©Rebecca Mar Young & Naomi Abeshouse, RTHC Pty Ltd, Acubirth®, Pregnancy Project. All Rights Reserved.

By Rebecca Mar Young & Naomi AbeshouseAcupuncturists, Chinese herbalists & Your Eastern Health MentorsAuthors of the forthcoming book: Hands On Birth – Eastern Wisdom & Acupressure to Support your Labour with Love.

Prevention is better than cure. Their diet really can change their life!

2 Tools of the trade 7 What is herbal medicine?

8 Diet is the cornerstone of your child’s health

15 Conditions: Coughs Colic Conjunctivitis Constipation Diarrhea Ear infections Eczema Fever

23 Recipes 25 Research

F R O M A N X I E T Y T O S E C U R I T Y :

THE A TO Z OF HOME REMEDIESFOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH

S T A G E T W O G U I D E B O O K

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T O O L S O F T H E T R A D E

Acupressure evolved within traditional Chinese medicine over thousands of years. In

traditional Chinese medicine, the body is considered an energetic system.

Meridians are channels (like rivers or circuits) that carry and distribute energy throughout

your body. Acupressure points lie on these meridians and are like little signal centres. We

can also understand these points like buttons that transmit information into the system, to

give ideas about what to do to bring the whole system into greater balance (or homeostasis).

They encourage a more efficient and effective way of being organised internally.

Some organs may get sluggish and others may be overworking, so with a little help from

us, it’s now your job to determine which of your child’s bodily functions need more help,

what needs to settle down, and which points you can use to help that process along for

your child.

A C U P R E S S U R E

I N M O R E D E T A I L

THE RIGHT PRESSURE

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H O W T O A P P L Y A C U P R E S S U R E

You want to press firmly enough that they feel you are connected to them but not too hard that it hurts them and not too weak that it’s soft and flimsy. It will take a bit of practice. The tricky thing is, the pressure will be different for each child and each age bracket. Say you have a solid looking kid with big cheeks and a rolling belly – you can press quite firmly on them.

Having said that, they may protest loudly, especially if it’s on their stomach because there is excess Qi there and no one likes to be touched when there is excess in their belly – that’s one of the diagnostic tools for excess. This symptom is indicative of food stagnation that needs to be cleared.

On the other hand, say you have a delicate-looking child who seems quite “watery” in their eyes, then you don’t press them as hard – however, they will still like a firm grounded touch. You’ll probably be able to touch the deficient child for longer as they will get Qi from you and will love it, whereas the

excessive child doesn’t need it or want it as much and you’re pressing to get rid of stagnation, not to build up their energy. Does that make sense?

So the right pressure is what feels right for them. However, in the case of excess, sometimes you will need to press in certain areas that won’t be comfortable and that’s okay. You won’t need to press for long though and the strokes or presses can be shorter in timeframe than for a more deficient child.

But it’s not always as clear-cut as that. Sometimes children have an accumulation of food as the surface problem but then deeper down they are actually deficient and need tonifying. Or they could be having trouble clearing a pathogen that is lingering (a virus or bacteria) – in this case, once this is cleared, their Qi from underneath will be fine and won’t need much tonification.

Here are some examples…

Acupressure for children is quite different to using it on adults. For adults, we would talk about the importance of using your body weight and the need to be careful of your positioning. With children, because you don’t need much pressure nor a long time, it’s a case of catch them while you can! This means holding a point whilst you’re reading them a story or they’re watching a little TV (some TV from time to time is fine, everything in moderation), or after their bath or just before bed, combined with some other special ritual.

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Start by using the picture as a guide. An adult could tell you where the “alive point” is but your child is not going to do that. So you have to simply follow the picture and go for it. Children’s meridians are underdeveloped and broader than adults’ anyway, so if you make a small mistake you’ll still be in the right area, more than likely!

Where possible we will also give you the direction in which the meridian flows as it can be very lovely to have the meridian massaged rather than simply pressed on the point. Yang meridians flow up on the arms and down on the body. Yin meridians flow down on the arms and up on the body.

You can start higher up or lower down from the point and move in the direction of the point, which could be your final destination. It’s very important to move in the direction of the channel/meridian. If you don’t, you will mess up their energy and it may take a little time for them to sort it out again and they might feel a little off centre.

For example, see this picture of HT-7 – if you start further up the arm and come down to where HT-7 is, you’ll be stroking the meridian in the right direction.

H O W T O L O C A T E T H E P O I N T S

HT-7

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This is the act of warming the body using an

ancient Chinese medicinal herb called mugwort.

This herb is often used in an acupuncture

treatment. It feels lovely and warm but does have

a strong smell. The herb is related to marijuana

as it comes from the same family of herbs, but it

is different.

It’s perfectly fine to breathe in some of the smoke

but it’s better to use moxa in a well-ventilated

room. The moxa sticks we are going to teach

you to use don’t smoke that much and are also

filled with cinnamon so the smell is more subtle

and sweet than a regular moxa stick.

Moxa is used in many different forms and for

many different conditions. You can complete an

entire treatment using moxa. In Japan you need

separate licences to be a moxibustionist, an

acupuncturist or a Chinese herbalist.

Moxibustion works at a deeper level than

acupuncture and helps to shift more stubborn

problems. Regarding the depths of different

treatments, massage and acupressure are

shallow, acupuncture is deeper and longer

lasting and moxibustion is deeper again.

Moxa comes in different grades and forms. It

can be rolled into the shape of a rice grain,

baby pyramids, or small balls that go on the top

of acupuncture needles. It also comes rolled into

sticks and can be lit and held above an area,

or put into a special implement called a Tiger

Warmer, which is then glided over the body.

We often use the small pyramids in the clinic

with kids and refer to them as volcanoes, as

that is what they look like – and they love it.

Using moxa helps to strengthen their digestive

system and their immune system when used on

appropriate points.

For home use, we recommend parents learn to

use a Tiger Warmer. We will teach you with the

use of some videos.

https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=nGj0EKnllmA

M O X I B U S T I O N

The Tiger Warmer is a special metal implement made in

Japan that holds a moxa stick. This warms the part of the

body you apply it to. Short, brisk movements along the

direction of the meridian are needed to effect treatment. It’s

very easy and quick to administer and learn. When using it

on your child, test it on yourself first and continue to check

throughout the treatment that it’s not too hot. If they are old

enough, ask for feedback regularly.

