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ho·me·op·a·thy
/hōmēˈäpəTHē/
the treatment of disease by minute doses of natural substances that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of disease.
Disclaimer: I don’t have any financial interest in any homeopathic manufacturers. I’ve just seen how effective homeopathy is for kids and adults, and I want you to know how to use it for your whole family!
If you haven’t already done so, head on over to What is Homeopathy – Part 1 to learn the basics of what homeopathy is.
Now we’re going to dive into how to give homeopathic medicines to your child…
Homeopathic Medicines are Super Easy to Give!
Kids LOVE homeopathic medicines. They are some of the easiest medicines to give. Just take the pellets out of the tube without touching them, pop ‘em into your mouth and let them dissolve under your tongue.
Opening the Little Blue Tube
First things first, how do you take the pellets out of the little blue tube? The first time I tried to take the pellets out, I nearly sprained my hand and broke off all my fingernails trying to figure out how on earth to get those friggin’ little things outta there! So let me make it easy for you:
How to Open up a Blue Tube
Step 1: Remove paper safety seal
Step 2: Turn tube upside down and twist the cap. You’ll see/hear a pellet drop into the cap
Step 3: Keep twisting until you have the desired number of pellets (typically 3)
Step 4: With the tube still upside down, carefully take off the cap from the tube
Step 5: Pour the pellets directly into your child’s mouth from the cap without touching them
Dosage
Now that you know how to take the pellets out, how much and how often should you give them? The dosage is the same regardless of age – 3 pellets at a time.
How often you give the pellets depends on how sick your child is. In general, the more sick your child, or the more acute the condition, the more often you give the medicine. For example, for itchy hives that are spreading, you might give homeopathic Apis mellifica 3 pellets every 10-15 minutes. But for a twisted ankle that’s a little sore and achy, you might give homeopathic Arnica 2-3 times per day.
As your child’s symptoms improve, you can space out the interval between each dose and then stop once the symptoms are clearly heading in the right direction. For instance, for those itchy hives, once they start to improve, you can give Apis mellifica 3-4x/day, then 2x/day, then stop once the hives are mostly resolved.
In general, you want to try to give the pellets at least 10 minutes away from eating or drinking something (other than water) or brushing teeth). But don’t worry if your kid has just eaten something and give the pellets – they’ll still work. I just try to avoid anything pepperminty right beforehand, because the mint will constrict the blood vessels in your tongue and could reduce the absorption of the pellets.
Is it OK if My Child Chews on the Pellets?
YES! Do my kids put the pellets under their tongue and let them slowly dissolve? No way! They chomp on them immediately. And they still work!
Even when I start sucking on the pellets, I almost always end up chewing them up after a few seconds. It’s like the owl in the old commercial (am I dating myself?) when he’s asked by the little boy, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?” How many sucks does it take to dissolve the pellets? The world may never know…
How Do I Give Pellets to My Baby?
Homeopathic medicines are usually my go-to for infants, nursing moms and pregnant moms because they are so safe and well-tolerated. But how do you give the pellets to a baby? Easy peasy! You can take 10 pellets, dissolve in an ounce of water, and give 1 teaspoon of this for each dose. Be sure to tap the pellets a bit with the back of a spoon so that the pellets dissolve quickly. Otherwise, you’ll come back in an hour with the pellets still sitting there staring you with all their round shiny brightness! You can use this mix for the whole day. Just use a clean spoon to give each dose, and make a fresh batch every day.
What if the Symptoms My Kid is Having Are Different than What’s Listed on the Blue Tube?
Not to worry! There are tons of different reasons a homeopathic medicine can be used. Only a very few of these indications are listed on the label. For instance, the indication listed on homeopathic Nux Vomica is “hangover”. You might look at me like I’m crazy if I recommend that your kid take a hangover medicine! But if you know that Nux Vomica is also great for nausea and vomiting, then then it would make total sense that I’m telling you to give it to your kid for his stomach flu.
How Do I Know Which Pellets to Give?
When you find the right homeopathic medicine, the results can be amazing! To find the right medicine, it’s important to either consult with your homeopathic doc, or stay tuned for awesome blogposts and courses offered through Healthy Kids Happy Kids to learn all the different ways you can use homeopathic medicines!
An Example, or Two…
In the meantime, I wanted to share with you 2 of the most common homeopathic medicines I use and keep with me everywhere I go with my kids.
Bumps and Bruises and Sprains, Oh My!
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Homeopathic Arnica Montana is a MUST in every diaper bag, purse, man bag, backpack, or whatever you’re carrying. Arnica is made from homeopathically diluted wolfsbane flowers – a beautiful yellow that has amazing medicine properties.
For any time you kid bonks his head, twists her ankle, falls of his bike and bruises his knee – you need Arnica! Arnica is THE homeopathic medicine for trauma and injury of any kind. It helps reduce aches and pains. It helps bruises to reabsorb faster. It helps sprains to heal faster.
When your kid gets hurt, just pull out that Arnica in the 9C or 30C dilution and give her 3 pellets every 1-2 hours for that first day, and space out the interval between doses as she feels better. You will be amazed how quickly she recovers!
I CAN’T SLEEP!!!
