Excerpt from Joette’s latest book, How to Raise a Drug Free Family, which she’s currently using to teach her first webinar course for mothers. Posted on DrMomma.org at author's request.
Croup Cough: This is my favorite kind of cough. Why? It has been shown that the degree of relief is dramatic whenever treated with homeopathic remedies.
But before embarking on the remedies and their differentiation, let’s make certain that you know what a croupy cough is like. Croup has that distinct sound. It sounds exactly like a seal barking. And for that reason, it is an alarming sound that can frighten both the parents and the child suffering from it. However, the results of choosing the correct remedy are so striking that it’s a pleasure to learn these remedies.
Croup is an illness that usually afflicts children from ages 1-4. It is one result of a minor respiratory infection followed by laryngitis. What often results is a horrible seal-bark cough that develops at night.
Dr. Boenninghausen, a famous German homeopathic doctor, was renowned for his simplification of this cough by addressing it with one of two remedies. I love when, in homeopathy, we can distill a remedy choice to simply one of three choices.
The first remedy to consider is Aconitum. This is not difficult to understand, because Aconitum is a remedy for a quick onset and needs to be used within the first 12 to 24 hours of affliction. Often another indicator for the use of Aconitum is that the child is frightened and restless with anxiety. This is the very picture of Aconitum. Give Aconitum 30 each hour, but if there is improvement, prolong the dosage frequency, so that it is only given every 2 hours. When improvement is obvious, stop. Sleep is considered to be "good improvement." So if your little one falls asleep, go right back to sleep with him. The event is likely over.
If not, and the cough persists, follow your last doses of Aconitum with Spongia tosta. And continue using it until he either falls asleep or the cough is finished. If it reaches the wee hours of the morning, and your babe is still coughing, or the breath doesn’t have a velvety quality to it, as it should, then give Hepar sulph 30.
It is encouraging to note that in most cases, a child will not need anything more than Aconitum. Job well done!
Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom, is certified classical homeopath who teaches and consults with moms the world over via phone and SKYPE.
For a free download of 10 Toxins and How to Antidote Them With Homeopathy go to www.homeopathyworks.net and find it on the “Free Downloads and Articles” section of the homepage. Then, consider scheduling a free 15 minute conversation with Joette to see if homeopathy is a fit for your, or your child’s, health strategy.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The reader is encouraged to make independent inquires and to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.
Oh good! I already have those!
ReplyDeleteAwesome... Our first bought of croup resulted in a doctor visit, a trip to the ER, admitting to the hospital, an ambulance transfer, 24 hours in ICU and another 24 hours in a regular bed... And a lot of fear, nothing like the simple croups my brother and sister got when I was little :(
ReplyDeleteWe have had wonderful results with spongia tosta with our toddler.
ReplyDeleteEach one of my three children have been inflicted with the croup cough several times during their infant winters. Hepar Sulph is ALL we ever needed! Not one trip to the Peds! We would sit in a steamy bathroom with the poor kiddo, give them the Hep Sulph, followed by "honey's" (Chest-All) and it would be done and we would all be back to sleep in no time!! I won't start a winter season without it! (Or Chest-All for that matter!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, steamy bathroom followed by a cold environment (outside or if all else fails stick their head in the freezer for a moment!!:) ).. as a relief while you wait for the above to kick in :)
ReplyDeleteYou can use Lemon Juice to get rid of cough. Lemon is a great source of vitamin C, which significantly helps in boosting the immune system. You need to strengthen your body’s natural guard to these viral infections and put a stop to your cough.
ReplyDelete@Newincs - our pediatrician always said the cool environment (like walking outside for a few minutes on a brisk day should be followed by a warm steamy environment (like a warm bath in warm room and/or steamer/humidifier). From what others at the hospital here have suggested it is cool followed by warm (not the other way around).
ReplyDeleteCan all of these items be found at a health food store like Whole Foods?
ReplyDeleteLaura - we just recently picked them up at our local health food store, and we were told that Whole Foods has them as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way - they worked WONDERFULLY well for our 3 year old with bad croup. We didn't get the first one, as he already had it, but we used the second two discussed in this article (also at the recommendation of a local homeopath here) and despite being really, really bad, he showed improvement on these two items within a day.
THANK YOU for this article!