DOSAGE

First and foremost, these dosages are averages. If your child

is quite sensitive, use fewer strokes; if they are robust, you’ll

need to use more strokes. You do NOT want to try much

more than the recommended doses, as there is a possibility

of over-treating that will give your child unwanted symptoms

and put them out of balance in a different way. So start

with less and over time you can start to gauge whether your

child may need more strokes.

Follow the guide below unless told otherwise by your

practitioner:

For babies under 6 months, 2–3 strokes per point is enough

For babies 6 to 12 months, 5 strokes per point

For toddlers 12 to 24 months, 7 strokes per point

For children 2 years to 5 years, 10 strokes per point

For children 5 years and over, continue to stroke until they

tell you it feels too warm or the skin starts to go light pink.

HOW TO LIGHT IT AND PUT IT OUT

Take a moxa stick and place it inside the Tiger Warmer,

letting three centimeters stick out at the end. Hold it over

a naked flame such as a lit candle or a cigarette lighter.

Bring it out of the flame and blow the end till it all becomes

red. You may need to put it in the fire several times before

the end all burns red. When it’s lit, push it back into the

Tiger Warmer using the little metal window at the side. Then

place the metal cylinder over the top.

Gently hold the Tiger Warmer like a pencil and rub it on

the inside of YOUR arm to gage the level of heat. If it feels

warm, you can start to use it on your child. Depending on

where it is on their body that you are using it, you may need

to pull their skin at one end to make sure it’s tighter, then

you can easily glide the warmer over the meridian.

When you use fast and firm strokes, they’ll feel the heat but

it won’t be too hot. If you slow down too much, they will

feel too much heat and will most likely pull away. There is a

knack to it – keep practicing on yourself until you are happy

with how it feels before trying it on them.

To put it out, simply pull the cylinder up over the end of the

lit moxa stick so you can’t see it anymore and it is starved of

oxygen. It will extinguish quite easily. Rest it on something

metallic or something that won’t burn, as it will be hot, and

leave it there until it cools down.

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H O W T O U S E

THE T IGER WARMER

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CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE?

ARE THEY SAFE?

Yes, all our herbs are regulated by the

TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration)

for safety levels of heavy metals and to

ensure there is no impact to endangered

animals in the collection and processing

of these plants. As registered herbalists,

we are fully qualified to make you these

specialised herbal remedies. We use

herbs in many different forms: liquids,

granules and tablets, and the companies

we use are also subject to stringent

guidelines to be accredited to provide

herbs to us and to you.

STORAGE OF HERBS

Keep remedies in a cool dark place away

from strong smells (and small children).

However, if you are using a formula

every day, place it somewhere where

you won’t forget to give it to your child.

TAKING THE MEDICINES

Take them away from food and with

warm water as this makes it easier for

the Stomach to digest from a Chinese

medical point of view. This is the ideal

situation, but you can and should give

them to your children even if it’s close

to breakfast or lunch or dinner because

it’s better they take them near a mealtime

than not at all!

SAFETY ISSUES Serious injuries and illnesses should never

be treated without seeking expert advice.

Use your instincts and commonsense.

If you are worried, call for help first

[000, or Health Direct Australia – 24hr

registered nurses: 1800 022 222 or

book in to see your local doctor], then

give the appropriate remedy whilst you

are waiting for help to arrive. In cases

that are less serious or urgent, if symptoms

show no improvement or recur, make an

appointment with your practitioner.

DOSAGE FOR HERBS

As a general rule (unless otherwise

directed) in acute illness situations

take one drop of the Chinese herbal

tinctures per kilo of body weight 4–5

times per day for the first 24–48 hours.

20 drops = 1ml.

You can take fewer doses if the condition

is relieved before this. If the condition

does not improve after 48 hours with

these doses, continue with 1 drop per

kilo of body weight three times a day

until the symptoms are relieved. Once the

condition is relieved, stop the treatment

immediately. Dosages are different for

granules and you’ll be told on the packet

what is the appropriate dose to use for

your child and their age bracket.

W H A T I S

Chinese herbal medicine works by improving your body’s ability to heal itself. The herbs do not take over

your body’s ability to do something but simply coax your body in the right direction. Most Chinese herbal

formulas have been used over and over again for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Their usage has

been tested many times over and they are elegantly formulated to diminish the possibility of side effects.

These herbs have safely been used for children over the years also and are very effective.

The herbs we use are mainly made up of whole plant materials of high quality. This ensures that your child

not only receives the specific part of the plant whose properties cause the main effect in their body, but

they also receive all the other nutritive elements of the plant to support their body to process the treatment

in a balanced way. This is one of the reasons taking herbal medicine is known to have fewer side effects

than Western medicine; however, herbs may require a longer treatment time than pharmaceutical drugs

for the same reason.

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There is a sense in our culture that when children are young they can eat anything and get away with it. It doesn’t really matter when they are that young does it? They can eat all the lollies, chocolate and ice-cream they wish and they’ll be fine right? Wrong. This is the time

you DO have to worry. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that there is never a time in life when this is more the case – sad but true!

Over time the norm for having sweets has gone through the roof and it can be hard to get some balance back when you have a party every other week, the guy on the bus offers your

kid a lollypop, the woman at the bank wants to give them a chocolate because they waited so patiently… the list goes on.

We don’t want to promote all-out bans on all this delicious stuff that is so bad for us and our kids, as that produces other problems – and who wants to be the crazy neurotic over-the-top mother? No one. The problem is our so-called healthy Western diet is a bit of a nightmare in terms of Chinese medicine so this needs to be looked at and we need strategies to cope with

the frequent party food and packaged food that goes along with social gatherings.

First we want to discuss how Chinese medicine looks at diet. Second, why the so-called healthy diet just isn’t in many cases. Third, our recommendations for dealing with it all in a

healthy, balanced, non-neurotic way!

DIET IS THE CORNERSTONE OF YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH

F R O M A C H I N E S E M E D I C I N E

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DIET

T H E S P L E E N & S T O M A C H

These organs form the cornerstone of Chinese medicine in relation to diet. They transform and transport the nutrients that come into the body and send them on their way to other organs. The Spleen is considered to be the “fire” underneath the “pot” of the Stomach.

