Fevers are nature’s way to rid the body of infection and are actually a sign of a healthy immune system. Fevers can be dangerous if they get too high or last too long. Children tend to run hotter that adults do. If your child’s fever reaches 103 F or more or lasts for several days, or if your child is less than 6 weeks old and has a fever of 100.4 F or higher, contact your medical provider.

Herbs can help you break your child’s fever in two different ways. Depending on how you use them, herbs can cool your child down or slightly warm him up, triggering perspiration and a subsequent lowering of body temperature.

Watch this playlist to learn about fevers and how to treat them naturally with herbs and hydrotherapy

Some herbs are classified as febrifuges, meaning that they reduce fever. Febrifuges, such as Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Yarrow, and Elderberry, are considered cooling in action and are also nervine relaxants.

Other herbs are diaphoretic, meaning that they promote perspiration. They work with the body to raise the body temperature while simultaneously allowing the body to modulate it through the natural cooling mechanism of sweating. Hot teas or infusions enhance the diaphoretic effect. These herbs, including Ginger, Elderberry, and Thyme, are also relaxing to the musculoskeletal system, so people with a cold, flu, or respiratory infection often sleep better after taking them.

This next section offers you some remedies to help you bring down your child’s fever safely and naturally.

Remember, maintaining hydration is critical. Dehydration is the greatest danger of childhood fevers, not the heat of the fever.

Make Your Own Fever Reducing Herbal Tea & Popsicles

Stock up on all the best Birth Song Botanicals herbal supplements for fevers.

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care.

There is nothing like a dry hacking cough caused by a tickle in the back of your child’s throat or that heavy, wet cough that keeps the whole house up all night. If your child comes down with a cough, run through your wellness plan. Check what mucus-causing foods need to be eliminated—namely, wheat, dairy, and sugar—and what environmental changes can be made. Running a humidifier with essential oils helps put moisture back in the air so your child’s throat and sinuses won’t be so dry.

Watch my playlist to learn how to treat coughs and upper respiratory infections with herbs 

Throat-soothing teas, herbal popsicles, and lozenges can make a world of difference when you’re dealing with a sore throat, cough, or sinus congestion. Read on for my recipes to help you offer your child relief and comfort.

Make Your Own Elderberry Syrup

Make Your Own Slippery Elm Lozenges

CHILDREN’S RESPIRATORY SUPPORT TINCTURE

Children LOVE the taste of Children’s Respiratory Support Tincture! This sweet, glycerine- based tincture supports their respiratory systems and immune systems when they are congested and coughing.

Elderberry and Thyme are well- documented antiviral, antibacterial herbs that are gentle and safe for children’s delicate systems.

Wild Cherry Bark is an excellent expectorant that helps calm most types of coughs and is also an effective decongestant.

Children Respiratory Support is my go-to remedy, especially when combined with Children’s Healing Herbal Bath.

Order Children's Respiratory Support

CHILDREN’S HEALING HERB BATH- CLEARING LUNG CONGESTION

Children’s Healing Herb Bath is absolutely one of my favorite herbal blends for children of all ages! Whether you use it as a bath, steam, or gargle—or all three for maximum effectiveness—this blend is especially helpful for children experiencing uncomfortable respiratory congestion. It is so effective because it is blended with Thyme and Lavender, which are both powerful decongestant, anti-spasmodic, and antiseptic herbs that are still gentle and safe botanicals for children’s delicate systems. Even just these herbs’ lovely aroma is therapeutic. This is an incredibly comforting way to care for your child and facilitate a swift recovery.

In my practice, I combine Children’s Healing Herb Bath and Children’s Respiratory Support Tincture to combat lung and sinus congestion, throat soreness, and body aches. These remedies complement each other while supporting your child’s respiratory and immune systems.

Read on for directions on how to this lovely blend all 3 ways.

HERB BATH: Put herbs in cotton bag and tie securely. Boil water in a large cooking pot. Once boiling, place the herb sachet in the water, turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Fill your clean bathtub with warm (not too hot!) water, and pour the contents of the pot in, herb bundle included. Have your child soak for at least 20 minutes. He may love the bath or want to get out, so you may have to find creative ways to keep him in. Massaging the bundle will help release more healing properties into the water. This bath will promote a deep sense of relaxation and may make your child very sleepy when she gets out. So get her jammies on and get her to a warm, dry place to rest.

STEAM INHALANT: Make the bath as described above. Set the pot in a place that is comfortable for you and your child. The bathroom is a good place because it stays warm. To collect the steam, place a towel over your child’s head and encourage him to breathe deeply. Have tissues ready—you’ll need them. Please be careful, as you don’t want your child to get burned by the pot or the steam! Have him continue to inhale the steam until there’s no more.

