Assemble a Homeopathic First Aid Kit
By Susy Goins
Your child’s scream rips through your meditative peeling of lunch apples. “Mom! I slammed into the wall!”
“Mommy’s coming!” you holler, dashing by the medicine chest to pull out a few tubes of homeopathic remedies. You are prepared for this (and many other emergencies) with your own handy-dandy homeopathic first aid kit.
Life’s bumps, bruises and burns are easier to handle if you have a few remedies on hand to administer as the need arises. So tuck these and other remedies that you find especially useful in with the bandages and witch hazel. Here’s a jumping off point for some of the common needs of children.
Aconite 30C works best for the first symptoms of colds, flu, fever, restlessness, throat complaints, anxiety and fear. The early stages of croup can benefit from Aconite. This is the sudden onset remedy. If you miss that, then you’ll need to consider other remedies.
AGE 30C is a combination remedy using Aconite, Gelsemium and Euphrasia recommended for colds and flu. One dose every two weeks will reduce the incidence of colds and flu.
Apis mellifica 30C is excellent for insect bites and hives.
Arnica 30C is wonderful. I can’t tell you how much better our life has been since we’ve had Arnica montana in the house. Arnica is fabulous for bumps, bruises, crushed fingers (I know, I shiver just thinking about that) … any injury that doesn’t involve broken skin. Sprains, recovering from a visit to the dentist, shock and even surgery all benefit from Arnica. With Arnica in the 30C potency, you can handle a lot!
Belladonna 30C works for fevers more violent than Aconite, showing up as red and hot in the face and throat. Consider it for throbbing earaches.
Calendula 30C speeds healing of skin conditions that are not infected. Calendula spurs tissue growth, so that if it used before the infection is cleared, the infection will go deeper. Administer it in pellet form or as a tincture. Skinned knees or other abrasions and nosebleeds benefit from Calendula. Aqua Calendula, the Calendula remedy dissolved in water, is an excellent bath for wounds.
Carbo Vegetabilis is great for stomach upset or indigestion. Made from charcoal, it helps with acid stomach.
Chamomilla 30C and teething are most often mentioned in the same breath. Chamomilla is a pain remedy extraordinaire that is not only effective for teething, but earaches and colic as well. Everyone recommends the tea to calm one down; homeopathic Chamomilla helps with insomnia and restlessness. I’ve used it when my 3-year-old (or is it me?) is just too cranky.
Cocculus 30C is another good stomach remedy for nausea, vomiting, travel or motion sickness and other stomach upsets. For the mother who has been up all night or is exhausted -- this is the remedy for you.
Hypericum 30C is homeopathic St. John’s Wort. If there is an injury involving nerve pain, this is the remedy you need. The ointment helps with crushed fingers and infected wounds
Hypercal tincture is a combination of Hypericum and Calendula. Apply it externally on chicken pox or shingles and burns. In a 1:4 dilution with water, use it to rinse abrasions.
Ledum 30C is a puncture wound remedy, including insect stings relieved by cold applications.
Nux vomica 30C works for nausea, constipation or other conditions that are caused by excess.
Pulsatilla 30C can help if your child is whiny, clingy or out of sorts.
Rhus toxicodendron 30C works well for eczema, flu, measles, sprains and strains.
Ruta graveolens 30C is worth considering for bone injuries such as bruises and breaks.
Symphytum 30C is another remedy good for bone injuries. It also work wonders for black eyes.
Urtica Urens 30C can do the job for minor burns and prickly heat, including sunburns and scalds. Cantharis 30C is another excellent sunburn remedy. You may need to try one, wait to see what results you get, and then try the other if need be.
© Susy Goins
An informal student of natural health for years, NFO Bookshelf and Natural Beauty Editor Susy Goins received her certificate in homeopathy from the American College of Health Sciences. The self-proclaimed out-of-the-mainstream mama of three is a writer, belly dancer, actress, costumer and cook and will soon be celebrating 20 years of marriage to her husband.