Inside the Zhong Yi Er Ke Zue (The Study of Chinese Medicine Pediatrics), it says:

“Children’s transportation and transformation function [i.e. digestion, or what is referred to as the Spleen in Chinese medicine] is not fortified and complete; therefore they are easily damaged by food.”

This is critical to understand. Because children are underdeveloped, eating the wrong kinds of food will have quite an adverse impact on them. If their digestion doesn’t function well, then NOTHING else does. It is the root cause of ALL paediatric diseases that are not from a genetic origin. We have noticed that this is true in clinic. You can have all the treatment you want, take all the herbs you like but if you don’t change the diet, nothing will stick for long and good health will not return. So getting the diet right is paramount to success.

The Spleen likes “warm” food and doesn’t like too much “cold” or “damp” food, as that puts out the digestive fire. The foods that we eat can all be categorised in terms of how cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot, damp or dry they are. Now is a good time to pull out your food chart. You’ll find it inside the Eczema Diet Free Gift you were sent as a bonus.

The Spleen likes food that is warm in nature and if it’s not naturally warm, it likes the food to be slightly cooked to allow for easy digestion. This means not eating food or drinks straight out of the fridge.

Think for a moment about when someone is unwell – the first thing we think about giving them is soup, as it’s essentially pre-digested in the pot and so easy for the body to digest. Similarly, soup is the best thing for your child whose digestive system is still developing. How to get that into them? Tea party with chicken broth, anyone?! Chicken broth in potato mash, chicken broth in quick oats (this is Rebecca’s latest favourite that is so far working well), chicken broth in pasta sauce, the sky is the limit with broth and it’s totally worth it for their health. You can also use beef broth to mix it up a bit but avoid baby animals as they are hot like little children and will add too much heat.

C O O K E D V E R S U S R A WWe are used to hearing that raw is best as it has the most nutrients. This is correct when assessing a cooked carrot with a raw carrot. However, what is often not mentioned is how much of the nutrient intake is actually absorbed in the body – more from the cooked or more from the raw?

Your body is able to absorb more from the cooked carrot as the cellulose walls have been partially broken down giving your body more access to more nutrients and it doesn’t have to work as hard. Part of the digestive process has occurred on the outside of the body. Of course, vegetables shouldn’t be cooked down to a mush. Instead, we are suggesting light cooking to gain the most benefit.

And it is precisely this food that the Spleen loves to take in – food that is cooked slightly or slow-cooked, especially for children and anyone recovering from an illness, who is stressed or who has recently given birth. All these people require easy-to-digest food.

P E R S P E C T I V E

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T H E R M O G E N I C P R O P E R T I E S O F F O O DAll food can be categorised in terms of how cold or hot it is as well as how damp or drying it is. For children,

it is important that they don’t do anything in extremes. So this means mainly eating food that is warm, neutral or cool with occasional eating of hot and cold food.

As a rule, children need warm, slightly cooked food to build a strong healthy digestive system. They need to avoid overeating raw, cold and damp food (fruit, salad, nuts, avocados, bananas, chocolate, lollies and any kind of sugar, and dairy – yoghurt, cheese, milk, ice-cream).

So if they have too much mucus already, and are having a hard time getting over it, you’ve gotta be more proactive at reducing these foods for them in a healthy balanced way until the mucus has gone. Then, once they are well, some of these foods can creep back in to their diet but as soon as you can see their bowel movements change or the beginnings of an illness, it’s best to take out those problem foods again. It’s good if the whole family can change their ways for a while to help your child make positive changes until they are better.

An example of when it’s not ideal to give any problem foods:

An example of when it is okay:

D A M P F O O D SDampness is the ability of foods to generate body fluid. Dampness in the body can be caused by eating rich foods,

oily foods and sugary foods. Too much damp energy is sludgy, doesn’t move well, can cause smelly loose bowel

movements, makes you feel tired and lethargic and will show up as a thick white or yellow coat on the tongue.

A medium amount of damp energy is good, as we need that to stay alive. As humans, we are made up of mostly

water and need our many fluids to survive: blood, lymph etc.

Damp foods aren’t necessarily bad for you, it’s how much of them that’s eaten that can be problematic, as they can

put out the digestive fire. Since everyone’s system runs at a different temperature, this is more important for those

people who don’t have a strong digestive fire and with your children you want to be careful not to put that out.

Some examples of symptoms that mean the digestive fire has gone out include:

Newborn babies come out of an environment where they’ve

had all their nutritional needs met directly from their mum and

they didn’t have to do any digestive work directly. Once they

come out into the world, they can no longer rely on Mum for

feeding them so directly; however, the mother’s food is still

very important because it comes through the breastmilk.

We would go so far as to say that a mother’s diet is still very

important even if she can’t breastfeed, as the more well-fed

a mother is, the more she can tend to her baby with energy

and there is transference in that way as well. There is a

saying in Chinese medicine that the “mother feeds the child”

and it occurs in so many more ways than simply physical. It

happens in an emotional way, a spiritual way and simply an

energetic way.

And it’s not just the case for babies, it’s completely the case

for toddlers and older children too. If your tank isn’t filled up

physically, emotionally or otherwise, you simply don’t have as

much to give your children. That’s why it’s so important for you

to take care of yourself. More on this in session four.

In clinic we see it time and time again – if a baby or child is

really unwell, the mother is usually exhausted because she has

been tending to them and that takes a lot of her energy. This is

the way it should be, this is in keeping with nature. However,

it means that not only does the child require treatment but the

mother and/or father does too. Only then can they really get

better. They can’t be treated in isolation. It’s that whole Yin

Yang theory again.

We say in Chinese medicine that the digestive system is

developing for the first seven years of a child’s life. Therefore,

what we do in those first seven years can contribute to building

a strong foundation for a healthy, adaptable and thriving little

one. Much of how their future health pans out starts with those

first few months of feeding.

In our culture, one of the main issues that affects a baby’s

or child’s digestive system is overfeeding. Often, regulated

breastfeeding and meals, rather than purely on-demand,

can sort out a lot of problems. The fashion at the moment in

breastfeeding is on-demand until they self-wean, and similar

for toddlers. However, children don’t always know what is best

for them and they need guidance – just like with so many other

aspects of their development – and it’s the same for digestion.

