It started simple, constipation, then behavior issues, then food allergies, concentration, affection, textures, and catipulted us in the world of chronically sick children.
I am recovering from chronic Lyme disease and unknowingly passed it to both my kids in the womb. They were born sick, and until my Lyme diagnosis, they remained “duct-taped” together. What I mean by that is we knew something was wrong and we kept trying anything we could to help them. My dad is a nutrionist, so it was natural for me to go dye free, sugar free, then gluten free, etc.
If you haven’t examined diet then please research Feingold.org concerning dyes and perservatives and the benefits of GFCFSF for immune challenged kids – but that is a story for another blog (or have I written that already?).
This is the must have list. The things I cannot live without and that really have helped or are helping my kids. Our journey has not been perfect and I would do some things differently, but I have not ever given up trying. I feel is the most overwhelming task at times to try to help them live and to heal them at the same time. But it is my duty and my passion to succeed and help others do the same.
1. Detox baths. If you kids are fighting a bug, a fever, food reaction, behavior explosion – whatever it is, this will help. We used Epsom salt and hydrogen peroxide in equal parts in a tub of warm water, soak for at least 20 minutes. I use 1 cup each for mild issues and go up from there to 2 cups each (and have since they were about 3 – so lessen for smaller kids). If they are fighting a big bug or issue I do this 2-3 times a day.
2. Rescue remedy. These Bach flower remedies were discovered by Dr. Bach (no relation to Spock) and used homeopathically to help calm different emotional issues. The Rescue remedy is specifically designed to calm situation or stress. Keep one in your car, purse, office and house. This works for the kids and for me. If they get nervous, if they can’t calm down to sleep, any emotional issue these Bach flowers can help. On their website they have a special section to read what each individual flower can help with emotionally. Find the specific one for your child’s biggest hurdle and you have just customized their healing. www.bachflower.com
3. The basic immune support. Ours includes Vitamin D drops, Vitamin C, Fish Oil and Probiotic. These are essential for keeping up and building up your child’s already compromised immune system. Especially in cold/flu season or if you are travelling. They are a deal breaker and taken everyday and increased in trauma situations.
4. Oregano Oil – Most of the time in chronically ill kids, they have what’s called Leaky Gut Syndrome caused by Candida overgrowth (yeast). When the yeast is really bad, their behavior gets out of control and food cravings and sensitivities are at their worst. We put oregano oil on their feet to stop reactions both behavior and food. It works so well, its still a go to for flare ups.
5. My barometer remedies – I have access to a homeopathic doctor and to the doctors at Hansa who customized remedies for each of my kids. Their sleep patterns, food habits and behavior still shift with moons, barometric pressure shifts and other geothermal events like eclipses. I have a homeopathic Mercury/Phosphorus remedy that helps and one made up from Young Living Oils. In a pinch use Peace and Calming, Transformation, Lavendar or Mister oil from Yound Living or their comparable ones from DoTerra on the soles of the feet for geothermic or barometric disturbances. You can also do a detox bath and put one drop in the tub with them. Peace and Calming does not work on my kids and quite a few others I know, so its the one that is the most iffy on the list.
6. Young Living oils – I don’t travel without these. Peppermint helps with nausea. Theives fights viruses, bacteria and fungal infections. Mister, Transformation, Release, Lavendar all fight behavior issues with my kids. PanAway helps alleviate pain or injuries. They also tremendously help me with my stress load on tough days.
7. Digestive enzymes. I use/d Enzymedica in the height of our food intolerances/allergy problems. The CarbGest product really helped my son with processing phenols in natural foods. My daughter used Gastro to help her digest fats better and I used the Digest Gold. Especially if you are fighting Leaky Gut and severe digestive upsets, its possible the body needs to be propped up awhile in the enzyme department until the immune system gains ground.
8. Magnesium (Natural Calm) – To keep bowels moving, to keep kids calmer, to help with sleep – the body needs magnesium. The Epsom salt baths can be one way to get this into the system, the other way is through Natural Calm. Its a powder that mixes with water and forms a fizzy drink for kids.
9. Calms Forte – most of the products from Hyland’s a homeopathic company are awesome. You can buy most at Walgreens or the local health food store. We have used the Teething Tablets and Calms Forte the most. Calms Forte helps one of my kids settle down at night to sleep. It works in other nervous or stress induced situations also.
10. Homeopathics and more – I don’t travel without Arnica (for bruises and pain), Apis (for bug bites), and Belladonna (for fevers). My kids did not and still don’t tolerate long term use of main stream over the counter drugs. So Motrin, Tylenol or Benydryl are last resorts at our house. Even the dye free versions have Benzoate in them and cause huge reactions for us. So I have learned how to use homeopathics and keep my go to kit full at all times. These things work, either applied topically or taken internally.
I know the challenges first hand of raising chronically sick kids in today’s world and none of these ten things will you learn from your pediatrician or school nurse. Start here and find and add the ones that work for your kids. Talk to other moms with a natural bent for healing and listen close. My book Surviving Lyme details more about some of these things and other strategies that have worked in our home – it is available in ebook and softcover, the link is below.
Blessings to your families in this struggle and here’s to the healing of your kids,
Janice Fairbairn
softcover book – http://www.amazon.com/author/janicefairbairn
eBook – http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/JustLivingLikeThisWithLyme
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/justlivinglikethiswithLYME
Blog – https://justlivinglikethiswithlyme.com/my-blog/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/janicewithlyme
Pintrest – http://www.pinterest.com/jpfairbairn/just-living-like-this-with-lyme/
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