Q. Maria was wondering if she was getting enough calcium. Congratulations, Maria! I was 41 when I gave birth to my sixth baby 3 years ago. Regarding non-dairy calcium sources, I just thought I'd share a few bits of information my daughter collected for one of the newsletters she edits for her wholefoods penpal club.

You probably grew up, as I did, being told to "drink your milk" and "eat your meat." Fortunately, there are alternatives so that you can get the two *nutrients* those statements were focusing on -- calcium and protein.

For those who react to the protein alpha S1 casein in cow's milk, goat milk is a possible dairy alternative, because it contains only traces of alpha S1 casein. It is more easily digested than cow's milk, and it has the added benefit of being high in calcium. I even read where you can make a "zucchini milk". Haven't tried it myself, but it is an alternative if you're feeling adventurous.

Q. I was just studying the Naturally Healthy Family Home Study Course and was so happy to see your eMag when I turned on my computer. I must tell you what a blessing your ministry has been to me. When I first started studying herbs, I found it very confusing. The books I read had a lot of terminology I didn't understand, or just weren't practical. God has blessed you with a writing style that is so easy for me to understand! Thank you for all the work you do.

A. Has she ruled out, by blood tests at her physician’s office, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? I have a friend with this, and some of your friend’s symptoms sound familiar. Immune stimulation with supplements, rest, good diet could be a real help. Some allergy symptoms can occur during episodes in our lives of illness. What was the method of ascertaining the food allergies? An elimination diet is the very best method of diagnosing food allergies. While I would need more specific information about her diet and lifestyle to offer personal recommendations specifically for your friend, some general measures to take to support the body when dealing with allergies and decreased resistance to infection are:

Q. A friend asked me last night if I had any suggestions for her son, aged 15, who has problems with acne. I'm sure she's aware of all the obvious foods to avoid, but do you know of anything else that might help? Are there some herbs that could help clear it up? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Q. I have a 3 year old son who has been diagnosed with asthma. He doesn't have asthma attacks, per se, more like coughing fits. It is worse at night. I have been given a nebulizer to use with medication, which does help to ease the coughing. However, it also changes my son’s behavior. He is more aggressive and angry when on this medicine...like Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

A. I use ginkgo biloba TincTract by Tri-Light Herbs preventively for my daughter with asthma. She also has the cough variant type of asthma that is more like coughing "fits" than wheezing. We also avoid her triggers, nebulize her with Cromolyn Sodium in the spring (her "hot" time) on a daily basis, have given her lobelia, in small doses, during an attack as well as ephedra, also in small dosages. I do not recommend the use of ephedra in children for this purpose, unless you are under the care of a physician well-versed in herbal medicine. Quite frankly, we discovered that treating with the nebulizer early in the coughing "fit" caused fewer nebulizer treatments overall and many times avoided progression to steroid drugs to help open her airways again. Asthma is not an illness to take lightly. The heart has to work very hard to get oxygen to the rest of the cells in our body when our airways are not allowing maximum or much of any air flow. This places the child (or others) at risk for a heart attack, not a mild risk. I work preventively and treat with medication early to reduce use of lots of pharmaceuticals.

Q. I've been enjoying your information. Now I have a couple of questions. My son was just diagnosed with bronchopneumonia and was given Cefzil(antibiotic) Prelone Syrup, and an inhaler. He usually gets

Q. What do you recommend (if anything) for a nearly 9 year old bedwetter? (He weighs about 60lbs) He has had an interesting pattern of staying dry. He was first consistently dry at nearly 7.5 years old. At that time, he was dry every night for about 7 months. Then, he had a 4 month spell of being wet nearly every night, followed by 6 months of dry nights. Now, we are a week into being wet every night, and sometimes more than once during the night. Before we try DDAVP, I wonder if you have some suggestions. I also wonder if it could be tied to a growth spurt and periods of really deep sleep, because he grew quite a bit last year. I don't know if last year's growth corresponds to the bedwetting period, but this time we are checking. I measured him today, and intend to measure again when the wet night cycle is finished, but in the meantime, I wanted any suggestions you might have. Am I way off base in suspecting a growth spurt?

