Some clinicians are reluctant to treat children’s health problems with herbs. Issues behind such hesitancy range from compliance challenges (and the associated problems with dosage forms), safety concerns, inexperience with treating children, and uncertainty around dosing. Indeed, children are not miniature adults. The therapeutic benefit and potential risks associated with herbal therapy is different to adults in terms of such considerations as developmental physiology, metabolism and pharmacokinetics.

However, my clinical experience is that if these reservations are overcome, children respond very well to herbal treatments, with results often exceeding expectations. Health issues linked to immune function seem to be particularly receptive to the positive influence of medicinal plants. So convinced was I that herbs have a central role in children’s healthcare, I collaborated with Rob Santich in the development of the first herbal textbook on this topic, entitled Healthy Children: Optimising Children’s Health with Herbs.

The following series outlines some recent cases from my clinic.

Persistent cough since rhinovirus infection

Mother presented with her 9-year-old son who was suffering from a persistent cough since a presumed rhinovirus infection about 4 weeks prior. Signs and symptoms included yellow mucus, shortness of breath and blocked sinuses, as well as a dry barking cough. He had a good diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables but was a mouth breather and was small for his age. Recent bushfires may have played a role in his ongoing respiratory problems. His body weight was 24 Kg (so using the Salisbury rule his dose would be half the adult one).

He was prescribed the following:

• A complex probiotic, half a sachet with water first thing in the morning
• Hydrastis canadensis (Golden Seal) tablets, one and a half tablets per day, crushed and mixed with juice or fruit paste
• A herbal formulation, 4 mL with water twice a day:

Withania somnifera (Withania)                            2:1             15 mL

Echinacea angustifolia/purpurea root blend      1:2             40 mL

(Echinacea)

Euphrasia officinalis (Eyebright)                         1:2             25 mL

Nigella sativa (Nigella)                                        1:2             25 mL

The Withania was for his low body weight and size, as a tonic. His cough persisted for 2 weeks and then went. Compliance with the herbs was no problem, but there was still upper respiratory mucus present after 4 weeks. Over the following 6 months he was in good health, with much reduced mucus and no infections or cough. But when he stopped the herbs for a few days his cough resumed. Six months later, mainly just taking the herbal liquid mix, in good health, growing well, sinuses clear.

Tick bite complications and molluscum contagiosum

A very concerned mother came with her 3-year-old daughter, weighing 15 kg, who had an ongoing skin lesion following a tick bite 3 months prior. The girl had a maculopapular rash near her elbow flexure and a distinct central scab about 1 cm round. The tick was removed by a paramedic, but her skin had not healed despite the application of several medications. One doctor had diagnosed her as having bacillary angiomatosis (epithelioid angiomatosis), an uncommon disease characterised by neovascular proliferation in the skin or the internal organs (peliosis) due to an infection with Bartonella. A short-term oral antibiotic had made her skin worse (possibly due to a reaction to the drug), and hence the next step advised was a very heavy and lengthy course of different antibiotics. The general medical view was that this young girl was immunocompromised, as she had a history of various viral and bacterial infections, including molluscum contagiosum, whooping cough and oral herpes. The whooping cough had been misdiagnosed and she had been very ill with it, possibly leading to this immunocompromised diagnosis. She also had current molluscum contagiosum elsewhere on her body.

She was prescribed the following:

• A complex probiotic, half a sachet with water first thing in the morning
• A herbal formulation, 2.5 mL with water twice a day:

Echinacea angustifolia/purpurea root blend 1:2         40 mL

(Echinacea)

Hypericum perforatum (St John’s Wort)   1:2             20 mL

(High hypericin)

Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus)  1:2             20 mL

Pelargonium graveolens (Pelargonium) 1:5                10 mL

Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)                    1: 1              15 mL

(High glycyrrhizin)

Note the strong antiviral focus of the formulation because of the molluscum contagiosum.

Treatment was ongoing for the next 3 months, during which her molluscum contagiosum reduced considerably and the herb formulation was increased to 4 mL twice a day. Her lesion from the tick bite came and went but was still there. Her paediatric surgeon who was debating whether to excise the lesion. However, her general practitioner (GP) was amazed at how improved she was from the sickly child he first saw.

About 3 months later her lesion had been excised and diagnosed as a juvenile xanthogranuloma. After an initial infection and a reaction to the stitches, the surgery was healing well. Her treatment above had been maintained and the mother was noting very positive behavioural changes, especially more energy.

Six months later, the molluscum was gone, skin from the tick bite completely healed, and the child looks incredibly healthy and has no health issues. The mother is delighted.

Poor sleep, anxiety and tooth decay

A mother came in with her 8-year-old daughter, weighing 22 kg, who had sleep problems, a poor appetite, anxiety and mood issues. The main concern with her sleep was trouble getting to sleep on those days when she was more anxious, and her mood was worse.

She was prescribed the following:

• A herbal tablet containing Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), Ziziphus jujuba (Zizyphus) seed, Magnolia officinalis (Magnolia) bark and Lavendula officinalis (Lavender) essential oil. Taken one tablet before bed
• A herbal formulation, 5 mL with water twice a day:

Echinacea angustifolia/purpurea root blend     1:2              30 mL

Gentiana lutea (Gentian)                                     1:2             10 mL

Withania somnifera (Withania)                            2:1             15 mL

Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower)                  1:2             15 mL

Scutellaria baicalensis (Skullcap)                       1:2             15 mL

Matricaria chamomilla (Chamomile)                   1:2             20 mL

Two months later, the mother reported good improvements in her child’s sleep, appetite and nervous system stability. This was maintained for another two months but her mother noted an issue with increased tooth decay.

The following mouth rinse was therefore prescribed (1 mL in 10 mL water swilled for 30 seconds in the mouth twice day):

Commiphora myrrha (Myrrh)                   1:5    50 mL

Salvia officinalis (Sage)                           1:2     50 mL

Two months, later the mother reported a good result for her child’s teeth, which was confirmed by the dentist a few months after that.