Having three boys eight and under has given me many opportunities to try out different natural remedies over the years to treat different conditions. From pink eye, colds, rashes, cuts, hand, foot, and mouth, to earaches...we have seen it all. I've tried many different products and have successfully avoided conventional medicine almost completely. I'll share those few exceptions I'll share below. There are many great products out there so If you don't see something listed, it doesn't mean it is not approved, it might just not be what we have at home right now.
HOW WE APPROACH SICKNESS
My approach to helping our boys when sick is my mentality isn't to, "squash this ASAP" or approach with fear but to support the body to work through it. We as a culture have such a fear around babies and kids getting sick with minor things like colds and flu. Our bodies are made to heal, and trusting yourself and your children's bodies to heal is an important foundation. Not to mention these minor illnesses generally help the immune system become more robust. My friend calls colds, "system upgrades" and I love that reframing. If you are someone who fears these minor illnesses, I highly recommend purchasing the Med School for Moms course. It's an incredibly in-depth course that will leave you feeling confident in handling colds, earaches, flu & more.
DAILY IMMUNE SUPPORTING HABITS I believe everything I do in our daily life to be low-tox in our home supports the boy's health. I can count on two fingers how many times the boys have been "really sick" and we have only needed to go to the doctor for a "sick visit" one to two times per child...and one of those was for pink eye. Maybe it's luck but I feel like there is more to it. The boys primarily eat organic food and we try for whole foods. Don't worry, they get PLENTY of treats and healthier processed foods. We aren't strict in our home, we simply aim to serve real food. I only buy and bring into our home what I'm okay with them eating. When the boys are sick, we try to avoid dairy as it can cause further congestion and avoid sugar as it suppresses the immune system.
Additionally, to help support health I look at what is being used in our home. Do the products we are using contain ingredients that are harmful? These ingredients, like phthalates, parabens, fragrances, VOC's, and more, place a burden on their bodies. We don't use any artificial fragrance in our home. We only use non-toxic laundry, bath, and shower products. We have a whole home water filter. A countertop or under-the-sink water filter is great if you can't afford that. Clearly Filtered, Epic, Aquatru, and Aquasana are all great brands. I give them Juice Plus gummies daily. I run air purifiers in their bedrooms.
We are exposed daily to toxins through food, water, and air so to me, these are all preventative health action steps. I do it happily. There is only so much that we can control and that's what I focus on. The less stress we put on their organs with exposure to products with ingredients that can harm their health, the better their bodies will work. If you need help swapping the products in your home for safer options, check out my Healthy at Home eBook.
MEDICINE CABINET
Many conventional medicines, even for kids, contain artificial colors, dyes, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and actives that can cause bad side effects. It's shocking to me how so many cold products contain inflammatory ingredients. Here is just one example of what you find commonly sold for colds for kids, Children's Robutossin Cough and Congestion.

Blue No. 1 - Linked to chromosomal damaage
Red No 4 - Linked to ADHD, thyroid cancer, nerve and brain disorders
Polyethylene glycol - Derived from petroleum. the process of making it requires chemicals with toxic side effects
Sucralose - aka Splenda, is an artificial sweetener. It's chlorinated, yuck! It's linked to leaky gut and serious gut conditions
When your child's immune system is down, giving them "medicine" with inflammatory ingredients that can cause other health issues seems very counterproductive. Many doctors now recommend against over-the-counter cold medicines like this for children as antihistamines and decongestants can cause side effects as well.
WHAT WE USE INSTEAD
Instead of using conventional cold medicines, we opt for homeopathic cold medicines that have no serious side effects and none of the other additives you find in regular medicine.
COLDS/FLU
We like Hylands Baby & Kids Cold products. We supplement with immune-boosting supplements like Vitamin D, Zinc, and Bee Propolis Throat Spray. We use Kids Echineacea. Side note, the boys absolutely love the throat spray. We also use a natural chest rub, saline nose drops, and the nose Frida. All of these products can be found here.
One great immune supplement is buying local elderberry syrup. Many times you can find it made with local honey which helps prevent local allergies. If you can't find one near you, I love this one, and her victory elixir as well.
For flu, we start with Oscillococcinum. For a stomach bug, if your kids catch it first, have activated charcoal capsules on hand to take preventative. I also take extra minerals and electrolytes, I take this almost daily. For a better alternative to Gatorade, my boys love Roar which is widely available in grocery stores or Re-lyte.
