Those Dreaded Nights

I was surprised when Ilysse called me at 3 in the afternoon today. She told me she was having a tummy ache and hasn't eaten anything for lunch. When I left in the morning, she complained of a tummy ache but told her that she might just be hungry because she hasn't had breakfast yet. I knew that she must have felt really sick because that was the first time she called me in the office. I wanted to hurry home but was also itching to do some grocery because the kids have virtually cleaned out our pantry that was just 2 weeks ago filled to the brim. When I learned after a few minutes that Ilysse had fallen asleep, I rushed to the supermarket while whispering a prayer that my Ilysse would be ok.

When I came home, Ilysse still hadn't eaten a decent meal and had vomited when she woke up. I gave her Chamomilia and Carbo Betulae for the tummy ache and the vomiting. At around 8 pm, she developed a slight fever which just kept on rising, and peaked at 12 midnight at 39.3 C. I have been giving her Apis Belladona every hour. Considering that I just need to give her 5 drops of it, I use a dropper and she doesn't even stir. I dread nights like this. Every parent does. Could it be dengue? Intestinal Flu? Or even Appendicitis?

After giving her the Apis every hour since 8 pm, her fever has gone down to 37.7 C at 2 am. I'm ready to get some rest. I just earnestly hope that tomorrow won't bring me one of those dreaded nights again.

The Cough Syrup Scare and Bacteria-Infested Leaves

(Taken from the Solmux Ad)

On 21 February 2012, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that a 7-year old dies after taking cough syrup. It was reported that Niel John Picoc was given a three-fourths teaspoon of a generic cough syrup when he suffered a seizure and fell to the ground. When the child started getting up, he fell again and banged his head in the pavement. It was at this point that blood started coming out of his mouth and nose. They tried to revive Neil who was rushed to the nearest hopsital but he eventually died.

It was a tragedy that could have been avoided. Whatever may be the proximate cause of Neil's death, whether it was because of the cough syrup or from the head injury, it is clear that the injury sustained by the child was the direct and immediate consequence of his taking the cough syrup.

The use of over-the-counter cough and cold syrups for children ages 5 and below has been decried by the Commissioner of Health for Baltimore together with 15 pediatricians which became the basis for a Citizen's Petition before the United States Food and Drug Authority (US FDA). The City of Baltimore issued a statement on 26 October 2006 that there is no evidence to support the effectiveness of these non-prescription medicines and that the side effects of these drugs could even cause harm. The statement reported that the side effects can be dangerous and that the dangers include accidental ingestions, more specifically, elevation of blood pressure and heart rate, risk of stroke, effects on the heart, and in some cases, death.

On the other side of the fence, big pharmas have been flooding Philippine airwaves with ads discrediting the use of lagundi leaves to cure coughs and colds by saying that anti-cough lagundi products contain (daang libong bacteria) thousands of bacteria. The talent further quipped that if you won't take anything with bacteria, why should your baby (kung ikaw di iinom ng bacteria, si baby pa kaya?).

There are very inaccurate and deceiving statements made in this particular advertisement. It failed to define what kind of bacteria they are talking about. Probiotics, including yogurt and yakult, are filled with billions of good bacteria. Are they referring to these good bacteria? They also failed to give concrete examples of the ill effects of these so-called bacteria to people's health. This pharma thinks that they can dupe intelligent and thinking people with the scare tactic that lagundi products contain bacteria. They should be the first to know that people are exposed daily to all sorts of bacteria, even the most virulent ones, just by opening the door in the office or holding the rails of the escalator. What is most loathsome is their indirect claim that their cough medicine is good for babies. This claim is belied by the statement issued by the US FDA in its website updated last 23 February 2011. The FDA recommended that these drugs not be used to treat infants and children under 2 years of age because of serious and potentially life-threatening side effects. The FDA further disclosed that it has not completed its review of information about the safety of cough and cold medicines in children 2 through 11 years of age. This is not only an alarming disclosure, but an admission-against-interest by the US FDA. This only means that you should not give your children any kind of over-the-counter cough or cold medicines.

I have always relied on fresh oregano leaves and lagundi capsules, cayenne tincture (my kids squirm when i give them this, my baby even covers his mouth, because even a drop stings but even just a drop works extremely well), honey and apple cide vinegar, and homeopathic medicine for my kid's cough and colds and they absolutely work without any dreaded side effects.

So, if given the choice between chemicals and bacteria, which one would you choose?

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

In light of the worldwide fear created by the emergence of the swine flu, the efficacy, safety, and benefit of vaccines to counter such disease, or any other disease,for that matter, are again subject of much debate.

