 year old gets 1 1/2 tablets before she goes to bed, My 6 year old gets 1 tablet before he goes to bed. They completely stopped bedwetting and have not wet the bed scince they started the tablets!!!!!
(Albuquerque, Nm)
08/28/2016
Bed Wetting
Hi all. I am a frequent visitor at Earth Clinic and want to share what has worked for me.
1) Plantar Warts- I tried everything you could imagine at the drug store, nothing worked. UNTIL.... I read on Earth Clinic that Apple Cider Vinegar would work. My whole family (5 of us! ) got plantar warts and they are pretty painful. I think it started at the pool. Anyway, I put an ACV soaked cotton ball on the affected foot every night and fixed it there with either a huge bandage or even duct tape (yes, duct tape is good, it suffocates the wart). I would remove it in the morning. The warts all disappeared within 2 weeks, never to return. You MUST be consistent and the longer you can have it covered in ACV the better, meaning if you could wear it to work, then do it.
2) Bedwetting- My daughter has suffered with nightly bed-wetting for a long time now, she just turned 10 this year. After trying everything imaginable the last most simple trick we tried worked! Someone had once mentioned that its possible her insides were "cold". I always thought there might be a relation since my oldest did also wet the bed but only till she was 5. And for her it was as simple as not putting the AC on at night, just a fan. But that wasn't the case for my second daughter. So I put a heating bag on her bladder area every night for about 1.5 months. On the very first night she woke up dry. This was a small miracle. She actually woke up dry every night after that but I kept the heating bag routine for fear it would come back. After a month and a half we decided to try sleeping without the bag with great success. I suggest this very simple trick to anyone who is dealing with this.
Bed Wetting
★★★★★
My son has struggled with bed wetting all his life as did his father when he was young (until he was around 15). He is now 7 and this has been a source of embarrassment for him now that he is older. He recently had a strep throat infection that I treated with cayenne pepper (In pill form because he would not take a tea). His strep eased up within two hours of his first dose of cayenne but I continued to treat him for a few days to be sure it didn't come back. After day 3 I noticed he hadn't wet the bed since taking the pills. I gave him one pill twice a day for the strep but have continued to give him just one a day since. It has been several weeks now and he has not had a single accident! He is so proud and excited as we have tried everything.
I wanted to pass this along in hopes that it might help other kids with a similar issue. Just FYI he wet the bed almost every single night prior to the cayenne. I do suggest taking it halfway through a meal as it may burn a bit on an empty stomach.
Blackstrap Molasses
★★★★★
My 22 month old was diagnosed as being anemic because of low iron count last month his iron count was 10pts the average is 12pts or higher. We had already been giving him high iron food and a vitamin with iron in it and nothing would bring the count up. The pediatrician gave us an iron drop supplement to give him, i didnt feel comfortable giving it to him because of all the side effects. Someone told me to try black strap molasses because it was high in iron. So i gave it a try and in 3 weeks his iron count went from 10pts to 14pts!!! We just gave it to him in his soymilk bottle.
Bloated Stomach
Malay people have a tradition to treat baby bloating and stomach ache, that is, wrapping crunched betel leaves and betel nuts around the navel area of the baby. The betel nuts is first crunched in the mouth to mix them with saliva before putting it with the betel leaf paste. It looks grotesque but many Malay mothers swear that it works.
It is still practised in my family today.
"Is the contents really beneficial to the baby?" What is your expert knowledge dear herbalists and Ted from Bangkok? Most importantly, what are the effects of the things in the mixture?
Your responses are much appreciated!
Bloated Stomach
Hi there. My almost-2 year old daughter has had a firm, bloated stomach on and off for quite some time. She is a wonderful eater and has a very healthy diet so haven't thought too much of it. She doesn't appear to be in any pain, her tummy is just noticably bloated or full a lot of the time. I've been to my Chinese doctor who seems to think it's her spleen and a blockage in her stomach. My Chinese doctor is also sourcing a children's 'wellness' tonic for her as we speak.