For adults, I also like to use Xclear Nose Spray, Colloidal Silver, and Biocidin TS to help boost immune system.
For respiratory issues, many friends of mine use nebulizers. I have friends with children who are prone to pneumonia and this has been a very helpful tool for them. For what to put in the nebulizer, Dr Mercola has information on his website.
FEVERS
Many people have deep fears of fevers and think all are bad and need to be treated immediately. This thankfully isn’t true and fevers are actually a good sign that your child’s body is fighting the illness they have. Instead of suppressing a fever, we support the body’s immune system and offer comfort (cold compress, warm bath, etc). Kids' fevers can go higher than adults' without the need for panic. You can discuss the threshold of when you need to bring your child in with your Pediatrician.
Tylenol is an absolute last resort and I’ve never needed to use it for our two younger children. Most Tylenol contains multiple artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and gums, all of which are inflammatory. It can lead to organ damage if too much is given. That isn't even what bothers me the most about it! My biggest issue with Tylenol(and NSAIDS as well like Ibuprofen) is it can deplete glutathione which is a crucial antioxidant that supports your immune system detox. So instead of Tylenol, we support fevers with supplements like Lemon Balm, Echinacea, and homeopathic remedies like aconite and pulsatilla. My boys love using homeopathic pellets, they taste a little sweet. They work best if you start at the first sign of illness. The best part is that they have no side effects.
Do I think it’s good to have Tylenol on in case of emergencies? Definitely. What I want to convey is how not good it is for our children's bodies and if it's teething or a low-grade fever, consider trying other remedies first. Especially since artificially suppressing a fever can make it spike higher. When our 18-month-old got very sick and had a 105 fever, we rotated Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Since then I haven't had to use it. And again, If you want to learn about how to confidently treat fevers & other illnesses, the Med School for Moms course is amazing. Instead of using the Tylenol brand, we have Genexa's acetaminophen on hand which is made with none of the inflammatory additives.
NEOSPORIN
Neosporin contains petroleum jelly which has been linked to cancer. It also has antibiotics which are many times unnecessary for children. Additionally, it can cause allergic skin reactions. Instead, we use this non-toxic multi-purpose solution called Active Skin Repair. It can be used on cuts, scrapes, small wounds, burns, and bites. It is a reproduction of Hypochlorous (HOCl), which is naturally produced by the white blood cells in our bodies as a natural way to support the natural healing process. It's safe for the whole family and works well. I think its helpful in preventing scars too since it helps cuts heal so well. It's eczema safe as well.
FOR ALLERGIC REACTIONS
In case of a severe allergic reaction, we do keep dye-free Zyrtec on hand. We used to have Bendadryl and I recently learned that Zyrtec is now recommended for that.
EAR ACHES
In talking to my pediatrician and reading up on ear aches, many doctors are no longer immediately prescribing antibiotics for ear aches. This is great because as we know, over-prescribing anti-biotics can lead to serious gut damage for children. Additionally, many earaches are not bacterial and are viral. We have Mullein Garlic Oil on hand in case one of our boys gets an earache. Additionally, the homeopathic remedies Pulsatilla and Aconitum also help, as well as Chamomilla. We also do regular chiropractic treatments and it's great to establish care with a pediatric chiropractor or cranial sacral therapist so you can take them in as adjustment can help ears drain and relieve sinus pressure.
ANTIBIOTICS
If your child (or you) does need to go on antibiotics, it's important to help repopulate the gut with good bacteria. I've taken Ther-Biotic from Klaire Labs. You can check with your doctor on dosing, but sprinkling this on your child's food can help. If you want a gummy, this one is great. Also, a whole foods diet, with fermented food and bone broth helps support gut health as well.
OTHER TOOLS
I can't tell you how many thermometers we have been through. They all seem to be inaccurate or they break. But, I think it's good to have on hand to monitor a fever. I've found the fancier it is, the quicker it breaks. I like a simple one like this.
Another helpful tool to have on hand is a Pulse Ox. A pulse ox measures the oxygen saturation level in the blood. If oxygen is low, it can point to various respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. According to Very Well health, "If your oxygen saturation level drops below 95%, it may suggest a potential issue with your lung or heart function. Levels below 92% are considered low and may require medical attention. You should seek immediate medical attention for a reading of 88% or lower." This is helpful to use when anyone in your home is dealing with any respiratory illness.
I hope this is a good resource to help you build a natural medicine cabinet. What are you favorite natural remedies to have on hand?! Share below.
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