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Check nowIf a child is sick, many parents prefer herbal remedies. Nurses and midwives often also like to use ‘natural’ substances in paediatrics. Phytotherapeutics are very safe medicines with a wide therapeutic range. We know this not least due to many years of experience through traditional use.
In addition, herbal remedies are equivalent or superior to synthetic preparations for a number of childhood diseases, and are therefore a useful addition to therapeutic options. This is especially true for colds, sore throats, bronchitis, sinusitis, gastrointestinal diseases, skin diseases, restlessness, urinary tract infections and, to a limited extent, the susceptibility of young children to infections. A further advantage is that herbal medicines have few side effects. Echinacea purpurea has proven to be very effective as a preventive measure.
Author: Andrea Pauli
Editor-in-Chief of the Swiss magazine "A.Vogel Gesundheits-Nachrichten" ("Health News", only in german available), science journalist, German studies (MA) with many years of editorial experience (daily newspapers, magazines). Favorite topics: healthy nutrition, naturopathy, psychology.
It is a law of nature: children are often sick, as part of important training for their developing immune system. But of course, knowing this doesn’t stop parents being worried, especially if the child has had several colds and you have no explanation why. It’s important to know that as a rule, children go through about eight to ten infections from October to April each year - and up to the age of five they get gastro-intestinal flu about three to five times per year. This can sometimes be so severe that the paediatrician prescribes antibiotics. Antibiotics, however, should be avoided as far as possible, because there is an increasing threat of resistance. This means that some bacteria learn to adapt and eventually resist the effect of drugs. Resistant bacteria can multiply and spread from one person to another.
In the vast majority of cases, colds are caused by viruses. Antibiotics, which are only effective against bacteria, cannot harm viruses. Children with colds who are given antibiotics do not get better faster.
However, up to 30 per cent of viral respiratory infections in children result in bacterial complications, often associated with pneumonia, sinusitis or otitis media - thus necessitating the administration of antibiotics. So, what should be done? Focus on prevention! A study shows that a fresh plant extract of Echinacea purpurea (red coneflower) has a preventive effect against viral respiratory diseases and possible bacterial complications in children - and is thus able to reduce the rate of antibiotic prescriptions.
By the way, the fresh plant is ten times more effective against viruses than the dried one. The reason is that in this form the totality of all ingredients is available. Ingredients lost through drying, e.g., volatile such as essential oils, terpenes, glycosides and valuable secondary plant substances, cannot be replaced. This applies especially to preparations made from Echinacea purpurea, with its complex and practically unique mixture of active ingredients.
Echinacea purpurea can be recommended for long-term prevention in children between 4 and 12 years of age. However, an earlier study shows preventive efficacy also in children aged 1 to 5 years.
Take our quick quiz to discover just how healthy your immune system is, as well as some useful information about your general health and wellbeing!
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