Natural pain remedy may be the answer for managing pain relief in children
04/14/2006
Pain is a difficult sensation for most people to endure, but as adults, we learn the ability to cope with pain and often resort to over the counter pain relievers. However, children’s systems are often far more sensitive to pain sensations as well as common chemical remedies pushed by pharmaceutical marketing. A natural pain remedy may be the answer.
The difficulty in medicating children is that most drug trials are done on adults and often a child’s system will have the opposite effect if not even a life-threatening reaction. Look at the well-established analgesic, aspirin, which also goes by the names Acetylsalicylic acid, Acetylsalicylate, Salicylic acid or Salicylate. Plenty of literature exists about avoiding aspirin during a childhood viral illness like the flu or chicken pox. But parents may not even realize that even a small dose of aspirin for an unrelated pain or headache can result in triggering Reyes syndrome if the child has recently recovered from the illness or no symptoms are present.
According to the Mayo Clinic and Foundation for Medical Education and Research in Rochester, Minn., Reye's syndrome – a rare but serious illness that can affect the blood, liver and brain of children and teenagers recovering from a viral infection – occurs most commonly in children between the ages of 4 and 12.
In other children, such chronic conditions as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can be very painful, and often, long term treatment with drugs that contain aspirin is prescribed. For these children, an alternative pain remedy could dramatically cut down on the risks associated with analgesics and achieve natural pain relief.
"Even common analgesics such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen come with risks – liver damage, kidney impairment, and heart malfunction are all symptoms and side effects to be wary," said Judy Cutler, a well-known nutritionist in Southern California and developer of 'Naturally Painless' – a natural spray-on pain remedy. "Children’s systems are far more sensitive and using all-natural alternatives for pain management are recommended."
Doctors advise parents of children between 12 and 15 months old who are at risk for Reye’s Syndrome have their children vaccinated for varicella (chickenpox) and influenza to reduce their risk of developing the condition. As always, consult a physician before embarking on any pain management program or drug therapy – especially in children.