GARGLE: For children old enough to gargle, scoop out a cup of the Children’s Healing Herb Bath from the pot and start to gargle. Make sure they get the tea on the sore part of their throats. Remind your child not to swallow the salty liquid! Gargle 1-3 times daily, or as needed.

Get your bag of Children's Healing Herb Bath here

HEALING SALVE & VAPOR RUB

Healing Salve is so versatile, you can use it for all types of skin irritations. It’s an all-purpose ointment made of olive oil and beeswax infused with healing herbs. Plantain, Calendula, and Yarrow are well-known for preventing infection, reducing inflammation, and regenerating damaged tissue.

It’s the perfect thing to rub onto your child’s chapped lips and red, sore, runny nose to help relieve the pain and discomfort of the dry, cracked skin. It also helps prevent those nasty nose crusties from developing; in other words, it makes it easier and less painful for you to keep your child’s nose and lips clean and healthy, no matter how bad her cold is.

Healing Salve also works wonders with all manner of cuts, scrapes, scratches, bug bites, burns, and bruises, as well as rashes, including diaper rash.  Here's the link for you to order your jar.

Make this salve into a vapor rub by rubbing a little into the palm of your hand, then mixing in 1-3 drops of one or two essential oils, such as Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender, or Rosemary. Rub this onto your sick child’s chest, throat, back, or feet, followed by a warm layer (shirt, socks, etc.) Do not apply to the face or hands, though.

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care. 

Stomach aches can be caused from poor food choices, old food that has been left out for too long, food allergies, motion sickness, nervousness, bacteria, and or viruses.

You know the feeling when your belly starts to cramp up, a wave of heat rushes through your body, until your body some what violently forces you to purge what was in your stomach, then your body starts to sweat, then you become chilled as you finally start to feel better. Until the next wave comes. You try to remain as still as possible so you don't strum up another round. That feeling can sometimes be scary for little kids.

What is a mom to do when her little one is feeling like this?

When there is gripping abdominal pains, gas, flatulence, and the need to eliminate our bowels 4 herbs come to mind immediately! They are Chamomile, Peppermint, Ginger and Fennel Seeds. These herbs can be made into a tea, or blended into a tincture like Stomach Soother.

STOMACH SOOTHER TINCTURE

Stomach Soother Tincture is a classic upset stomach remedy. It is great for relieving upset stomach and also makes a wonderful newborn colic remedy. Ginger, Fennel, and Peppermint are wonderful digestive herbs that work with your body to assist in digestion, aid in the expulsion of gas, and help relieve newborn colic.

Keep this one around after the your baby’s colic subsides, though; the uses for Stomach Soother Tincture span across every life stage, from infancy to childhood, and beyond.

It is the #1 tincture for children with an upset stomach and indigestion.  It is especially helpful when the vomiting child is fearful, whiney, restless, and/or has a fever.

Get your bottle of Stomach Soother today!

CHILDREN’S TRANQUILITY TINCTURE

When you want to offer your child something comforting, offer your child a peaceful moment and a quiet, comfortable night.

This tasty, glycerine-based tincture is blended with relaxing Chamomile and Catnip, herbs that are classified as nervines and febrifuges. Nervines are soothing and relieve tension. Febrifuges are cooling and help regulate body temperature by reducing fevers. Chamomile is high in calcium and is well-known for easing growing pains and toothaches.

Children’s Tranquility Tincture is wonderfully relaxing for a sick or teething child who is experiencing discomfort and feeling feverish.

Colic

Now colic is not a childhood illness per say, but it does come up frequently in my herbal practice.

Colic is a somewhat vague condition in babies generally described as inconsolable crying believed to be caused by gas and bloating. Often, though, the cause of colic is unknown. It can be very difficult for parents to cope with a baby who screams for hours each day, especially when nothing they do seems to help. In this situation, I highly recommend turning to the herb Chamomile, which has been used for centuries to soothe the stomach, aid digestion, regulate bowel movements, and dispel gas.

For babies with colic, try giving 1/2 teaspoon Chamomile tea at room temperature every few hours, as well as a warm Chamomile herb bath followed by a tummy rub. Remember, timing is everything. You want to have the Chamomile in your child’s system before the inconsolable crying event.

Nursing moms can also drink Chamomile tea, then nurse. The therapeutic qualities will be expressed in the breast milk. So, have a nice, relaxing cup of tea for yourself, nurse your baby, then give a Chamomile herb bath (recipe follows) and follow it up with an infant massage. With time and patience, the colic symptoms should start to lessen.