With regards to bottle feeding or milk feeds, if a child’s eating

increases, the bottles need to be decreased. Breastfeeding will

self-regulate its own richness according to what else the baby

is getting because that’s the magic of it, but with bottles, you

need to be more on the pulse with it. How would you know

if your baby or toddler is overfed? They’ll have red cheeks, a

red little nose, a rounded tummy and may have train tracks of

snot coming out of their nose. Too much of a good thing can

be a problem and cause issues in a baby, just as inappropriate

food and too much milk can in a toddler

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A BABY’S DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Ideally they should pass a bowel movement at least once a day, twice a day is also okay, any more than that means you have to question what is going on. If they are quite loose and regular and of low smell,

this means their Spleen Yang has gone out – the fire in their belly is swamped with too much cold and raw foods, so these need to be decreased or stopped for a little while.

What are cold and raw foods: ________________________________________________________

If bowel movements are loose but quite smelly, this means the fire hasn’t gone out but there is too much rich food going in such as meat, processed food such as chocolate, lollies, packaged foods, sausages,

salami, cheese, dairy etc. These need to be decreased or eliminated until their system re-balances.

A good bowel movement should be well-formed and of medium to low smell.

If your child isn’t pooing every day, then this means they may have too much heat in their system that is drying the stool out. This needs to be addressed. Too much healthy food can produce heat in the body, as

can too much spicy or deep-fried food or fatty meat. Lots of sugar can feed their body’s phlegm production, which can also gum up the works. Bananas can be problematic as well.

If heat isn’t the problem, it could be more dryness and this means they need to make more Blood to nour-ish their body as well as the stool to help the condition pass easily. This means more green vegetables and

more chicken or beef broth.

I N T O D D L E R S

Blood is a Yin form of Qi in Chinese medicine. It’s not the same

as the blood that courses through your veins. It refers to a more

nutritive substance. Breastmilk is considered a Blood product in

Chinese medicine. And the Blood is said to house the spirit that is

known as the Shen.Keep up their

fluids in the case of constipation and

we’ll talk more about remedies below in the section on conditions.

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BOWEL MOVEMENTS

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WHY THE SO-CALLED HEALTHY DIET

JUST ISN’T IN MANY CASES

Are you starting to see why a diet of fruit, yoghurt, cheese sticks, crackers, sandwiches with honey

or peanut butter or jam or vegemite, cereal and fruit juice is not ideal for your little one? Most of

these items are highly nutritious – you could say overly nutritious. They are mostly all “damp” and

mucus and phlegm producing.

Even though they are “natural” it doesn’t mean they are all right for your child. They could be

right for your child some of the time, but not when they are sick, or when their bowel habits have

changed and become either loose or constipated. Fruit, fruit juice and jam are all highly sweet

products that children can easily become addicted to so it’s best if they are mainly given as treats

and not every day.

Imagine for a moment we were all back living in the bush or on the land… we’d only eat what

was in season, there wouldn’t be heaps of variety, fruit would not be present all year round and so

it wouldn’t be eaten every day and it certainly wouldn’t be eaten frozen or chilled.

That vision can be helpful to imagine what would be an ideal diet for your child. Less is more:

simple, few ingredients, mostly grains and vegetables, a little meat or fish when it was caught, or a

little meat that has been farmed, and a little seasonal fruit as a sweet treat.

What kinds of foods could you feed them instead of the regular damp Western diet to help boost

their digestive system and immune system?

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

1 Check their bowel movements daily with them (at least

over the weekend if you’re not around for the weekday

poos) so they and you understand why their poo looks the

way it does. If it’s quite loose, talk about needing to eat

more vegetables and soup and if it’s more constipated – it’s

actually the same medicine!

2Every day, discuss different foods and what they can

do for you. It’s important to eat carrots because they

help you to see better so we can go camping together when

you’re older. Salmon is great for your brain, it will help you

to learn more at school – what do you like learning the

most? It will help you to do that. All that good fat!

3If they are unwell, then know you need to be quite strict

in an empathetic way and we’ll give some examples

below. But when they are well, they’ll be able to tolerate

more of the “natural” problem foods.

4 You want some yoghurt? Yes I know you love yoghurt…

I like it too… When you are better you can have some

yoghurt but right now you and me need to eat more foods

that help reduce your mucus, get rid of the boogers out

of your nose and help you to stop coughing. That’s why

it’s really important to eat this porridge (made with broth),

or congee… Do you want to help me make it? Want to

help mummy chop up some of these vegetables? Let’s do

it together.

5 You want more fruit? Yes I know how much you love

fruit. I love it too. It is a glorious special treat that

comes from the trees – aren’t we lucky that the trees provide

us with such amazing food. You’ve already had an apple

today so you’ll have to think about something else you’d

like, you can have a boiled egg, or some porridge (made

with broth), or some congee, or some carrot sticks, or we

could make some roasted sweet potato sticks. Do you want

to help Mummy make them? How about you have xyz

now because you are hungry, then we’ll make some sweet

potato sticks for later. Yum yum.

6Think about making dairy and fruit the extra special

things that they don’t have all the time, rather than

chocolate, cakes and lollies. At least pull the pendulum

back a bit, then they feel awesome when they can have a

little cow’s milk or yoghurt and that’s the treat rather than

the other.

7Treat conditions early and quickly to avoid them

progressing to deeper levels.

have learned.

time, calming activities.

hand in your cupboard for the acute illness.

aren’t improving or progressing as they should.

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F O R D E A L I N G W I T H I T A L L I N A H E A L T H Y , B A L A N C E D ,

N O N - N E U R O T I C W A Y !

OUR TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

There are many reasons why your child coughs and there are different types: dry coughs, wet coughs, coughs from more superficial colds, coughs from chest infections and coughs from lingering pathogens that never seem to go away.

Acute coughs can be treated at home:Body work techniques: “Butterfly wings” massage down the back three times. Also refer to your free gift on this massage for more detail and the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uipjve31G0

Warm massage with Tiger Warmer (moxibustion) to CV-22, touch the spot very lightly and quickly as it is sensitive.

