The Natural Perspective
on Child Health

More parents are taking a holistic approach when it comes to child health. By complementing the use of conventional medicine with forms of alternative medicine*, you can not only promote physical growth for your baby, but also emotional and spiritual development.
Here are some common forms of complementary medicine that may interest you.

Massage provides comfort to your baby when he's sick, and promotes physical growth and psychological development in your well baby.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is often used with massage and relies on the sense of smell to promote calmness and sleep, provide relief from colic, teething and many other ailments. Consult a professional before use. Aromatherapy is best for babies four months and older.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a 2500 year-old Chinese method of medicine. Western doctors and parents are turning to it to treat and cure chronic cases of asthma, allergies and ear infections.

Prayer and Meditation

Both have been proven to relieve pain and stress and enhance immune system function. You can model these behaviors early and your baby will catch on later.

Laughter

Laughing releases tension, normalizes your baby's stress hormones and allows her immune systems to work more effectively.

Chiropractic Medicine

This form of medicine involves the manipulation of vertebrae and joints that have become misaligned in a traumatic event, like a car accident or vaginal birth. Common uses include colic and digestive issues in babies.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy has a core philosophy of "like cures like." The remedies come from plant, animal and mineral substances. They are used to treat colds, fevers, and boost immunity against infectious disease.

Don't let the root of the word -"home"- fool you. More serious conditions need to be addressed by health practitioner.

Herbal Medicine

This oldest form of medicine involves the use of plants to alleviate or cure sickness. Many conventional drugs use the most potent parts of plant substances while herbal medicine uses all of the properties of a particular plant. Herbs can be used to treat the most common childhood sicknesses.

To find a holistic baby and child health practitioner in your area, get recommendations from a medical practitioner you already know and trust.

In fact, your child's primary health care provider should be informed about any other forms of treatment you use (with the exception of prayer and laughter:) You should also make sure that practitioner is certified with the appropriate board and association for their specialty.

*Alternative medicine refers to methods not traditionally taught in medical school.

However, most of the above methods have been proven over centuries. They are becoming more mainstream as time passes and are being recommended by conventional health care practitioners and covered by major insurance carriers.

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