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care. 

At the first sign of a cold, you want to start offering a lot of liquids, carve out some rest time, make a healthy pot of soup, and start gathering your immune-strengthening herbs. Echinacea is every effective if given at the right time with proper amounts. At first sign of a cold or flu, start giving double doses of a simple Echinacea tincture every hour until symptoms subside. 

I do not want to minimize just how sick a child can get with the flu. You may want to seek medical advice if you suspect that your child truly has influenza. In the meantime, gather your herbs and start making these teas.

Make Your Own Immune Boosting Herbal Tea

CHILDREN’S IMMUNE BOOST TINCTURE

Children’s Immune Boost Tincture is an excellent way to boost, strengthen, and support your child’s immune system when she needs it most!

Children love this tincture’s spicy sweet taste. Children’s Immune Boost is alcohol-free and formulated with natural antibiotic and febrifuge herbs, including Echinacea, Ginger, Oregon Grape Root, and Yarrow.

Children’s Immune Boost Tincture works naturally with the body to promote well-being and restore health by cooling the body when it runs warm.

Children’s Immune Boost Tincture is the perfect companion to Children’s Daily Immune Tincture. Children’s Immune Boost gives kids that extra BOOST to feel better and Children’s Daily Immune Tincture strengthens their immune systems before they catch that bug!

Stock up on these tinctures today!

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care.

I know from personal experience just how serious ear infections can be. As a child, I suffered from multiple painful infections, countless visits to the ear doctor, antibiotics, and surgeries. I have permanent hearing loss as a result. If ear infections are mistreated or taken lightly, they can spiral out of control and leave long-term damage.

About half of ear infections in the U.S. are caused by bacteria and the other half are attributed to viruses and allergies. Antibiotic treatment can be helpful for acute bacterial infections. Having said that, something to keep in mind about antibiotics (anti-life) is that they can eliminate the beneficial bacteria as well, resulting in a greater depression of the body’s ability to fight off infections. Oftentimes, children experience multiple recurring earaches. The overuse of antibiotics perpetuates the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Choosing natural remedies for common illnesses instead of antibiotics is actually better for both your child’s health and global health. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious global health issue.

Watch this playlist of in-depth videos about how to treat painful earaches with herbs.

Earaches: What to Look For

When you notice the first signs of an earache, begin your wellness plan right away. Be on the lookout for coughs, colds, congestion, runny nose, fever, and excessive pulling or rubbing of the earlobes, accompanied by irritability and fussiness. When an ear infection has taken hold, your child will let you know by awakening in the middle of the night, crying, and pulling on her ears. It is moments like these that you need to have your remedies on hand.

An essential piece of your wellness plan is avoiding all potential allergens and mucus-causing foods, such as wheat, dairy, eggs, orange juice, sugar, and processed foods.

Giving probiotics several times daily is helpful. It is imperative that your child stay hydrated. Along with giving our Earache Relief Oil (or make your own using the recipe below), you can offer a decongesting tea and vapor rub, and apply warm, dry heat to comfort the ear. An Echinacea and Oregon Grape Root tincture such my Children’s Immune Boost can also be helpful. 

 Children appear to recover quickly. In the day they may want to get out and play, but in the night they are up crying in pain. It is our job as parents to create a healing environment in our homes. If you do not want your child to relapse, consider keeping him at home where he can play but not overdo it. Sick kids need their rest. If you must get out of the house, don’t let your child out in the cold, windy air without a hat or ear muffs to keep her ears covered and warm.

Earache Relief Oil is Helpful For:

• Swimmers Ear
• Soothing the discomfort of inflamed tissue caused from infection
• Battling the infection on contact
• Clearing the ear from congestion and moisture 

How to Apply Earache Relief Oil

Have the person lay down on their side and have the painful ear facing up.   Apply a few warm drops of our medicinal herb infused Ear Ache Relief Oil into your ear.  To do this, gently pull down on the ear lobe to open the ear canal more, this way the soothing herbs can get to all the painful areas.  Softly massage the area around the ear.  Allow the oil to soak in for a few minutes before placing in a cotton ball.  Be sure to add Ear Ache Relief Oil to both ears.  Be mindful not to touch the infected ears with the dropper.  You don't want to contaminate your bottle.  Also, do not apply oil to the ear if you suspect a perforated eardrum.

How to Warm Earache Relief Oil

Warming the oil is easy.  Pour hot water into a small pot or tea cup.  Place Earache Relief Oil into the hot water. Let soak for a few minutes to warm up but not be too hot that the oil will burn.  Test the oil first before placing it into your ear.  To test the oil temperature drop 1-2 drops on your wrist like you test a baby bottle.