Chinese cough medicine Nim Jiom: Soothes a sore throat, eliminates phlegm, relieves coughs. See packet for dosage. These can be bought through Red Tent or in your local Chinatown. See redtent.com.au/shop for details

Steam inhalation with Mum or Dad, both under a towel. If you have a really steamy shower, this can also be a good place to do it together and

have fun at the same time. This method is easier for younger children and under the towel is great for older children. You can also add a few drops of eucalyptus but tell them to close their eyes so they don’t get irritated. This will help them to breathe better and can help their chest.

ACUTE DRY COUGH: lukewarm manuka honey and lemon drink with ! teaspoon honey and 1/8 lemon squeezed (you don’t want it too hot or it will kill the special properties of the manuka honey).

ACUTE WET COUGH: Lots of warm fluids, no dairy, sugar, avocado, bananas, fruit or tomatoes as these will create more mucus.

If it’s a chronic cough, there will be an underlying deficiency or a lingering pathogen that needs attending to. Once the pathogen is cleared and they are strengthened, the cough should go away. See your practitioner for details.

C O U G H SChinese cough medicine, massage, steam inhalations and home preparations

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CONDITIONS

CV-22BUTTERFLY WING MASSAGE NIM JIAM

Colic or wind in small babies is very common. For persistent cases it is useful to have a paediatric osteopathic or chiropractic check-up to ensure that there are no structural problems from birth, which often contribute to colic symptoms.

It is often also necessary to check the mother’s diet for any potential food allergens which may be passed through in the breastmilk or there may be a need to change baby formula to a more easily digested goat’s milk formula. Baby-specific probiotics will help baby to digest the milks more effectively. Consult your practitioner for the best quality brands and dosages.

Fennel tea is excellent for reducing trapped wind. One cup of fennel tea can be added to baby’s and toddler’s bathwater (absorbed through their skin) and can be given orally prior to eating. You can also give babies a teaspoon full before a feed. It can be given to toddlers – adding some licorice root will make it taste sweeter and be more palatable to them. It also strengthens the Spleen (i.e. digestion), moistens the Lungs, stops coughs and clears heat.

Elevating the head of the cot or bassinet by placing towels or books under the mattress and feeding baby in a more upright position may also help.

Assessing how much food is going into your baby/toddler is also very important as too much of a good thing causes stagnation and accumulation disorder. Once this is cleared and the feeding schedule is sorted out, there will often be a big difference and their digestion twill improve.

Meals and breastfeeds need to be well spaced out if this is an issue so their tummy has time to digest their food. Imagine stuffing heaps of clothes into a washing machine, there’s not much room to wash them well, right? That’s the same for food. If it keeps going in, there’s not much room for peristalsis to occur and so it’s not digested well and can cause wind, gas and bloating, aka colic.

Bodywork techniques: Warming massage with moxibustion along their Stomach meridian: Using a Tiger Warmer, run it down your child’s Stomach meridian from below their knee to above their ankle on the outer side of their shin. (see image: ST-36). This will help to improve not only their digestive system but their immunity. It really is magic and so easy to use. It feels like a nice, warm massage and should be done daily, approx 5–10 strokes down from the knee to the ankle (less for babies, more for toddlers).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6ZTeVSKxqE

C O L I C & A C C U M U L A T I O N D I S O R D E R

fennel and licorice tea, probiotics.

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CONDITIONS

ST-36 STOMACH MERIDIAN MASAGE

C O N J U N C T I V I T I Schrysanthemum, goji berries and chamomile tea eye wash

If heat is more the problem, they may be unwell, have a temperature, look flushed, feel hot to touch or a bit sweaty. In this case, reduce how much they are eating – avoid too much food all at once or constant eating throughout the day, and reduce heating foods like lamb, chilli, lots of ginger, lots of garlic and deep- fried food. You also need to increase fluid intake such as water and beef or chicken broth.

If dryness is more the problem, then you need more nourishing foods that make Blood that will support their whole body as well as the stool to help pass the illness. Lots of green vegetables will help as well as, you guessed it, chicken or beef broth.

There is a wonderful Chinese herb that helps called Bai Shao (Paeoniea Radix). This is used in large quantities to regulate children’s bowels when they’ve become constipated as it is gentle and nourishes the Blood, Spleen and Liver. It helps move Qi when it has become stuck. This herb should not be used by itself but within a Chinese formula prescribed for your child.

If your child has always had a problem since a particular time, this suggests they could have a lingering pathogen issue and you’ll need to consult a practitioner about this.

We do have a poo potion that we recommend and it is: 1 tsp slippery elm +/- 1 tsp psyllium husks (this depends on the nature of the problem and we wouldn’t recommend this as standard for everyone nor very young children)" cup prune juice" cup water1 tsp probioticsDose: 1 tsp before bed and 1 tsp in the morning if needed.

Regarding the probiotics, there are different strands and different brands for different conditions, so it’s best to seek advice from your practitioner on the best one for your child. If they have needed antibiotics recently, they will need a different kind of probiotic to a child who hasn’t. All of this is important to get right to see effective results.

Bodywork techniques: We highly recommend daily abdominal massage. See your massage sheet for details.

Conjunctivitis is seen as “damp” and “wind” in the eyes as it’s a sticky, wet and itchy condition. Chrysanthemum flowers have a special relationship to the eyes as they clear dampness and heat and are cooling and calming. Goji berries help the Liver, which is connected to your eyes and so helps to nourish them.

Herbs: Take a few flowers and berries, give them a quick rinse and then steep in boiling water with a good pinch of salt for five minutes. When the solution is a little cooler, take a cotton ball, dip in the solution and bathe the eyes. Wipe once and then get another cotton

ball and repeat several times. This avoids re-infecting the eye. The salt will also help to clear the sticky damp. Alternatively, give it to them as a cooled tea. You can add honey to sweeten it up but make sure you make a fresh batch for drinking!

Also a simple chamomile tea works wonders as an eye wash. Make the tea, let cool and with clean hands and a clean cotton ball wash the eyes from one side to the other – do not soak or run the eye from one side to the other.

C O N S T I P A T I O N diet, Chinese herbs, massage, Tiger Warmer

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CONDITIONS

ABDOMINAL MASSAGE

D I A R R H E Aprobiotics, slippery elm, ginger liquid, diet and Chinese herbs: Bao He Wan

If diarrhea persists for more than 12 hours, consult your practitioner or GP. Probiotics can be used to reduce the frequency and severity of bowel motions whilst also ensuring that the “good” bacteria are able to re-colonise and regulate function. Give " billion bifido bacteria daily (strain HN019).

