Disclaimer: I’m not a physician. The information below is not to be used as medical advice. Please seek medical care as needed.
I frequently get asked how I handle first aid issues at home. It’s been years since I’ve had my CPR and first aid training, though that information is vital, as I’ve had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on both of our girls. So start there. Get trained. It’s comforting to know both our girls are now trained in CPR and first aid as babysitters as well.
Note: After I pulled together this post, the ideas (and questions) just kept coming. So I put together my 20+ page At-Home Health Care Manual — the ultimate guide to handling your family’s health twists and turns from home. Be sure to download a free copy.
Homeopathy
Though I am not a homeopath, I have purchased many remedies over the years. I have so many remedies on hand — some I can manage at home with my family, some I have to call our homeopath for support. It’s not often I have to go out and buy a remedy. When I do, it’s fun and exciting to add to my arsenal.
Below are the most common remedies we use and what we use them for. These remedies can be purchased at most natural food stores, co-ops, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, or online. They are extremely inexpensive and extremely effective.
- Arnica Montana (oral) — trauma/drama that goes with an injury or accident; reduces bruising, swelling, emotion
- Arnica Montana (gel or cream) — topical relief; reduces bruising, swelling, emotion; don’t use on open skin, it will sting
- Apis (oral) — for allergic reactions, a bad sunburn, or bee stings
- Belladona or Pulsatilla — for the few and far between fevers that occur at our house
Epsom Salts
Epsom salts are very inexpensive and are a must when it comes to home health care.
We keep a 20-pound bag at any given time in our bathroom. Everyone will benefit from a couple baths per week with 1 cup of Epsom salts and essential oils of choice for at least 20 minutes. Our 5-year-old knows to scoop up a cup and pour it into his bath as he is running his water, simultaneously yelling (because, 5) for me to grab his oils.
The many benefits of epsom salts include:
- Exercise recovery
- Reducing pain, soreness
- Reducing stress
- Exfoliating
- Helps to draw out slivers
- Promotes sleep
- Helps ease constipation
Band-Aids
If you have children, you’ll need a lifetime supply. … On a weekly basis.
Essential Oils
We use mainly Young Living oils.
- For cuts, burns, stings, pain, itching, we use Lavender.
- For overall immune support, we most frequently use Lemon, Ginger, Thieves, Eucalyptus, Raven, Ravintsara, and RC. The Breathe Again roll-on is super easy, Sniffleaze works great for the littles, and RC is my favorite cough remedy.
- For handling stress or emotional breakdowns, we rely most on Stress Away, Peace & Calming, Clarity, Magnify Your Purpose, and Frankincense.
- When it comes to anxiety, we find the following to be supportive: Cedarwood, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Believe, and Motivation.
How We Handle Coughs
When it comes to coughs, there are so many reasons for them. I first test my kids to see what the main block is and get that out of the way. Depending on how it’s affecting my child emotionally, I keep a bottle of Hyland’s cough syrup around, because sometimes a little “this will help you feel better” is necessary to buy me time to look into my resources (see below for the books I reference).
RC, Eucalyptus, and Lavender with coconut oil have all worked well for us as cough suppressants. And, as a winter preventive, Chinese cupping therapy is a really great tool to release gunk in the lungs.
Hot Water Bottles
We don’t have a microwave, so gone are the days of heating up a rice sock to quickly warm somebody up or take the chill away. If you do have a microwave, this is an easy craft to add a few cups of rice to a tube sock and tie it off at the end. We made small sleeves out of flannel to keep the sock in, and dropped the essential oil of choice onto the sleeve to support the ailment of the moment.
What we have used for a number of years now are good old fashioned hot water bottles. They are inexpensive, and with the quick water heating tool of water kettles, we have the comfort of heat in just a couple of minutes. We tuck these into fleece covers they came with (Amazon), and wash the covers as needed.
In-Office Tools at Home
Because I know the benefit of the tools we use in the office to promote health and wellness, I have as many of them at home as I can and apply as needed. Some of these aren’t available unless through a practitioner, so inquire with your practitioner if you’re interested in the investment of a wellness tool.
Garlic oil and ear candles are my go-to for ear pain. The soothing feeling of ear candling is calming and centering. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil with a sliced garlic clove, then cool to room temperature. Using a dropper, place a few drops in the problem ear for comfort.
We use red light therapy for coughs, inflammation, injuries, adhesions, and pain.
Our PEMF mat (pulsed electromagnetic therapy) is in use often for resting, immune support, sleep support, circulation and nerve regeneration, mood support, or injury. Also important is time on here for our kids, who often need to be online for their schooling and have too much exposure to EMFs.
I am able to use Nutrition Response Testing no matter where I am, to figure out what’s going on quickly with my family and handle as needed.
Sometimes all that is needed is a mindset shift. In our family we use PSYCH-K® to find out what is causing the stress or illness at the moment, hone in on the limiting belief, and create what it is we actually want. It never ceases to amaze me the power of our subconscious mind.
My Go-To Reference Books
Our homeopath, Sarah Damlo, works with Kate Birch, our former homeopath. Kate has authored several books that are helpful in guiding us toward health, though my favorite in identifying ails with our children is The Best Family Homeopathy Acute Care Manual.
This book I stumbled upon when my now teenagers were just babies. It was my first stop every time, as it gave me what to do for the issue/concern from every angle: conventional, homeopathy, herbal, nutritional, and acupressure. I often found myself empowered and grounded in what the concern was so much more by the time I sought the support of this book. I hope you enjoy it, too. Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child.
