This winter was brutal for us - I missed getting my flu shot - but that wasn't the worst part. I did get sick multiple times - mild versions of cold and one really bad episode. The worst part was my little baby (who did get a flu shot) started getting sick starting halloween. After 8 back to back episodes of ear infections, countless sleepless nights and giving my baby strange sounding harmful medicines, I decided I had to try something radically different.
I read up like crazy - got the referral from my pediatrician - and got an appointment with an ayurvedic specialist. It has worked wonders and my baby has been ear infection free for 4 months now and counting.
The following is the preventative regimen(Do this September through May):
1. Make a powder with equal amounts of tulsi, turmeric, licorice and ginger. Take 1/8 tsp mix it with locally grown honey and give it to the baby twice a day.
Adult dosage varies.
You can also buy the above from here:
http://www.ayurvedicessence.com/tulsi.html
2. Give the baby 1 tsp liquid vit C available at whole foods. Once a day each morning.
3. Give the baby only hot cereal in the morning all winter starting September. Oatmeal, baby muesli, brown rice cereal, malt-o-meal anything works.
4. Give the baby a sesame oil massage each night and put oil at the extremities of the nose - make this a ritual before bedtime. I really bond with my son and we play games while I give him a massage.This lubricates the lymph nodes and make them drain better.
5. Put a single drop of warm sesame oil(cold or hot oil can have adverse effects) each night in both ears - make sure it is both ears.
At the onset of cold do the following:
1. Increase the dosage of the tulsi powder to three times a day.
2. Increase the oil in nose and ear to 3-5 times a day. Do not exceed 8 times a day.
3. Reduce dairy. Make the oatmeal /cereal with only 50% milk and 50% water - make sure the texture is smooth with no lumps since the throat might be hurting.
4. Make fresh chicken broth and give insted of milk - this helps in drying out the phlegm inside.
5. Give the baby cinnamon water every hour for 24-48 hours.
If the baby is coughing:
1. Put warm mustard oil on chest and soles of feet and cover with socks.
2. Put hot mist humidifier when baby is asleep.
3. Start boiron homeo cough syrup every 2-3 hours right away(Available at whole foods).
4. Switch the turmeric powder with an ayurvedic powder called sitophaladi and give it three times a day.
Useful in cough, laryngitis, pharyngitis and bronchitis. Owing to its sweet taste, it is easily accepted by children
Buy it here: http://www.greatayurveda.net/sitophaladi-churna-50g.html
5. Buy rock salt - heat it on an iron pan till hot. Wrap it in a towel or a cloth bag and put it on baby's chest and back - this relieves chest pain due to coughing.
Finally.....
I know this sounds like a lot but so much better than waiting in the emergency room or running to the doctor every second day. My child has gotten a cold since then but they have been far milder and the duration has been much smaller. And yes, no ear infections!
Just FYI - You could try homeopathy too - but it takes longer and gets worse before it gets better - and at this point Ayurveda is working great.
Good luck.
