This season, treating cold and flu symptoms is on the minds of Canadian parents. But before you reach for the usual over-the-counter medicine, you should know that Health Canada has warned parents against buying OTC (over-the-counter) cough and cold medicines for children under the age of six without a health practitioner’s recommendation.
The concern is with safety. Most of these drugs were tested on adults and have been found to be either ineffective or harmful to children.
Homeopathic Medicines: a safe solution
By contrast, homeopathic medicines have not been declared off limits for young children. Indeed, with neither toxicity nor side effects, homeopathic medicines have been recognized by Health Canada as the safest category among natural medicines.
Whitby Ontario paediatrician, Dr. Sharon Dockrill, uses them regularly for children with colds and flu and for teething. “Children are the most vulnerable group for side effects from medicines”, she notes, adding that with homeopathic preparations “parents can feel confident, not fearful”.
Dr. Dockrill gives children a homeopathic remedy called Coryzalia when she sees a runny nose. For spasmodic cough, she recommends Stodal, and likes the fact that it contains soothing honey.
Dr. Dockrill also recommends homeopathic remedies to adults. The tongue-twister Oscillococcinum is the most popular homeopathic flu symptom medicine in the world.
Results
Pharmacist and clinical nutritionist Farid Wassef has been recommending homeopathic medicines since he began practicing in l989. The Stouffville, Ontario Pharmacist of the Year for 2006 notes that homeopathic medicines have the advantage of not suppressing the immune system. “They make the child’s symptoms manageable and at the same time allow the immune system to fight the infection and clear it out of the body.” Wassef’s customers, like Dr. Dockrill’s patients report satisfaction with homeopathic remedies.
For Toronto mom, Eva Zajac, the homeopathic medicine Coryzalia relieved the symptoms of her infant’s cold and runny nose. Even more surprising were the effects of a product named Cocyntal, which Zajac used for her daughter’s gas pains and post-feeding spasms. “Within two to three minutes of administering the vial, her tears and pain stopped,” Zajac said.
There is a body of clinical evidence that shows that homeopathic medicines work, Wassef notes. “But like many prescription medicines we don’t fully understand the complete mechanism of action of how they work.” However, he adds, the facts show that homeopathy is a safe and effective system of medicine that has been around for 200 years and is used around the world.