Slippery elm bark (available as a powdered food in the health food aisle of the supermarket) can be mixed with water for additional relief. The dose for children over two years would be around 1/3 tsp 2–3 times per day with warm water.

Often when your child has diarrhea it can be from eating too much rich food. It can also be because they have picked up a bug, or the food was too old or contaminated.

The Chinese herb Bao He Wan is perfect when diarrhea hits from too much rich food, as this formula helps your child to digest everything and move it through their system. If you suspect it’s from any other origin, then it needs to be investigated by your doctor as well as your practitioner. There is a vast array of formulas that are antibacterial

and antiviral and contain herbs that help promote good digestive health, but you need to get onto the situation quickly and it’s important to have an accurate diagnosis of whether it is viral or bacterial.

If it’s viral – we can help but each case needs to be assessed individually. If it’s bacterial, we can as well but you need to weigh up the benefits of antibiotics versus herbs and it will depend on your child’s history as to what you do.

Following an episode of diarrhea, your child will need to eat little and often. Well-cooked vegetables, steamed chicken and white rice are gentle, nutritive and not too heavy. Avoid cold food eaten directly from the fridge or freezer. You can boil up some fresh ginger and your child can drink the liquid. This will help calm and warm their stomach and help it to heal.

Bodywork techniques: Stroke SP-6 in an upwards direction, or simply hold the point. This is a great point to improve the function of the Spleen and to strengthen it to reduce the incidence of diarrhea. It feels lovely to have it stroked with the Tiger Warmer.

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CONDITIONS

SP-6

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E A R I N F E C T I O N garlic oil in ear and ear candles, Chinese herbs: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang

Ear infections are conventionally treated with antibiotics. However, repeated use of antibiotics brings its own problems and recent studies have found that children routinely treated with these drugs are far more likely to get recurrent ear infections than those who manage to avoid using them.

Antibiotics are very “cold”. Ear infections are “hot” and “damp”. Whilst antibiotics may be effective at clearing infection – what we call the “heat”, they don’t clear the “damp” which is a breeding ground for another infection, which is why they so commonly recur. Chinese herbal medicine is safe and effective to use for children and will help to clear the infection as well as the leftover “damp”, preventing further infections. It would be a great adjunct to your garlic oil remedy.

We recommend Long Dan Xie Gan Tang for acute ear infections as it clears damp and heat and reduces pain. You can order them in a liquid that is very easy to administer. If your child is in a lot of pain, it is appropriate to give them Panadol. Panadol works well at reducing pain and the herbs will work well to clear the infection. Use your commonsense: if your child regularly suffers from ear infections, have this formula ready to go so you can use it straight away. If it’s not working after 24

hours, consult your GP and practitioner.

If your child does show symptoms of an ear infection and you don’t have herbs ready to go, act fast. Make some ear drops by crushing a clove of garlic and covering it with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Mix well and leave for 15 minutes, then strain out the garlic. Heat the oil by pouring the oil into a container and placing in a hot water bath for a few minutes – test the temperature on your finger before administering the oil into the ear. Lay your child on her side and place one or two drops of warm – not hot – oil into the ear. This can soothe the pain and garlic, which is antibacterial, can help to heal the infection. You can do this as well even if you have the herbs.

Ear candles can help to relieve pain and pressure associated with ear infections and wax build-up. They are very calming and kids love to see what has come out of their ears!

Bodywork techniques: Hold LI-11 as this point helps to clear heat and inflammation from the head and body. It is on the Large Intestine channel and this channel starts on your index finger and travels up your arm, finishing on the outside of your nostril.

CONDITIONS

LI-11

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E C Z E M Adiet, diet, diet, lifestyle and herbs

We want to elaborate on what is not in the Eczema Diet booklet. Eczema is a problem that can flare for a number of reasons:

of antibiotics

appropriate probiotics

Panadol for a fever

1FOOD ACCUMULATION: Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. This can clog up their

system, create phlegm and heat that needs to get out of the body. If their skin is their weakness, it can come out in the form of eczema.

Treatment: Clean up the diet and get rid of inappropriate foods (damp food especially) and look at reducing the quantity of food.

2INCORRECT TREATMENT: This can happen with herbs as well as antibiotics. If they are

given inappropriately and chill the Spleen, then it puts out the fire and then food is not transformed or transported properly. It all becomes cold and damp. Cold and stagnation eventually gives rise to heat and it can want to come out through the skin in the form of eczema.

Treatment: Give probiotics daily with food, specifically if they’ve had antibiotics they need this combo: Lactobacillus Acidophilus (NCFM), Bifidobacterium Lactis (Bi-07) and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (LGG). They also need to steer clear of high doses of naturally occurring food chemicals for a while such as amines, salicylates and MSG as well as damp food. See the eczema sheet for details.

3ANTIBIOTIC USE: If there has been a history of antibiotic use and your child was not given

probiotics, then these need to be given for a while. Generally speaking we would recommend a child takes probiotics for one month after taking

antibiotics to restore a good gut balance. If you didn’t know about them, start now and continue for at least three months. The length of time will depend on your child’s individual situation. Use the strains mentioned in number two.

4LINGERING PATHOGEN: This happens when your child has been sick and they’ve never

been the same since. Since then they always come down with a predictable pattern of symptoms. This is when you think – lingering pathogen. When your child got sick that time, they didn’t fully get rid of the bug and now it is lingering in their system causing havoc. It can be the cause of the start of eczema. Once it is identified and cleared, then their eczema will have a chance to get out of their body.

What we’ve noticed in clinic is that if treated early, eczema can be completely cleared up, but if it’s gone on for months and months or even years, your child will always have a level of weakness when it comes to their immune system and their skin. You can certainly improve their baseline of wellness but if they are run down and stressed, their skin will often react.

Example of a baby who had a lingering pathogen and eczema and who is now free of it …

Example of a girl who had it badly for years and nothing helped until her diet was cleaned up according to Chinese medicine theory…

5GIVING PANADOL FOR FEVER AFTER A VACCINATION: Firstly we would like to say

that we are pro-vaccination. It’s important what you do around it to ensure the health of your child and what we are about to tell you, you probably would not have heard elsewhere.