Cold oil will not feel as soothing and may cause dizziness.  

Shake well before using. 

Suggested Use for Earache Relief: Apply 3-5 drops into affected ear and plug with cotton. Repeat every 3 hours or as needed. Best if oil is warmed first, but be mindful not to burn the ear.

Make Your Own Herbal Ear Oil

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care. 

 Becoming Friends with Herbs

Plants and herbs are such givers. They give us our food, medicine, building material, and oxygen to name just a few of their many gifts. We as herbalists are fostering a relationship with the plants. Your herbal practice will be exponentially improved if you approach the herbs as friends or allies. Each plant has therapeutic properties, much like the skills and talents that people possess. If you understand an herb’s skills and talents, you will be better able to utilize it in your formula.

When you are buying herbs, please buy organic. Yes, they cost a little bit more, but your investment in high-quality herbs will not only improve the efficacy of your remedies, but also the condition of the soil in which the herbs were grown. Every time you buy organic, you are making a consumer decision to improve our environment and the herbal industry. There are several online herb stores, I prefer going to my local natural foods store so I can see, touch, smell and taste the herbs before I buy them.

Another consideration when purchasing your herbs is to make sure you do not buy too much so they don’t go to waste. But on the other hand, you want enough on hand so that when you need them, they are there. I recommend starting with 2-3 ounces of each herb that you are working with.

Storage and Labeling

Storage is a consideration as well. Store your herbs in a child-safe place so that young children cannot get into them. You want to place your herbs in an airtight glass jar away from direct sunlight. The sunlight will bleach them and they will lose their potency. Plastic may leach carcinogens into your herbs and you don’t want that, either.

Labeling your herbs is an absolute must. It is impossible to remember what’s inside all those jars! On the label, include the name of the herb and the date you purchased it.

Important Record-Keeping

Accurate record keeping is essential to a successful herb study. Soon you will be crafting and creating herbal products for your own herbal apothecary. Whether you are creating a remedy for the first time or making it again for the tenth time, keep track of it in your herb journal. Writing down your herbal ideas, products and recipes will give you a valuable reference tool. Proper record-keeping of all your products will ensure that you are able to repeat your most-loved remedies without repeating all the mistakes.

To click here to learn more about these herbs and all the herbs we blend in our products!

* This information is for educational purposes only.  This is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any illness or disease.  If you are concerned about your child's health seek medical care.

Just How Often Do Kids Get Sick?

According to Dr. Aviva Romm, M.D., American children get sick as often as 10-12 times a year. That is one illness a month! You may have seen the cycle of a child getting a cough for a week or two. It clears up and a few weeks later he has an earache, then that clears up and he has allergies, and then a fever. It goes on and on. I was stuck in that vicious cycle with my son for a few years. His back-to-back sicknesses were exactly what motivated me to learn more about the healing properties of herbs, to teach a class on herbal medicine for kids, and to write the ebook and create this course.

Using Herbs With Children

One of the greatest challenges when working with children is that they cannot tell you how they are feeling; they cannot explain just how sick they are. As a parent, you become very observant and start to rely on your instinct when it comes to caring for your children. Often, their young, resilient bodies respond well to herbs and recover quickly.

Safety Guidelines

Let’s start with a word about safety. First and foremost, this course is to educate and inspire. It is in no way intended to be taken as medical advice. I am not a physician. I do not treat, diagnose, or cure any disease. I am a licensed, certified professional midwife and a master herbalist.

In this course, it is my intention to share my personal and clinical experience with you. It is up to you to be responsible with the information. What you do with the knowledge you acquire from this course is completely up to you.

When you are first acquainted with herbs, I encourage you to start with the time-tested, tried-and-true herbs that we have all grown up with. Working with familiar herbs will feel more natural and comfortable for you. They will be easily obtainable and affordable. These herbs have histories of not hundreds of years use, but thousands of years, and during this time they have been an essential part of human health.

Safety is the primary goal, especially when you are working with small children. The herbs that we will cover in this course are gentle herbs. They work quite effectively on children’s delicate systems. Children tend to respond quickly to herbs. These herbs can be used with confidence for minor common childhood complaints such as colic, teething, coughs and colds, sore throats, earaches and infections, allergies, bumps, scrapes, and bruises. However, there have been cases in which a person has an idiosyncratic response to an herb. That is to say that the herb affected him or her differently than it does the majority of people. For example, valerian is a sedative. However, in a few people, it can be a stimulant.