Anyone know if any of this is safe to give an 8 mo. Old baby? I think we may be getting it. :(
ReplyDeleteSo, I just have to leave a note about our experience... I was skeptical to say the least. But after our son's croup was not clearing up, and only getting worse each day, I decided to give this a shot. We skipped the Aconitum 30 because he'd already had it bad for a couple days, and went straight to Spongia tosta and Hepar sylph 30. I don't know 100% for certain if THIS is what caused the dramatic change - but things were much, much better after we started. My extended family of skeptics said that it was just him getting naturally better on his own after being really bad for a couple days - but the change was so significant, so quickly, that I believe I'll be reaching for these faster next time around.
ReplyDeleteIf u had left the condition as it is, u would have known that it doesnt take couple of days to get better infact it gets worse with each passing day.good to know that it helped😁
DeleteGood that it helped
DeleteMy 2.75 yo dd woke up with a croupy/barky cough just two days ago. I didn't treat it the first day, but the second day I couldn't tell if it was really croup or just a super hoarse cough so I gave 3 pellets of Boiron 30c Spongia, and 3 pellets of 30c Hepar. She did not cough again the rest of the day. Not sure which remedy really did the trick, but do the trick it did!
ReplyDeleteWe did still have some congestion and runny nose, but the cough was COMPLETELY gone after that one dose. And THIS is why I LOVE homeopathy!!!
What a relief to find this wealth of information. Our 4 year old gets croup with every cold which is every month. Last winter he was on stereiods three times. I will defenitely try those remedies next time he has an episode.
ReplyDeleteI have never used homeopathics before, but we tried these. I have to say, not only did it work, but I was really impressed with how easy they are to use. Just tiny little balls (we called them 'special treats' for our 3 year old) that he could eat like a little bit of candy and he was better!
ReplyDeleteThere are different causes of croup and in some cases it can be life-threatening. Not to say that homeopathic remedies don't work, but it is not always as simple as the common cold and you should be aware that it could kill someone.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky that my oldest child, age 3, has never had the croupe. Unfortunately, her little brother, 14 months old, has had it twice already... both times, the doctor prescribed a steroid to help him breathe, and told me it should pass within ten days time. I wish I would have known about this; it would have saved me the worry about giving an infant steroids (esp. considering Daddy has a rare allergy to them)! Thank you so much for sharing! Now if the situation comes up again, I will know what to use!!!
ReplyDeletewe try to use only homeopathics at home. my second (15 months) has gotten this type of cough a few times and aconitum makes it go right away. we dissolve 10 balls of aconitum 6CH about an inch of water and administer about 4ml (from a syringe without needle) every 20-30 minutes when it's really bad and then every hour. works immediately! i now cringe to think of the terrible medicines that the doctors gave my first when it happened to her. thank you for sharing this info with other parents! :) lisa
ReplyDeleteMy three month old came down with this weird breathing issue 2 weeks ago- a kind of wheezing that would make him cry. I'm a FTM and was nervous, so into the pediatrician we went. I chose our pediatrician because he supports homeopathic remedies. He said it seemed like DS was coming down with a viral cold, and the wheezing was due to early signs of strider (or laryngitis in adults). He said it could lead to croupe, in which case we'd be awoken in the middle of the night most likely and then we'd be in a fit. He preemptively "prescribed" the spongia tosta c to us- paid $7 for it and he explained how to use it, etc... I left that day SSOOOO glad we found the pediatrician that we did. Hope more and more docs will wise up and move away from big pharm drugs that are doing more harm than good, and rely more on homeopathic wisdom.
ReplyDeleteHoney is also effective in relieving cough. For babies, ginger is not recommended although it really helps in alleviating cough. It's good to know that homeopathics can be done at home as well. It is one of the best cough and flu remedies.
ReplyDeleteHello Doctor, I am a CAM student and also a mother. My 5 year old has an aweful case of this croup that has lasted a week. He has been to the doctor and we where told that there isnt much that can be done because at the time no fever was present and it hasnt moved to the lower resp. tract. I have some questions in regards to Aconite. Please do not see this as me challenging you. I am a student and respect your knowledge and skill in CAM greatly. I am just one of those annoying people who always ask why lol. I was researching Aconite and found that (from my understanding thus far) that this herb is considered cardiotoxic due to its ability to raise membrane permeability for sodium ions, in turn prolonging cardiac repolorization. Aconite alkaloids have been shown to be much more effective than hydrocortisone and indomethacin for reducing inflammation. I know that this root has been used in traditional Chinese medecine and Ayervedic medicine for many many years. My main concern is the toxicity levels of the root and how to know for sure that you are getting a properly processed version of aconite?