I've had a look online - they mention everything from gluten/lactose intolerance to too much fructose? She eats a lot of fruit - could this be adding to it? Her stools are quite soft. Has anyone come across this? Could she just be overeating or is it possibly an intolerance to something? She's had a winter of constant colds and sickness, so clearly her immune system is not functioning as well as it should be. Love to hear your thoughts! Thanks!! Rebecca
(Manganui, Northland, New Zealand)
09/27/2011
(Gisborne, New Zealand)
09/28/2011
Take B50, or vitamin B complex. Her inability to digest food is due to low digestive enzymes and her low liver nutrients. The B50 will take care of liver nutrients and the digestive enzymes will help prevent bloated stomach. Constant colds, is low immune systems primarily zinc and lysine will help that.
Ted
(Manganui, Northland, New Zealand)
11/01/2011
Absolutly agree Ted.. Vitamin C helps fight off the cold in a day, but with Zinc you don't even get it in the first place.
Candida
Can a newborn take magnesium chloride and iodine for candida fungi, and what are the pros and cons? thank u much.
(Tennessee, Usa)
11/19/2013
Dear Humble,
I think if a breastfeeding mom took magnesium and iodine then the baby would get it in breastmilk, which would be okay. I don't think those would be my first choice for treating candida in a newborn.
Is the newborn nursing? What are the symptoms of candida that you see? Is there anything else that you have tried? How old is the baby? Do you know how the infection came about?
~Mama to Many~
(Canada)
11/20/2013
Cavities
Would appreciate if you could provide any help on this post. My son who is turning seven soon has had cavities fro some time. The cavities have seem to gone out of control as some of his teeth have degenerated also. We went to see a dentist and they are talking about extraction of some teeth and also about filling in some. I was quite discouraged as we have always watched on his health. We have not used flouride toothpastes and haven't given him a lot of sugar. However for around a month now I have incorporated Xylitol as a sugar substitute in his milk and he also chews xylitol chewing gum. In addition I have introduced Butter oil(clarified butter) along with multi Vitamin in his diet. He has also been introduced to consuming eggs and his intake of milk also increased, another thing I have added in his diet is wheat germ. These dietary changes were incorporated after reading Nutrition and Physical degeneration by Dr Weston Price.
In addition I have him use Tooth soap for cleaning, followed by tooth swish of himalayan crystal salts which has remineralizing capabilities I guess, in addition also have him swish for a minute diluted oregano oil which definitely seems to have improve his breath and some bleeding that he had from gums once in a while. This regime is followed in the morning and before going to bed.
I was looking for some guidance on this as I really do not want him to go thru this extraction, filling etc invasive Procedures at such a young age. The dentist that we saw today also wante to put him on antibiotic 4 times a day.
Please let me know your thoughts on this, Thanks in advance for your reply.
Best,
Jagjeet
(Oz, KS)
01/24/2009
Maybe wild oregano oil found at vitacost found on the internet may help, you can also read what others have to say about certain products. Here's a web site for information about oregano oil and cavities: http://www.squidoo.com/stoptoothrot
you may want to read the book: The Cure Is in the Cupboard: How to Use Wild Oregano for Better Health by Cass Ingram found at: amazon.com.
Colostrum may help too.
WISHING YOUR SON WELL!
Dear Jagjeet: The most common problems about multiple cavities indicates usually a molybdenum deficiency (protects against cavities and helps remineralization, without the toxicity of fluoride), a potassium is lacking in the diet, and the pH of the mouth is constantly acid. It is rare that a child has a bad breath problem. A xylitol is not a xylitol if they added aspartame which may make the conditions much worse. I often buy a pure powdered xylitol 1/4 teaspoon for something to keep around the mouth for awhile to kill off the bacteia. The natural terrain in the mouth has to be ALKALINE is the single most important factor. A constipation can give rise to acidity which causes the mouth to be acid. However, certain bacteria also grows faster if the body lacks magnesium. Therefore assuming an adult requiring 1/4 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate and 1/4 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate (or tripotassium citrate) in 1/2 glass of water, a child half the weight of a small adult of 100 pounds, will require 1/2 of the dose. This should naturally raise the pH of the mouth discourabng the bacteria. Since an adult requires 500 mg of magnesium citrate, a dose 1/2 based on 1/2 weight of an adult may require about 250 mg or perhaps 100 mg depending on weight with plenty of water should discourage most of the cavities. Since one of the indicators of a molybdenum deficiency is nightblindness or difficult to see in the dark but also the fact that molybdenum is an anticavity supplements I usually may take say 5-25 mg of molybdenum. In commercial molybdenum supplements the dose are smaller therefore it's usually is taken whatever amount they give us to prevent a deficiency and may help reduce cavity from a molybdenum deficiency which may initiate a cavities.