Small Patch Testing

If allergies are a concern and you would like to test an herb on your child before you give it to her internally, you can make a tea of the herb. Soak a cloth in the tea and rub it into your child’s inner arm for about a minute. If within 24 hours you see any redness, puffy eyes, rashes, or tightness in the throat, then do not give that herb internally.

If you don’t notice any reaction, you can then give your child 1/2 teaspoon of the tea internally and wait to see if you notice any reaction to the herb. If you still do not notice any reaction, then you may proceed with your herbal protocol.

When to Seek Medical Help

Herbs are often my first go-to for any illness or complaint, but there are times when it is completely appropriate to seek medical advice. In an ideal world, you would have a care provider who shares your holistic perspective and that has met your child in a state of wellness, not just sickness.

I want to dispel the myth that herbal medicine and Western medicine are incompatible. There is no one system of medicine that fits every body and every situation. It is completely appropriate to integrate the two methods. When your child is sick and taking antibiotics, it’s not necessary to give antibiotic herbs—that would be redundant. However, you could give him teas that soothe a sore throat, improve digestion, and help him rest.

Inner Expert

You, the parents, are the expert of your child’s health. Yes, physicians and health care providers know tons about medicine, illnesses, and treatments. However, they do not know the subtleties of your child. They may not notice, like you will, that your child has been a little more clingy, grumpy, or whiny lately. You are the one to notice that he has not been eating like he normally does. You are the one to notice the redness under her eyes or the change in her energy level. All of these could be signs preceding an illness. I encourage you to hone in on these observations. This is a skill that you can cultivate. When you begin to notice the subtle changes, you can implement your wellness plan right away and start fighting the illness before it fully sets in.

Setting Time Frames

When working with herbs and a sick child, setting time frames is super important. Each person’s time frame will be unique to the individual situation and personal comfort zone. Some variables to consider will include how experienced and comfortable are working with herbs. How confident are you that the herbs will work and your child will recover? How sick is he? Is he showing signs of recovery, or getting worse? How long would it take to get medical help? What does your gut tell you to do?

I’m hesitant to offer exact time frames because each of us has a different level of comfort and experience dealing with sick children, as well as different access to health care. When you reach the end of your first time frame, it’s time to re-evaluate the situation and make a decision. Either you continue with your treatments and set another time frame, or you adjust your treatment strategy and set another time frame. Is it time to seek medical care or to change your treatment plan?

Start With Wellness

The health of our children is, as it should be, one of our greatest priorities as parents. We want the best for them, but sometimes we don’t quite know what to do, or how to break the cycle of perpetual sickness.

Life can be stressful for the modern family. Oftentimes, two parents are both working at their job, which consume most of their time. Single parents carry the entire load by themselves. Children are over-scheduled at school or daycare with little outside playtime. They are exposed to a plethora of pathogens. Due to a lack of time and money families are eating more processed food than ever. The American diet is filled with sugar, artificial colors, and preservatives. Food allergies are at an all-time high. More and more children are suffering from physical and emotional illnesses.

As you can see, the herbs are just a piece of our children’s health. Our lifestyle plays a huge role. If we stay in this cycle of stress, poor nutrition, overly scheduled busy days and not enough sleep, we cannot expect to just give a little echinacea tincture to our child once she’s child already sick, and see great results. What happens then is that child stays sick and the parents conclude that the echinacea did not work. So, herbs are dismissed as ineffective and the cycle continues.

Bolstering our children’s immunity takes constant diligence and effort. It requires that all the pieces fit together in order for their vitality to really shine! That’s why you are in this course: you want to let your child shine! Living and eating vibrantly every day can help your family stay healthy, but when you start to notice your child is falling ill, it’s really time to make a few dietary changes.

CHILDREN’S DAILY IMMUNE TINCTURE- with Astragalus Root

Our children’s lives are so FULL of activities and stimulation, even at a very young age. Parents are looking for creative ways to keep their kids healthy. It starts with diet, herbs for kids, sunshine, exercise, and plenty of rest. Herbs are vital components to our children’s immunity in our modern, fast-paced culture. Children’s Daily Immune Tincture is a great and easy way to support and strengthen children’s immune and respiratory systems to help keep them healthy.

Children’s Daily Immune Tincture is loaded with Astragalus, Echinacea, Anise Seed, and Rose Hips, which support the immune system and are safe for use as a daily tonic.

Children’s Daily Immune Tincture is the perfect companion to Children’s Immune Boost Tincture. Children’s Immune Boost gives kids that extra BOOST to feel better and Children’s Daily Immune strengthens their immune system before they catch that bug!

Order your bottle of Children's Daily Immune Tincture today