If your child has a fever in response to vaccination, this is actually a good thing. This means they are mounting an immune response to it and their body is getting rid of some of the heat that has come from the injection. You actually want to let this happen. It means they are strong. If you give them Panadol, it traps the pathogen in their body and can start

CONDITIONS

21

E C Z E M A ( C O N T I N U E D )

diet, diet, diet, lifestyle and herbs

CONDITIONS

a whole lingering pathogen scenario and eczema can start from this. There are other things you can do if your child is feverish – please read below.

Treatment: Clear the lingering pathogen with an appropriate Chinese herbal medicine formula – it will be different for your child so we can’t specify here, it depends on their symptoms – then their “upright Qi” can surface and help to heal their body. At first their eczema will get worse as all that trapped heat is finally able to get out of their body. This can take 1–3 weeks and can be quite uncomfortable for them and you.

6 GENETIC DISPOSITION: If your child has a genetic disposition to eczema – as in, you suffer

from it or your partner does – then it’s important for you to take Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (LGG), ideally whilst you are pregnant or give it to them as soon as you find out about it. A randomised, double-blind clinical trial of 31 infants with atopic eczema and a history of cow’s milk allergy has shown that LGG may reduce eczema associated symptoms such as itching and sleeplessness.

Other things you need to do for your child if you have cleaned up their diet and given them probiotics:

possible as they harbour dust mites and it’s the poo of the dust mites that will irritate their respiratory system and encourage them to make more phlegm. Consider silk doonas instead – very warm and dust mite free!

another regimen ready to go, i.e. you’ve got a natural herbal cream ready to use, you’re ready to make all the diet changes and you’ve put off social engagements so you can be with your child whilst they get all the heat out. It’s a difficult time for everyone. Cortisone cream traps the heat in their body and so they feel irritated and are likely to scratch until it bleeds.

a week if you can. Invest in a Dyson – they are the best.

Bodywork techniques: No Tiger Warmer with eczema as it can irritate the skin. Use LI-11 because the Large Intestine is the Yang partner of the Lung, which is responsible for skin so they have a relationship. Not only will it help to regulate the Large Intestine – helping to clear heat and toxins from their body, it will also help to reduce heat from their skin which means they’ll feel less irritated.

LI-11

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F E V E R “Wet sock treatment”, Chinese herbs: Sang Ju Yin (for slight fever)

CONDITIONS

Fever is our body’s way of killing harmful viruses and bacteria and should not be routinely suppressed with paracetamol (Panadol). For young babies who cannot control fevers as well as older children, fevers should be gently reduced by cool sponge downs and not over-dressing them. For older children, they may be able to sweat out the fever during the day and at night to help sleep. Lots of rest is very important to allow the body to fight the infection.

The “wet sock treatment” also works well. Put on a thin pair of socks that have been soaked in lemon juice and cold water and wrung out. Cover with a thicker pair of socks and go to bed. In the morning they will have dried, and circulation will be drawn from the upper body to the lower body. Diaphoretic herbs can be dispensed by your practitioner to help break the fever; however, this is doing the same thing as paracetemol – bringing the temperature down, so you want to be careful about doing that no matter which way you go, paracetemol or herbs.

If the fever is below 38.5 degrees celcius, let it run its course without much interference. If it goes beyond that, you’ll have to make up your own mind and trust your intuition. You can give them some herbs, however the herbs above will only help a slight fever. Otherwise give them paracetemol if you need to and feel it’s right. You can deal with any lingering pathogen later.

It can be all very emotional – we understand that, we feel it too. If you’re ever in any doubt, call 000 or the 24-hour nurse Health Direct Australia line: 1800 022 222 or see your doctor.

The Chinese remedy Sang Ju Yin could be used in the first 24 hours of an illness as it helps to express any viruses and won’t trap a pathogen in their body. For a toddler give 1ml per hour.

Bodywork: Gua Sha lightly over the upper neck and back. Please see the video for this.

GUA SHA

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G I N G E R R I C E T E A

Courtesy of Rebecca’s mother-in-law, Kim Mar Young

1 cup of uncooked whi te rice washed,

cleaned and lef t to dry

1 knob of ginger, washed, peeled

and then diced up into very, very smal l pieces

Dry fry the rice and ginger together in a wok until the rice changes colour to a medium brown. Then place in a jar

ready to use as a tea. Simply place one teaspoon in a mug and cover with boiling water and brew for a few minutes before drinking. This is great for new mums as much as

toddlers as it will warm them up, nourish their Spleen and Stomach, improve Blood production and improve Mum’s

breastmilk.

C O L I C R E C I P E

F O R B A B YW A R M I N G

B E E F S T E W

Can be cooked in the oven, a slow cooker or a crock pot on the stove.

Serves 4–61–1.5kg of Osso Bucco (organic where possible) – the

marrow is great for her kidneys

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (this helps calcium and

other minerals come out of the bones)

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 carrots, chopped

500g baby mushrooms

4 sprigs of rosemary (leave this out i f i t’s too pungent

for your toddler)

1 Tbsp I talian parsley

A few splashes of red wine (the alcohol is burnt of f

during cooking)

Sal t and pepper to taste

10 cups cold water

1 Brown off the onion, followed by the meat, then the mushrooms. Once they all have some colour, add the

carrots and cook for two minutes, stirring regularly. Add the wine, cold water and apple cider vinegar to the pot, scraping away any brown delicious morsels from the sides and bottom of the pot and keeping them in the

mixture.

2 Pull the leaves off two of the sprigs of rosemary and you can leave the other two whole – it’s up to you.

Cover and bake on 180 degrees celcius for 1.5–2 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone. Alternatively, cover the pot, bring to the boil then put on a very low simmer for

1.5 to 2 hours.

