No "real" evidence alternative rememdies work on babies

I gave my kids loads of chamomile tea, in baby bottles, when they were infants. It was quite common to see a bottle of Hyland’s teething tablets around the house. And I love homeopathic treatments like arnica for bumps and bruises. My kids get and earache, and I’m straight to the mullein/garlic oil.

Now a government study is trying to tell me that there is no good evidence that they work or that they are safe. They could stay at my house and see for themselves.

As a consumer, though, I do understand that a lot of these products do not do what they advertise they do. You have to be a careful, especially when you are treating your babies. The study from the US Food and Drug Administration found that 9% of parents give their babies either tea or herbal remedies in the first year of life.

Moms most often use the remedies for colic, fussiness, and teething, reports the FDA. When they reviewed 15 studies from Pediatric journal, they found almost no evidence that the products actually work. Because dietary supplements are not regulated like drugs, they don’t have to prove their safety or efficacy.

The study points out that some of these treatments have been known to have heavy metal contaminants primarily from lead.

Diligence is always required when treating children. I had a lot of success using them and I can’t imagine my medicine cabinet without them. At the same time, I always talked to my pediatrician about them. You should do the same.

Source: Pediatrics, Reuters