Homeopathic Remedies for Colic
Originally published online in the October 2010 edition of babyvibe (now savvymom)
Colic is defined as excessive crying in newborns related to difficulties with their digestion. There may be distention of the abdomen with excessive flatulence and burping, signs of abdominal pain, and vomiting. There is usually also be more fussiness directly after eating. Many of my clients have had much success using homeopathic remedies for colic of their newborn babies.
Homeopathic Combination Remedies
These are easy to use and can be found in most supplement and health food stores. Examples of good homeopathic combination remedies for colic are “Cocyntal” by Boiron, “Kids 0-9 Colic” by Homeocan, and “Colic Tablets” by Hyland’s.
Single Homeopathic Remedies
These are a lot cheaper than homeopathic combination remedies, but the downside is that parents can get confused if they are not sure which remedy is indicatedfor their child. Single homeopathic remedies are available in sugar pellet form in small vials. They can be found at most major health food stores, pharmacies, or homeopathic clinics but tend to be less widely available than the combination remedies. I recommend using a 30C potency (strength). Some of the more common remedies for colic are:
Chamomilla: This common remedy for teething is also frequently indicated for colic if the baby is extremely irritable. Nothing satisfies this baby though he’s usually better only when he is being carried. The colic is often accompanied by teething and there is often diarrhea with green stools.
Colocynthis: Another common remedy for newborn colic. The baby feels better after the parent puts pressure to the abdomen and the baby will often bring his knees to his abdomen to obtain relief.
Magnesium Phosphoricum: A good remedy to try if Colocynthis seems indicated but does not work. The baby gets relief from warm applications on her abdomen and she is not particularly irritable.
Pulsatilla: Colic after the mother eats rich foods. The baby is mild, timid, weepy, and craves affection.
Dosage of Single Remedies
One dose every hour; one can adjust the frequency depending on severity. Once the pain diminishes the remedy can be given three times per day, then eventually as seldom as once per day. If the baby has no relief from four consecutive doses of the remedy, then you have probably chosen the wrong remedy and it is time to select another or make an appointment with a classical homeopath for professional advice.
Other Precautions
If breastfeeding, the mother should try to avoid foods from the cabbage family, the citrus family, and cow’s milk. With formula-fed babies, parents may want to consider switching to a different type of formula.
If your baby has severe, chronic symptoms of colic that do not seem to improve from homeopathic remedies, it is important to see your doctor and your classical homeopath for professional advice.
The Waning Effectiveness of the Whooping Cough Vaccine
In 2010, California experienced its worst outbreak of whooping cough in 50 years. As usual, the mainstream media blamed unvaccinated people for the outbreak, yet 44 to 83 percent of those diagnosed with whooping cough in California had been vaccinated against whooping cough.
Since the 1980s, the incidence of pertussis (whooping cough) has been rising, and this resurgence is not related to vaccine refusal. The pertussis rates in California are the same as other US states with higher and lower vaccine rates. According to the CDC, vaccination rates for pertussis in the US have been steady or even on the increase since 1992.
Other areas besides California have experienced this phenomena of whooping cough occurring in heavily vaccinated populations. In Oxford, England, between 2001-2005, 90% of children who contracted whooping cough were fully immunized. During a 2005-2006 outbreak in Toronto, Canada, over 90% of children who contracted whooping cough were fully up to date on their immunizations. During a 2009 outbreak in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, all children who contracted whooping cough had been immunized. During a recent outbreak in Texas and Ohio, between 67-75% of children had been immunized. In Long Island during a 2011 epidemic, all infected children were vaccinated.
In Finland, where the vaccine coverage rate is 98%, a nation wide study of children infected with pertussis between 1994-1997 concluded that pertussis outbreaks can indeed occur in fully vaccinated populations. A study of a 2004 outbreak in Slovenia reveals that all children who became infected with pertussis were fully vaccinated. And last but not least, another example of the ineffectiveness of the pertussis vaccine: during a 1996 pertussis outbreak in the Netherlands, infection rate was actually higher among those who were vaccinated for the disease.
Unvaccinated children have become the scapegoat for pertussis outbreaks, but this belief is not based in reality. According to Dutch scientist Dr. Fritz Mooi, the most obvious culprit is the waning effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine. The answer to the problem, posited by the mainstream press, is to add more booster doses to the vaccination schedule. However, Dr. Mooi’s research into the real reason behind waning vaccine immunity concludes that there is now a new, more virulent strain of whooping cough that is resistant to the pertussis vaccine.
The logical answer to the problem would be to develop a new vaccine that would protect against this new pertussis strain. But Dr. Mooi says, “There is little incentive for pharmaceutical companies to pursue a new vaccine because it would cost billions.”
An increase in pertussis vaccination coverage is associated with rising incidence of parapertussis infection. The symptoms of parapertussis infection are virtually identical to pertussis infection, thus an MD could easily misdiagnose parapertussis as pertussis. There currently is no vaccine that protects against parapertussis. A recent study found that the risk of parapertussis infection was 40 times as likely in mice that were immunized with the pertussis vaccine.
Interested in safe, effective and natural ways to boost the immune system? Click Here Learn More About Homeoprophylaxis/Nosodes
References
Immunized People Getting Whooping Cough, Experts Spar Over New Strain
Outbreaks Proof that Whooping Cough Vaccines Don’t Work
Vaccination is Steady, But Pertussis is Surging
Whooping Cough Kills 5 in California – State Declares an Epidemic
Whooping Cough Outbreaks in Vaccinated Children Become More and More Frequent
By Sonya McLeod
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