3 Serve with the fresh parsley and have with brown rice or mashed potato.

(We’ve used this with countless clients and it always makes a difference)

12 dil l seeds

(can be hard to f ind, just use fennel i f i t’s too hard)

12 fennel seeds

1 Steep in 6 teaspoons of boiling water for 15 minutes.2 Strain and give " teaspoon before every feed.

3 Make fresh daily.

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C H I N E S E C H I C K E N N O O D L E S O U P Courtesy of Rebecca’s mother-in-law, Kim Mar Young

1 bunch choy sum, washed and diced

5 dried scal lops or 1 Tbsp of t iny dried prawns

6 dried Asian mushrooms

1 large knob of ginger

Shal lots

2 packets of noodles (fresh wheat or fresh rice noodles)

1 whole free-range organic chicken

Small red chil lies diced to have on the side in soy sauce

(for the adul ts)

Sea sal t for seasoning at the end

To marinate the chicken:

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp corn f lour

Dash sesame oil

! tsp sugar

" tsp pepper

1Wash and soak mushrooms and scallops for 2–3 hours. Take all skin off the chicken except the wings and cut into pieces, taking

as much flesh off the bones as possible (you will need to crack the thigh bone to get the meat off). Place chicken meat in a bowl with the marinade and put to the side. Fill a large pot with fresh, clean water. Break up the scallops and cut up mushrooms and put into the water with a smashed knob of ginger. Boil water for a few minutes then put the chicken carcass in plus all the bones.

2Once it has boiled with the chicken bones, ginger, mushrooms and scallops, place on low heat and simmer for 30 minutes to

help bring the flavour and nutrients out.

3After this time, add the marinated chicken meat and cook for another 20 minutes. Then season with salt and add the choy

sum for a few minutes.

4Towards the end of cooking the marinated chicken in the soup, cook your noodles separately in boiling water. It’s cleaner for the

soup and if you have leftovers, the noodles won’t expand and leave you with no soup to drink! Once they are cooked, place some in a bowl and cover with a healthy serving of chicken soup.

5Cut some chillies into some soy sauce and dice some shallots for additional garnishes and flavour. These are, of course,

completely optional.

Rebecca’s easier version of the above soup!Wash and boil up the whole chicken. Then place it in the slow cooker with all those ingredients. Leave out the chicken flesh marinating part and simply have the chicken slow cooked with a little less flavour. At the end you can dip pieces of chicken into a little tamari or soy sauce for more flavour.

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R E S E A R C H

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim was to describe the feeding

and stooling patterns of infants with colic and evaluate

the influence of minimal acupuncture.

METHODS: A prospective, randomized, controlled,

blind clinical study was conducted at a private

acupuncture clinic in Sweden. 90 otherwise healthy

2–8 weeks old infants, born after gestational week 36,

fulfilling the criteria for infantile colic and not medicated

with dicyclomine, were included. 81 infants went through

a structured program consisting of six visits to the clinic,

twice weekly. Infants randomized to receive acupuncture

were given minimal, standardized acupuncture for two

seconds in LI4. Frequency and size of stooling, as well

as duration of, and intervals between, feeding sessions

were reported by parents in a diary. Parental assessment

of sleep and comments on stooling and side effects were

collected in a questionnaire.

RESULTS: At baseline when the mean age was five

weeks, infants in both groups were fed a median of eight

times/day, 148 min/day, with considerable variations.

No differences were found between groups in the

frequency and duration of feeding during the intervention

weeks. Furthermore there were no significant differences

between the groups regarding the frequency of stooling,

neither at baseline, at which point the infants of both

groups had bowel movements 4.2 times/day, nor during

the intervention weeks. There was an expected decrease

in frequency of stooling in both groups, reaching 2.1 (p

= 0.001) in the acupuncture group and 3.1 (p < 0.001)

in the control group. The groups differed regarding large

bowel movements which decreased linearly in the control

group (p = 0.011) but not in the acupuncture group (p

= 0.787). More parents in the acupuncture group than

in the control group (28% and 15% respectively, p =

0.006) experienced the infant’s sleep to be “better” or

“much better.” No other significant differences were

found. However, parents described a normalized

stooling and experienced an improvement in colic in

their infants more frequently in the acupuncture group

than in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: Infants with colic in the present

study had a higher frequency of stooling than reported

internationally in healthy infants. Minimal acupuncture

had no major effect on feeding, stooling and sleep,

although a minor effect of minimal acupuncture on

stooling and sleep cannot be ruled out.

Authors Landgren K. Kvorning N. Hallstrom I.

Title Feeding, stooling and sleeping patterns in infants with colic—a randomized controlled trial of minimal acupuncture.

Source BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 11:93, 2011.

F O R B A B Y

26

HOME TASKS (to be posted on the forum once completed)

You can also include the chicken broth recipe that you’ll find in your free gifts.

Tell us how hard or easy it was and what you discovered about it.

Don’t do this for your child – just for you as an experiment. Report back.

M O T I V A T I O N C H E C K - I N Q U E S T I O N S

(Complete these at least 48 hours before your next call and post on the forum)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of

a proposed design of an acupuncture trial to relieve symptoms

of infantile colic.

METHOD: An open randomised single-blinded controlled

trial, using standardised bilateral treatment of the acupuncture

point ST36. Infants fulfilling Wessel’s definition of infantile colic

were included.

PATIENTS: were randomised to active treatment or to no-

treatment control. General practitioners (GPs) educated in

Western medical acupuncture did the interventions. Parents and

GPs’ assistants were blinded. Active treatment was the bilateral

insertion of 0.20x15 mm Seirin needles to 12mm depth at ST36.

The intervention consisted of daily treatments of 30 s duration

for three consecutive workdays. Blinding was done with a red

point mark on the skin and circular adhesive dressing covering.

The parents were asked two blinding validation questions in the

course of the study period. The primary end point was the effect

of the intervention assessed as change in crying time per 24

hours measured with a crying registration form.

RESULTS: The authors improved the standardisation and

changed the blinding procedure as a result of the pilot study.

Blinding validation questions were considered necessary. The

changes made in the main study protocol are discussed.

CONCLUSION: The pilot study led to important changes that

were implemented into the final trial protocol. Blinding validation

is essential in no-treatment controlled trials of acupuncture on

infants, where the parents are blinded assessors of symptom

reduction. The authors suggest that blinding validation questions,

and the answers to these questions, should be reported. Clinical

Trial Registry Identifier: NCT00907621.

Authors Skjeie H. Skonnord T. Fetveit A. Brekke M.

Title A pilot study of ST36 acupuncture for infantile colic.

Source Acupuncture in Medicine. 29(2):103-7, 2011 Jun.

R E S E A R C H F O R B A B Y

Images courtesy of Nina Claire Photography, bvalium