ReplyDeleteA dairy intolerance should be suspected. My son gets croup with pasteurized dairy, not raw.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I find these remedies at?
ReplyDeleteWe found them at a local health food store -- I believe Whole Foods carries them too. Anyplace that has homeopathics. You may be able to get them on Amazon as well?
DeleteHave there been any scientific studies on the effectiveness of these treatments in children? I found one study with adults but would be interested in a study with children. There seems to be lots of positive anecdotal evidence.
ReplyDeletePlease be careful. If your child has a smaller bronchial tube (and how would you know?) her airway could close before any of these remedies work. We found my daughter's is 25% smaller than normal after she was intubated for croup at 9 months. It came out of nowhere. I'm all for homeopathy but wouldn't mess around when it comes to a baby unable to get enough air.
ReplyDeleteWe used these about 1 year ago this week for croup and it worked well for our 3 year old. Now this year we seem to have a bit of the same - but worse. They helped again, although didn't kick it quite as quickly this time around. And we combined it with some herbal items we picked up from our local health food store. The two together did the trick. Thanks again for these tips! Used twice now at our home. :)
ReplyDeletethis was the best treatment, for my 1 1/2 year twins.. my twins ended up with croup, I skipped the first step because i had already gona to th ER after one of them was vomiting and wheezing (later diagnosed as croup). They were given steroids to calm the inflammation, but my daughter kept vomitting, so i bought the pellets at whole foods the next day. I gave them both spongia tosta the coughing didnt subside so 6 hrs later i started on the hepar...by midnight theire coughs had clamed down and by the morning I gave them another shot and couple hrs. later no more coughing. This litterally worked in 1 1/2 day. I tried everything the freezer door, steroids, honey and lime, vaporizers. I could have saved a trip to the ER, Pharmacy, and Drug Store by looking at this site first..I am so glad my kids and i can now sleep better and their cold heal quicker. NO more restless nights for hubby and kids...
ReplyDeleteHow many doses of the aconitum??? Before you start the next remedy??
ReplyDeletemy son is almost 9 years old and he still have spasmodic croup 3 or 4 times per year????? help us we try everything...
ReplyDeleteDo you believe it may be an asthma attack and not croup? There are also individuals who are highly allergic to certain things in the environment that can cause an asthma-like coughing attack, but are actually allergic responses to stimuli.
DeleteIf truly croup that many times each year, at age 9, implementing things to boost the immune system would be key.
My 6 yr old DD had a nasty barking cough, which is often the result of a cold. I knew she needed sleep, but there was no way with her cough which was nearly non stop. After reading this thread I tried both spongia tosta and Hepar sulph. I couldn't be sure it was croup, so like another mom on here I gave her 3 tablets of both. Within 30 minutes her coughing had completely stopped. She slept through the night and I've only heard one small cough since. Thank you thank you thank you for this great post and comment thread! I am one happy mommy! :)
ReplyDeleteHello, I am a first time mom and took my son to the doctor after hearing a few nights of this cough and last night being the worst of all. I didn't know about croup so I did not have any knowledge about it. The doctor prescribed steroids. I gave him one dose today before I was able to do any research on croup. I really am not happy I gave him the steroids and do not want to give them again. I am going out tomorrow to buy these remedies. But my son only coughs at night, not during the day, so my question is: are these only to be given when he is having a cough attack or can I give it to him during the day tomorrow before he goes to sleep? And how much do i give to him, he is 17months old? And also do I just give one dose of spongier tosta and one of Hepar sylph and see how that does? thanks in advance for your help!
ReplyDeleteWhen our son was about 17 months old, we gave according to the direction on the bottle (as well as this article).
DeleteHowever, if your son was given steroids, are they assuming he has asthma? It sounds like something else may be going on... Steroids for a *virus* (croup) is not a good idea as they prevent the body from being able to heal itself (and the immune system to work properly).