Now, if you’re one of the lucky few parents who have never heard these words, then you’re done ready, and I’ll see you in a new blogpost coming soon! BUT, if you’re like me, and some days your kid just has sooooo much going on in her little head that she just can’t settle down, read on!
Remember that we use a homeopathically diluted substance to cure the symptoms that it causes in normal amounts? What might homeopathic coffee be used for? Maybe when your kid just found out that you’re going to Disneyland and he’s so excited he can’t stop thinking and talking about it? Or maybe when your kid just came home from a party or a swim meet and she’s so amped up that she’s bouncing off the walls? Or just has too many thoughts running around his brain that his body won’t calm down?
YES! All of the above!
You can use homeopathic Coffea Cruda 30C 3 pellets at bedtime, and repeat in 15-30 minutes if needed. Absolutely no side effects. No grogginess in the morning. It won’t drug them to sleep like Benadryl. It helps your kid’s own body and mind settle down on its own to be able to fall asleep naturally. So cool, right?!?
Where can I purchase homeopathic medicine?
Hi Maria – homeopathy medicines are easy to find at Whole Foods or other health food store. I use the medicines by Boiron which should be readily available online as well and in many countries even if you’re not in the US!
Could you use Coffea Cruda for a 1yr old who has difficulty sleeping/staying asleep at night?
Our son has chronic eczema (we are currently working on figuring out the root cause of the issue with an elimination diet) and has difficulty sleeping (we assume) because of the itchy skin and unsettled/upset stomach. Is there anything that we can give him to help keep him comfortable and have a better night sleep?
Hi Meghan,
Yes, homeopathic Coffea cruda can be used at any age, even for a 1 year-old. Homeopathic Ignatia amara is also very helpful for sleep problems due to emotional stress. Best of luck with your little guy. Eczema can be so hard! I promise to work on an eczema blog post soon! xo Elisa
Do you know if homeopathy medicines from Boiron contain any of the common allergens? I recall wanting to give it a try and read some of them contained lactic acid. What brand do you recommend for those children with several, severe food allergies?
Hi Jamie,
The homeopathic pellets by Boiron contain lactose coated in the particular homeopathically-diluted medicine. Lactose is one of the sugars found in cow’s milk and human breast milk. The quantity of lactose in the pellets is very small and should not cause any problems even for those who are lactose-intolerant. As for allergens, there should be no cow’s milk protein, and I have been able to give Boiron pellets event to my patients who have severe dairy allergies. As for other major food allergens, Boiron pellets should also be free of peanuts, treenuts, soy, egg, wheat, etc. To make absolutely sure, I would call Boiron directly to check that the pellets do not contain any allergens that your child is allergic too. But essentially, the pellets are lactose + homeopathically-diluted medicine.
Best,
Elisa
Is it possible to overdose on a blue tube if someone ate the whole thing?
no – that’s the great thing about homeopathy. You can down the whole bottle and the only problem would be the waste of money! 🙂
We like Ollois bc we have dairy allergies.
I’m glad you found a remedy line that works for your family! Just as an FYI – homeopathic pellets are coated in lactose, the sugar found naturally in human breastmilk and cow’s milk. There is no dairy protein (casein or whey). Allergies are typically to the protein component in food, so those with cow’s milk allergies should not have a problem with homeopathic pellets. Take care!
Hi Elisa
Are there any homeopathic medicines for viral wheeze? We have had 4 hospital admissions this year and every time she gets sick I fear we are heading back to hospital. If i happens again she will have to take a preventer.
Hi Theresa! Yes, there are many homeopathic medicines that can be helpful for wheezing from any cause. Homeopathic Arsenicum album comes to mind. But I would definitely want you to work with a holistic pediatrician or skilled homeopath to get your through the first few timew using homeopathics. Epsom salt baths as soon as a cold starts can also help tremendously with reducing wheeze. Good luck!
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. I’ve really enjoyed learning these last six months since I watched your interview with wellness mama and then the thriving child summit! Being super new to homeopathy I have a question about some products. Can you use Oscillococcinum and chest all in the same day for 3 and 4 year olds with cold and cough? Thank you!
Hi Shell! I’m so glad that you find my information useful! That’s what keeps me going! 🙂 So – yes! you can definitely use Oscillo and Chestal in the same day, regardless of age. I just don’t give the honey Chestal to kids under 1 because of the honey. xo Elisa
Hi Elisa! Do you have a good book recommendation for learning the ins and outs of homeopathy?
Thank you!
Hi Emily – I love an older book by Maesimund Panos called Homeopathic Medicine at Home. And Dana Ullman’s books are great, too! Best of luck! Elisa
Hello,
Ignatia Amara has really helped with my sons anxiety. How long can he take it for? Is it best to do week on week off or just take when he needs it?
Hi Mistie – Ignatia is great for anxiety. While dosage needs to be individualized, in general I would take a symptomatic homeopathic remedy as needed and then work with a homeopathic practitioner to find your child’s chronic (aka “constitutional” remedy) for longer lasting effects. Good luck!
Hi Dr. Song!
Is there a resource of some sort that tells each homeopathic medicine and it’s various uses? I know each one can be used for different things so I was wondering if there was a website or book that has all those listed??
Thanks!
Chelsea