There is perhaps nothing worse than hearing your child cry out in pain in the middle of the night. Whether it’s pains associated with teething or those that arrive during growth spurts, it can be distressing, both for you and for them. While over-the-counter measures are available to ease pain, there are also a number of effective natural preventative and treatment measures available to minimize the impact and discomfort.
First and foremost, children of all ages need nutrient-dense foods as they require more calories and nutrients to supply the body with what it needs to grow. Focus on providing a diet that features vitamins A, D, and E, minerals such as magnesium, calcium and selenium, bone broths, good quality fish oil, eggs, grass-fed beef and other organic meats, and fermented food such as sauerkraut and raw dairy products, if possible. Avoid processed foods such as sugar and white flour, not only because they are devoid of nutritional value, but also because they create problems such as promoting cavities and imbalances in bone mineralization.
Teething and Homeopathic Medicine
Baby’s first few teeth can be a painful experience. Teething is commonly accompanied by dribbling, chewing on fingers, red swollen gums, irritability, clinginess, sleep disturbances, facial rashes, lack of appetite, and bowel changes. These symptoms can start as early as three months or as late as a year. The timing is not as important as the pain your child appears to be experiencing, although the age can inform the appropriate prescribing and dosing of a good homeopathic.
There are many homeopathic remedies which can be helpful for teething. If your child is having a particularly difficult time, visit a naturopathic doctor or homeopath to get a tailored plan. In the meantime, you can help relieve some of the pain associated with teething using a few easy-to-find herbs that are safe and gentle for children.
Helpful Homeopathic Herbs
| Infection and fever | Pain relief and calming |
| Calendula flowers | Chamomile flowers |
| Catnip | Linden flowers |
| Echinacea | Willow bark |
| Elder flowers | Wintergreen leaves |
| Meadowsweet | Celery stalk |
| Lemon balm | |
| Usnea |
Celery Stalk for Teething Pain
Celery can be a helpful natural remedy for teething pain in babies and toddlers. It can be served cold and its firm texture and tissue has natural pain-relieving properties including eugenol, which can soothe inflamed gums and relieve pressure. Celery has Vitamin K which is beneficial for bone health. Celery can be given as a raw stick, chilled, or even frozen for added relief. The cold temperature and firm texture can numb and soothe the gums offering a natural pain relief. It's also a good way to introduce babies to solid foods and help them develop chewing skills.
Calming Teething Tea
- ½ tsp catnip leaves
- ½ tsp chamomile flowers
- ½ tsp passionflower leaves
- ½ tsp lemon balm leaves
- ¼ tsp peppermint leaves
Instructions: Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer, remove from heat, add herbs and steep for 15 minutes, and strain.
Dosing: For child over 6 months, 1 c/day. For child under 6 months dose according to Clark's Rule: Child's weight x adult dose (3 c/day) divided by 150. (e.g. A 20 lb baby could have .4 c/day). Use dropper to administer.
Essential Oils for Teething
To numb teething pain, combine 4 drops of clove essential oil (Syzygium aromaticum) with 1 tbsp of carrier oil (olive or coconut) or pasteurized honey. Try it on your own gums first, adjust as needed, then rub on infant's gums.
When your baby's teeth begin to emerge, try to keep them free of cavities by limiting sugars and juices and by brushing and practicing good oral hygiene. Some children have naturally weak teeth which are prone to cavities due to poor mineralization. To combat this, ensure you are providing whole foods and apply mineral salts (also called tissue salts, cell salts, or Schuessler tissue salts) for flavour. A great treatment and prevention strategy, they are inexpensive, very safe, simple to use, and quite tasty. There are 12 main types to choose from and you should consult with a healthcare provider to figure out which salt is best for your child’s specific situation. One of my favourites, calcarea phosphorica, works well for both healthy tooth development and for growing pains (see below).
Diet and Nutrition for Healthy Teeth and Bones
Growing pains are a common phenomenon, usually between the ages of three and twelve, and typically involve nighttime leg pain without any other symptoms like redness, swelling, or fever. (If these are present, visit your healthcare provider.) You may also notice your child moves around a lot or jerks their legs while sleeping. It could be restless leg syndrome (RLS), a hereditary condition that is also related to nutrient deficiencies.
As with healthy tooth development, a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, EFAs, and bone broth can also help quell some of the pain and discomfort of your child’s growing body. One study showed bone meal combined with vitamins A and D resulted in complete remission of growing pain symptoms in all 112 children participating in the study! Homemade bone broth is a tasty substitute for bone meal and is a great way to get bio-available nutrients to your child. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, growing pains may sometimes be a result of vitamin B6 deficiency, making foods naturally high in B6, like turkey, beef, chicken, salmon, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach, and bananas, great dietary additions. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that resolving food sensitivities can also cease some of the symptoms of growing pains and RLS. Further, calcarean phosphorica can also help relieve growing pains in the legs, as can Epsom salt baths, and topical magnesium gels.
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a problem among adolescents who are very athletic. Typically affecting those between 9–14 years of age at the onset of the growth spurt, it presents as anterior knee pain with swelling on the upper shin bone, and occurs as a result of overuse at a time when the body is growing quickly and requires more nutrients. Optimal nutrition and perhaps nutritional supplements are important, especially if your child is very active. Along with calcarean phosphorica, Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD, recommends vitamin E at 400 IU/day and selenium at 50 mcg 3x/day, which usually offers results in two to six weeks.
Growing up shouldn’t be painful! Help your child avoid and conquer many of the unpleasant consequences of growing with simple changes to their diet, by applying some safe and healthy strategies, and by including a few key supplements.
