Sick Kids

Sick Kids

by Dr. Lisa Doran, ND

My kids are all home sick today with what I am supposing is croup. Croup is common this time of year when the weather has been a bit whacky and the children have been outside perhaps not dressed as warmly as was appropriate because they were so excited about the warm weather and sunshine. It’s a joyful thing to shed those winter jackets and hats, but we’ve probably done it too early this year!

Eli, who is three, especially had a rough night last night – He slept beside me all night so I could keep an eye on his temperature and his breathing. The poor wee thing – any deep breath he would take would result in an episode of hacking cough. He was so uncomfortable and miserable. The two older boys have also had that deep hacking cough for a few days. Croup is interesting that way – the kids seem really fine all day long unless they are overly physically active but once they go to bed the coughing really starts and just continues all night long.

Ah well, so I’m tired today, I’ve been up for two nights now with Eli. I’ve moved into that nursing-the-children kind of state. Moving in slow motion, paying attention, being watchful, speaking softly, trying to be sure they are nurtured and comfortable. The children are doing quiet things all day – we have them bundled warmly into little nests with books and favourite toys and we have been reading aloud to each other and looking at photo albums (an activity they love). Rest and stillness is important with croup, well, with any illness really. I am making sure that they are getting easy to digest foods like homemade soup and fruit and rice and I’m keeping them warm so that their immune systems can go after the virus. We did a really fun visualization together of their white blood cells which looked like knights from King Arthurs court attacking the virus that is giving them the cough which looked like a bad fire breathing dragon. The knights won. Good old psych neuroendocrinology. I am making sure they are getting nice warm herbal tea – chamomile, plantain, marshmallow and sage. I’ve also been giving them an appropriate immune building herbal combination that contains a few immune boosting and antiviral herbs. I am monitoring temperatures and watching for fever. I am using my warm air vapourizer with eucalyptus and lavender essential oils in their room and that seems to be soothing for them. I am giving them lots of love and attention and reassurance – such a strong cough can be scary for a little one. I put an onion in unpasteurized honey yesterday and it’s breaking down well – I should be able to use that this evening before bedtime as a cough syrup. I am also planning on not using essential oils in the vapourizer tonight – instead I will use the vapourizer plain and give each child the homeopathic that acutely matches his individual symptoms.

Well, I’m off to fill up hot water bottles and make another pot of tea. Wish me luck!