Ted
Hello Jsingh, You said you aren't giving that seven year old much sugar, but is a good part of that sugar in carbonated beverages? If so, all carbonated beverages are acid and the acid eats into the enamel on the teeth causing cavities. They are said to be more harmful to the teeth than a candy bar, but omitting or at least limiting both is a good idea.
Some dental problems are started by the habit of letting an infant or toddler go to bed with a bottle of milk. Matter of fact, the medical field tagged tooth decay from this problem as "milk teeth" in discussions of it.
(Montreal, QC)
03/15/2009
(London, UK)
04/15/2009
(Hampton, IL)
05/25/2009
My son used to have terrible teeth. I say USED TO because we have had marvelous success! When my son was 6 1/2 our regular dentist sent us to a pediatric dentist to have a couple of cavities filled. The pediatric dentist decided to put in 2 crowns because the structure of the teeth was so terrible. Yikes! Crowns at 6! Shortly after that I stopped buying breakfast cereal because it was killing our budget. Keep in mind, I NEVER bought "sugary" cereal. It was always organic, low-sugar "healthy" cereal. I have always been health-conscious and limited the sugar my children ate, which is why it was so discouraging for my son to have such horrible teeth.
At my son's next appointment (6 months after I started feeding him eggs for breakfast instead of cereal) our dentist sent us back to the pediatric dentist to get another small cavity filled. The pediatric dentist decided not to fill the cavity because it was so small and my son's oral hygiene was so much better. (I do NOT believe that this was due to better brushing. His brushing habits have not changed).
Shortly after that I read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, which is the cookbook based on Weston A. Price's research. I started feeding my children raw milk from grass-fed cows, farm eggs, homemade bread (with delayed-fermentation techniques), honey, etc. At my son's next 6-month dentist appointment I asked the dentist how the cavity was. The dentist said THERE WAS NO CAVITY. IT WAS GONE AND THE TOOTH WAS COMPLETELY HARD!!!!!! I have never heard of a cavity healing, but my son's did! The news made my whole year!
Keep following the Weston A. Price-type recommendations and you're sure to find improvement.
Also, relating to the recommendation above about keeping the body alkaline, Kombucha is very alkalinizing. I make it at home as it is way too expensive to buy. My children absolutely love it. They think it tastes like pop, but of course it's completely healthy.
(Houston, Texas)
06/10/2009
Kaylin, thanks for posting your experience! I've heard of cavities filling back in - my daughter has 2 cavities and I don't want to have them filled. Every other part of our body can heal itself given the right nutrition and environment, why not our teeth? I've just read an article written by a dentist that linked homogenized milk to cavities.
Cod liver oil is reported to help cavities heal, and I know having a mineral supplement can help with re-mineralization of teeth. I've also been reading that oil pulling helps cavities heal.
(Sav, Jamaica)
08/03/2009
(Ottawa, Canada)
08/04/2009
Answer for Jsingh from Mon, Canada about child cavities.
Try to find pH paper to confirm that your child's saliva is acidic. Then the solution is to alkalize. Read Ted's post there https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/children_and_infants.html . Also search for Acid/Alkaline balance in the web. The less process food the better. A lot of vegetables is good.
Also, a way to alkalize the mouth is to swish or gargle with Milk of Magnesia (MOM). Try to find the "original" type, as the new ones have more chemicals added.
Good Luck
Alain
Chamomile Tea
★★★★★
I started giving my son chamomile tea at night (he was about 14 months when we started, now he's almost 2) before bed for teething as well as chamomilla as a homeopathic treatment. He seemed to be soothed and we began to do this almost nightly.
(Ct)
02/20/2014
Chamomile Tea
★★★★★
A little chamomile tea in my grandsons bottle work like magic he stop crying and went right to sleep.
