What’s The Problem with Modern Day Treatment of Common Childhood Ailments?
When you take your child to see the doctor, your intention is clear. You want to see if there is something you can do to relieve his or her symptoms: aches and pains, mucous production, swelling, bruising, cough, fever, sleep troubles, hyperactivity, or perhaps even mood.
For general childhood ailments, physicians usually provide education on supportive care, like rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) for common sprains; or bananas, rice, apples, and toast (BRAT) for diarrhea. We also write prescriptions or make recommendations for over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine) for an itchy rash, antitussives (e.g., dextromethorphan) for cough, expectorants (e.g., guaifenesin) for congestion, decongestants (e.g., pseudoephedrine) for stuffiness, antipyretics (e.g., acetaminophen) for fever, and analgesics/anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen) for pain. Sometimes, antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections, or prescription-strength antihistamines/analgesics are needed.
Scan the aisles in the pharmacy and you will see an overwhelming number of options for antidiarrheals, pain medicines, cough/cold treatments, and more, all marketed for children. But what many parents do not know is that in 2008, pharmaceutical companies withdrew cough and cold products marketed to children ages 2 and under, and warned against using these products in children under the age of 4. Moreover, the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) and American Academy of Pediatrics advised that over-the-counter cough and cold medications not be given to children under the age of 6. 1, 2, 3
Why?
Because research has demonstrated that these products in general provide no benefit to young children, and can even have potentially serious side effects. 4
Yet, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2014 that despite these warnings and advisories, over-the-counter medication use in children in the ER and ambulatory settings has not decreased. In fact, it has increased. 5
The truth is that most common childhood illnesses need to run their course and will resolve with or without medicine and with or without supportive care. You just need the confidence of knowing that there are things you can do to help your child that don’t include offering him or her a teaspoon of medication.
Despite incredible advances over the past few decades, Western medicine does not have all the answers, and it is not perfect. It has its own set of ongoing failures, such as poor pain control, poor symptom management, and microbial resistance that requires repeated and higher medication dosing to treat something as simple as an ear infection.
Additionally, Western medications have unique risks and toxicities, including known compounds within the medications themselves that, when over-ingested, can have toxic effects (e.g., ethanol; artificial colors and sweeteners; minerals, and other agents to help with solubility and taste; inactive ingredients including alcohol, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium; and FD&C Yellow #6, which requires special warning statements). 6 For example, recent studies have found a dose association between the use of artificial colors and behavioral reactions in children, such as hyperactivity. 7
All of this--the warnings, the additives, the side effects, and the questionable benefits--is quite frustrating for parents. We want to help our children feel better, and we have been taught that the best way to do that is to reach for a bottle of medication. Parents ask, “What can I do to help my child feel better?” And all the doctor can really do is say supportive care. I know this because it has happened to me hundreds of times. But there are alternatives!
Eastern medicine is full of effective options for both adults and children. Other names for Eastern medicine include holistic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurvedic Medicine, all of which vary in degree. But, in general, Eastern medicine treats the whole person, focuses on wellness (not just disease), and is based on 4,000 or more years of practice. Western medicine, on the other hand, has a more reductionist approach, treating the physical illness itself without treating the whole person.
Integrative Medicine works to integrate both Eastern and Western techniques in a healthy, open-minded, but Evidence Based fashion. That is what I am here to help YOU with.
Next week, I will start my Evidence-Based Integrative and Natural Medicine series on Essential Oils, a HOT and also highly controversial topic in the medical community.
meet Laura. woman. mother. physician. yogini. teacher. writer. lover of all things life.
Check out my E-book, The Evidence Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Manage Common Childhood Ailments and learn more!
***Join me next week and in the weeks to come to learn more about alternative and integrative therapies for children and adults alike!
In general, medical doctors don’t know much about essential oils with regards to the actual existing research and evidence, and, in my honest experience, neither do most essential oils sales users! I’m going to be providing some well researched insights and hope you will join me on this journey to learn more about when, how, and IF to use essential oils!
Can’t wait that long? Check out my E-Book, The Evidence Based Guide to Essential Oils: What Parents Need to Know to Safely Manage Common Childhood Ailments. You can purchase it online now for 25% the retail price with the Promo Code FF919 at checkout!
References
1 OTC Cough and Cold Products: Not For Infants and Children Under 2 Years of Age. Food and Drug Administration. [FDA Link]
2 Sharfstein JM, North M, Serwint JR. Over the counter but no longer under the radar--pediatric cough and cold medications. N Engl J Med. 2007 Dec 6;357(23):2321-4. [PubMed]
3 American Academy of Pediatrics. Withdrawal of cold medicines: Addressing parent concerns. [AAP Link]
4 Lowry JA, Leeder JS. Over-the-Counter Medications: Update on Cough and Cold Preparations. Pediatr Rev. 2015 Jul;36(7):286-97 [PubMed]
5 Warnings have little impact on the use of OTC cold medicines. AAP Publications. 2014. [AAP News]
6 Lowry JA, Leeder JS. Over-the-Counter Medications: Update on Cough and Cold Preparations. Pediatr Rev. 2015 Jul;36(7):286-97; quiz 298. doi: 10.1542/pir.36-7-286. [PubMed]
7 Nigg JT, Lewis K, Edinger T, Falk M. Meta-analysis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, restriction diet, and synthetic food color additives. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(1):86–97, e8. [PubMed]