Health/Natural: Recurring Infections

Question: Our daughter Elizabeth is 5 years old. She suffers badly from recurring infections. We believe these are viral infections and that she may have a low level of resistance. She has been visiting the doctors , hospital and chest specialists for 3 years now without any real progress (we have been told she will grow out of it).

The main symptoms are a very bad cough at night and swollen neck/shoulder glands. The cough is extreme for 3 or 4 days and continues for 2 to 3 weeks. In between there may be a period of 6 to 10 days were she is okay, followed by another 2 to 3 week period of illness. This is a continuous cycle throughout the year but worse in winter. The other symptoms are tiredness and loss of colour in the face.

Conventional medicine, antibiotics, asthma drugs, etc. have all been prescribed and do not offer any comfort or relief.

Do you have any suggestions. Your help would be much appreciated.

Answer: In considering your daughter's ongoing condition, I wonder if you have tried any natural remedies or alternatives for her. Have you addressed her daily diet? Are there potential allergy problems, either foods, environmental or seasonal which could be the cause. In natural medicine, we strive to find the cause behind the symptoms and by addressing the cause, bring about resolution of the symptoms. We seek expression of the individual's symptoms, not suppression of them. As the symptoms are expressed, the individual can move through greater and greater phases of healing and rebalancing, adjusting the program as they go. This is where ongoing case management, or "follow-up" appointments with a naturopath, homeopath or other certified specialist in natural medicine is valuable. I would suggest you find a qualified person in your area to take your daughter's case and provide ongoing assistance in her progress.

My first thought is that she may have food allergies which are not yet addressed. Some common food sensitivities may include wheat; dairy; processed and packaged foods that contain preservatives, colorings, flavorings, MSG, or other chemicals; or eating too many sweets, white sugar or corn syrup in particular. All of these can create mucous in the system of a person sensitive to them, which can lead to continuing respiratory challenges. Changing her diet to more of a "whole food" diet would be an important step to take. You could do an experiment, eliminating one type of food first for maybe a 2-4 week period and see what happens. Alternatives to wheat include spelt flour/bread/pasta, oat flour, brown rice flour or quinoa (a grain from the Southwest area of the U.S.) Wheat is a very common allergen, especially in children. Dairy alternatives include soy milk, brown rice milk, almond milk or goat's milk. Alternatives to white sugar are stevia sweetner, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, honey, molasses or pure maple syrup. Many children drink large quantities of fruit juice, which can react much like sugar in the system. How much clean, spring water does she drink each day? This is very important in flushing impurities out of the body and mucous membranes.

Botanical medicine can offer many options for your daughter's situation. I will detail some herbs to consider, but it would be best to consult with an herbalist or naturopath as to which ones may fit your daughter's exact needs the best. Astragalus Root (astragalus membraneceus) is my first choice, as it is excellent in building a weakened immune system. It is used traditionally in Chinese medicine especially for those who get sick very easily and frequently, being very susceptible to every viral or bacterial attack. A person using this would be generally more pale, cold-natured, weak and fatigued. The best way to use astragalus root is in the liquid extract, or the freeze-dried capsule form. Echinacea purpurea, a traditional immune supporting herb, can often be found combined in formulas with astragalus. The two herbs compliment each other nicely.

Some beneficial lung and respiratory herbs may include wild cherry bark, osha root, horehound, elecampane, eucalyptus and slippery elm. One of my favorite anti-viral herbs is Lomatium (lomatium dissectum), which also offers immune strengthening properties. It combines well with some of the herbs listed above for coughs and sore throats.

To address the swollen glands, Red Root (ceanothus americanus) can be very helpful in allowing the lymphatic system to drain. Traditionally in western herbalism, it is by far the most important herb to consider for chronic lymphatic swelling. It combines well with Echinacea Root.

It is also important to think about your daughter's digestion, how well she breaks down her food. Especially if we are dealing with food allergies, it may be a good idea to start her on a good digestive enzyme for children. Check with your local health food store for some options. Also, bowel regularity is very important for healthy digestion and also for the body's ability to let go of toxins, as in the lymphatic swellings. Adding a probiotic formula, or acidophilus/bifidus combination, can be essential to healthy digestion. These are friendly bacteria which we are all born with, but can be killed off after overuse of antibiotics, among other reasons. Replenishing them in a powdered form mixed with water, or in a chewable form for children, can be one of the most important options for her. Not only do probiotics aid in digestion, but they will keep us from getting too "acid" internally and keep us more alkaline. Excess acidity can lead to many forms of chronic illness such as allergies, weakened immune systems, fungal or digestive problems, to mention a few. A probiotic formula is one of the most important things you can choose for healthy immune function.

I hope some of these options help your daughter and that when next winter comes, she will see a nice improvement overall.

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Susie Cooper, ND earned her Doctor of Naturopathy degree at the Southern College of Naturopathic Medicine, and is Board Licensed and Certified. She has continued most of her study in Classical Homeopathy with the New England School of Homeopathy. Dr. Susie has taught workshops in homeopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition in North Carolina for many years. She now teaches all her workshops in her shop, Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, in beautiful Pilot Mountain, NC, where she also takes private appointments for herbal, nutritional and homeopathic assessments. (336) 368-5955.

Important note: The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.