Colds, Flus, and other respiratory infections
Most children will come down with the occasional viral respiratory illness such as the flu and the common cold. Many times these infections resolve on their own without any treatment; however, naturopathic therapies may help resolve the symptoms more quickly.
In other children, however, it seems like they catch every cold and flu that goes around and are constantly dealing with coughing, sore throats, sniffling, running nose, etc. Naturopathic medicine is a very effective way of dealing with the susceptibility to keep getting sick.
Because many of these childhood illnesses are actually caused by viruses, not bacteria, antibiotics may not be fully effective in stopping this cycle. Additionally, frequent use of antibiotics has been linked to digestive disturbances, impaired immunity, and the development of other conditions such as asthma.
Naturopathic medicine offers alternative approaches to break this cycle that doesn’t require the use of antibiotics. We work to identify the cause of these infections to see if an underlying stressor such as a food allergy, food sensitivity, or environmental factor is contributing to these infections. Naturopathic doctors also work toward boosting your child’s own immune system to fight an infection. When your child fights the infection themselves it prevents recurrences and chronic infections.
Natural medicines that we use at our clinic that may assist in stopping your child’s recurring respiratory infections include:
• Homeopathy
• Identification of underlying food, environmental, or chemical allergies
• Diet modifications
• Herbal or vitamin supplementation
