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Question: I feel insecure about how much of an herbal remedy to give to my child and how often to give it. Are there any easy guidelines to follow?
Andrea Candee responds: Since children at any given age can vary greatly in size and weight, I prefer to use weight rather than age as the deciding factor in how much of an herbal remedy to give.
To best determine the dose for your child, use an adult weight of 150 pounds as the baseline constant. Using the figure of 150 pounds as the common denominator, put your child’s actual weight over it, producing a figure that gives you a fraction of the standard adult dose.
For example, if your child weighs 50 pounds, your formula will look like this:
50 pounds (your child’s weight)
150 pounds (adult baseline)
Because 50/150 is equivalent to 1/3, you’ll want to give your child 1/3 of the adult dose.
The following general guidelines apply:
10 pounds = 1/5 dose*
20 pounds = 1/8 dose
30 pounds = 1/5 dose
40 pounds = 1/4 dose
50 pounds = 1/3 dose
60 pounds = 2/5 dose
70 pounds= 1/2 dose
80 pounds = 1/2 dose
90 pounds = 3/5 dose
100 pounds = 2/3 dose
* The smallest dose of a liquid extract is 3 drops diluted in 1/4 cup breast milk, formula or water; or 2 teaspoons of tea.
Reduce quantity, not frequency
When you calculate your child’s dose according to weight, always reduce the quantity of the dose rather than its frequency. For example, an adult dose of 1 cup of medicinal tea to be administered three to four times a day translates to 1/3 cup given three to four times daily for a 50-pound child.
To make the math easier, it is often helpful to first convert cups to ounces. For instance, an 8-ounce adult dose becomes 1 ounce for an infant of about 20 pounds.
How to dose eardrops
The standard adult dose for eardrops is 3 to 4 drops in each ear. A toddler’s dose would be 2 drops; an infant’s, 1 drop in each ear.
To avoid an uncomfortable oily buildup in the ears, cleanse the ears after treatment by inserting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Here’s another helpful hint: The easiest time to insert eardrops, especially for very young children, is when they are sleeping!
© Andrea Candee
Andrea Candee is a master herbalist, media expert, nationally known lecturer and author of the award-winning Gentle Healing for Baby and Child (Simon & Schuster), which received The National parenting Center's Seal of Approval. Andrea is noted nationally for her unique and successful approach to Lyme Disease. She lives and maintains a consultation health practice in New York and shares much of her knowledge at www.AndreaCandee.com.
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