Closer to home, the safety of vaccines has been hot topic in our household ever since we had Isabelle and Ilysse. Prior to my so-called "enlightenment", Isabelle had the complete set of vaccinations, from DTP to MMR to Chickenpox to Hepatitis B, to all its booster shots. Even though Andrew was strongly against it, I even had Isabelle vaccinated against the flu at age 3. I totally regret what I did since shortly after her flu shot, her allergies to everything around her started to appear. We partly attribute Isabelle's allergies and eczema to these vaccinations and our theory has been supported by growing research and data on the detrimental effects of vaccination (particularly, the chemicals, like mercury, that go with the vaccines) on children. A very informative site on the ill effects of vaccination can be found at Generation Rescue (www.generationrescue.org) which was put up by Jenny McCarthy whose son was diagnosed with autism shortly after he was vaccinated.

With Ilysse, I knew better. I was more confident in not having Ilysse vaccinated because I breastfed her for 3 1/2 years. She had vaccinations only for DTP and she does not have allergies and rarely gets sick.

Thankfully, Andrew never got tired of reminding me of the dangers of vaccination at such an early age. He would even assuage my fears of not having our children vaccinated by correctly pointing out that our generation never had those vaccinations, but here we are, still alive and kicking. We got our share of measles, chickenpox, mumps, even hepatitis A, but, as far as we were concerned, they were simply childhood irritants.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate obviously remains to be every parent's decision but I encourage parents to research and continue reading up on the latest on these vaccines. Do not make it routinary simply because everybody else is doing it. If you really want to have your children vaccinated, delay it until they are bigger and stronger to take on not only the germ that will be introduced in their system but also the multitude of toxic chemicals that come with the vaccine.

Boosting Your Child's Brain

A favorite author of mine, Patrick Holford, is a leading authority on nutrition and mental health. Among the more than twenty health books he has authored, I have his Six Weeks to Super Health, Food is Better Medicine Than Drugs, and Optimum Nutrition for your Child's Brain. Undoubtedly, the last book is the one that I treasure the most. It is packed with relevant and useful information as it teaches parents how to develop their child's concentration and focus, boost IQ and creative thinking, improve reading and writing, enhance memory, and improve mood and behavior. It is definitely a must-read for all parents who want to maximize their child's potential.

You can easily gather from this book that the most important nutrient that a child should have, aside from an optimum diet and a daily intake of multivitamins are the essential fats, the so-called omega-3 and omega-6 essential fats. These essential fats help children stay physically healthy, reducing the risk of allergies, asthma, eczema, and infections. The most important omega-3 fats are DHA and EPA, which are now being marketed by milk companies as brain boosters. The most important omega-6 fat is GLA, the richest source being borage. Mr. Holford recommends supplementing kids with these nutrients considering their poor diet and the not-so-common sources of these fats. He listed down the sources as follows:

Omega-3-flaxseeds, hempseed, pumpkin seeds
Omega-6 corn, safflower, sunflower
EPA and DHA- salmon, preferably wild and not farmed so as to limit mercury poisoning, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies, tuna steak, eggs (of flaxseed-fed hen)
GLA-evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant seed.

I have given Isabelle and Ilysse Flaxseed Oil before but considering the taste, I had a hard time coaxing them in taking it. I usually add it to their milk which, however, they can still detect because of its strong and distinct taste. Luckily, I found Yummi Bears, Omega-3,6,9. I alternate this with Lil Critters' Omega-3 Gummy Fish. I have been giving them these supplements for over a year now and I am happy to report that they are simply working wonders on my children.

Children, Visualization, and the Chihuahua

I recently bought my daugthers, Isabelle and Ilysse, the book, "More Nigthlights, Stories for You to Read to Your Child To Encourage Calm, Confidence and Creativity" by Anne Civardi, Joyce Dunbar, Kate Petty, and Karen Wallace with an introduction from David Fontana. The book's appeal hinges not only on its captivating drawings but the novelty of the topic it seeks to promote, meditation and visualization in children. I have been perpetually amazed by the workings of a child's brain and its almost unfathomable capacity to store and assimilate information. I just could imagine what more it can do if the child learns how to meditate and visualize.

My children love the stories in the book but they love doing the visualizations more. Since I got the book a week ago, we have been reading the stories, and doing the breathing and visualization exercises daily before they go to bed at night. I have yet to see the benefits of this daily regimen on my daughters. But, for now, I am glad that they have warmly received this new experience.

When Isabelle asked me what visualization is, I simply told her that it is picturing something in your mind with your eyes closed and seeing it as if it is real. She told me that she already knows how to do it because she always pictures in her mind the chihuahua that she has been wanting for so long. And, when she asked me if she visualizes everyday, will she be getting the chihuahua of her dreams, I had no choice but to say a firm, resounding, "Of course."

Fever:Friend or Foe

The one thing that makes every parent overly worried when their children get ill is when they get the fever, especially when the body temperature reaches 39 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees Farenheit. At the onset of fever, parents usually grab the available fever medicine, either the paracetamol, acetaminophen or ibuprofen and give this with dispatch to their sick child. I, myself, previously did the same thing whenever my children get the fever.

This practice which more often than not is made with the clearance of the child's pediatrician has been questioned by Lucy Burney, a noted Nutrition Consultant and children's health specialist from London who authored the book "Boost Your Child's Immune System" and whom I have repeatedly cited in my previous post. She explained that fever is an indication that your child is trying to burn off something which is not meant to be there. The fever produced to fight off the "intruders" is beneficial since high body temperature stimulates the immune system to produce more white blood cells. It also increases the heart rate so that white blood cells get delivered to the sites of infection more rapidly and their secretions increased. In fact, she encouraged parents to think twice before reaching for the Calpol since such medicines not only reduce the temperature and therefore, the child's immune activity, but also mask the symptoms so that the child temporarily feels better.

She cautioned, however, to differentiate a raised temperature from a temperature spiralling out of control, noting that fever has also its beneficial limit, espcially when it is accompanied by other symptoms such as rashes, difficulty in breathing or unnatural floppiness.

Heeding Ms. Burne's advice, I tried to avoid giving my children fever medicine and instead gave them homeopathic medicine to control the fever. At first, I was skeptical if homeopathy really works which relies on the principle of "like curing like" or the law of similars. Its founder, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, started experimenting in 1790 with an extremely wide range of natural remedies, which were derived from animal, plant, mineral and biological raw material. The law of similars in homeopathy simply means that taking small quantities of a substance, which in far larger doses would produce the symptoms from which the person is suffering, can cure them. (Home Remedies, A guide to symptoms and cures, Dr. Caroline Shreve, 2003).

I have given my children Belladonna, a Homeopathic cure derived from a plant, which proved very effective in controlling my children's fevers. The Belladonna which I give my children is in powder form (Isabelle and Ilysse call it their salty medicine which they simply love) and like any medicine is given every 4 hours for fevers less than 38 degrees Celsius. But, if the fever becomes higher, doctors prescribe that it be given every hour. Administering this medicine, obviously, requires more time and attention, especially if it needs to be given every hour. But, at least, I am assured that it is safe and carries no side effects.

I started dabbling in homeopathy 3 years ago and was surprised to find out that we have medical doctors in the Philippines engaged in such practice. The first doctor I went to was Dr. Liberty Santos of Intercare. Intercare has branches in Makati, Greenhills and Alabang. There is also Dr. Divina Hey-Gonzales, another Filipino homeopathic doctor, who holds clinic at 24 Mahusay St., UP Village, Quezon City and can be reached at (632) 928 5386. If you live in the Makati area, the best homeopathic doctor to see is Dr. Cricket Palanca-Chen who holds clinic at the Medical Plaza (beside Makati Medical Center). She can be reached at (632) 844 9185.

I have to admit that I still get the jitters whenever my children get the fever. Who wouldn't, especially in this time when we see new kinds of diseases sprouting all over? I guess, as parents, we just have to rely on our own intuition on what is best for our children, whether this be through administering them homeopathic medicine or the ever reliable fever medicine.

My Credo

In this day and age of synthetic drugs and genetially modified organisms, one can only surmise that all these advancement and technology will eventually backfire on us or have they? Scientists and technocrats always argue that they are pushing all these for the common good, particularly to feed a hungry and growing world and to save the people from annihilation. But, have these people really made the world a healthier place for us and especially the children?

Some doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat children's cold and viral infections at the drop of a hat. We see a proliferation of bovines and meat products treated with antibiotics, fruits and vegetables laced with pesticides. Common sense would easily tell you that our bodies created and born in its natural state without the intervention of any chemical substance can only take so much of these before it reacts and counteracts in the form of more virulent diseases.

Before I had my daugthers, Isabelle and Ilysse, my knowledge of a healthy lifestyle was limited to eating the right food and doing your daily exercises. But, when my father succumbed to colon cancer (who was never a drinker and a smoker and rarely ate red meat) before he could see his first grandchild, there was no more turning back for me on looking for alternatives to a healthier lifestyle that would benefit my family and my daughters. I scoured the bookshelves and searched the world wide web on healthy, organic eating. I bought only organic vegetables and tried to get my hands on organic fruits. I looked for homeopathic doctors who cured the disease and not only the symptoms. I splurged my hard-earned money on anything organic. I did tremendous research on issues that have affected and continued to affect the health and well-being of my family. Since my crusade began six years ago on giving my children the best care I could get, I was met with criticism and even self-doubt. But, looking back, I am thankful for that opportunity of exploration and empowerment as it made me realize that I need not always accept authorities' words as final and good.

I created this blog primarily for my children so I can impart to them the importance of research, reading, and study, the value of an analytical and open mind, and to let them know that this a product of my devotion to them. I do not claim that my method of raising my children is the best, or even the only correct way. I, in the course of my writings, would necessarily have to relate my distressing experiences with conventional doctors. Nonetheless, I know from my own experience that there are still medical doctors out there who are not only competent and upright but are truly concerned with the welfare and health of their patients. Finally, this blog aims to empower parents, especially mothers, that the care and welfare of their children need not be wholly and fully dependent on the one who wears white and the one who dispenses chemicals.