Q. My 20 month old has been suffering from ear infections for several months. I attempted to treat it with Rhea's Naturecillin, but it didn't work. After two rounds of pharmaceutical antibiotics and still fighting them, someone told me to try the Naturecillin and goldenseal. This seems to be keeping them at bay, but there is still an enormous amount of fluid behind his eardrums. I have learned I must do something about this, as if unchecked, it tends to rebreed infections. I have NO idea what can be used in one so little that can dry out this fluid. If there is something, where can I get it and what dosage for a 26lbs, 20month-old infant? Any ideas would be much appreciated as I do not want to use over-the-counter medications as they may help then only end up causing rebound increased mucous production problems!

Q. I would like to subscribe to your Naturally Healthy Living eMag. Also, I have a couple of questions. I have 4 children ages 5 ,3 ,2, and 3 months, I am also nursing. I was wondering what you would recommend for them for the coming colds, ear infections, etc. I really need some help since I don't know anything about this, and I want whatever I buy to be the best and SAFE for them and me since I am nursing. What is the best to help ward off or alleviate colds: Echinacea & Thyme, Triple Echinacea & Goldenseal, Scout Out, or ViraMune? I have the Tri-Light catalog, so those are the products I prefer to use for my children. I also would like something that could help prevent the cold from going into the ear, so what is the best for that and/or ear pain?

Thank you VERY,VERY much. I am sure you are very busy so thank you for your time!

A. Well, I’ll tell you what’s in my cabinet at present as we get ready for the winter. Echinacea and Thyme for daily dosing to avoid colds and flu, etc. I give for prevention:

Q. I have a question about constipation in newborns. I have client who has a 4 month old baby. She has stopped breastfeeding (the cause of the beginning of problems) and has her baby on a soy formula. The regular formulas seem to upset the baby and give colic. But he has a real problem with constipation. He has usually one stool a day, but it is quite hard – the consistency of an adult stool. Baby cries and really has a hard time passing the stool - Mom usually has to use a lubricated thermometer to help the baby get started. I had really encouraged her to try to re-establish breastfeeding, but now the baby is to the point that it is refusing the breast. Are there any suggestions for herbal things for a baby this young. He seems to be gaining weight well. I have suggested trying goat's milk instead of formula. Would diluted prune juice be okay to use for a baby this young?

Q. Does anyone know how to treat severe diaper rash herbally? I started rotating possible treatments today -- applying tea tree oil (in case the source of the rash is fungal), applying a combination garlic/goldenseal/Vit E oil (to combat infection), applying 40,000 IU Vit E/grapeseed/calendula oil (for healing), calendula ointment (for healing), and I even tried applying a mixture of plain yogurt and acidophilus. The rash is red, raised, and bumpy (pimply looking) and a few are turning into open sores. Baby is 2 years old.

I was also wondering how long before you can expect to see results because I made a doctor's appointment for Monday, but I'm not sure if I'm giving these alternative methods enough time to "work". I'm concerned that the doctor will recommend cortisone -- does anyone know of a natural alternative if it comes to that?

I've also picked up over the years of having babies that if the rash is located near an "exit", then it would a good idea to check what's going in their mouths, as that type of rash (irritation) may be a symptom of an allergy to what's going in. It's irritating going in, and it's irritating going out.

I wanted to let everyone know that Abby recovered in *record* time, thanks to a combination of prayer and the wonderful alternative remedies different people suggested =). She went from open sores to 95% better the next morning! Didn't have to take her to the Doctor (whew) -- I had such great success taking her to the Great Physician that I think I'll continue with "a sure thing" <G>

Q. I have a question about my 19 year old son. Lately, the outer corner eyelids of his eyes are not attached to the eyeball by the surface tension generated by the secretions of the lacrimal glands. Does that make sense?. He does stay out late a lot and his diet is a typical fast food and restaurant style diet since he is in college. Do you have any suggestions as to what to do?

A. My suggestions for him probably would not be what he wants to do. Come home early. Get more rest. Chuck the fast food. Increase fruits and vegetables. Get on a good multi-vitamin/mineral/herb supplement. DRINK LOTS OF WATER - 2 QUARTS DAILY. Moisturize that eyeball!

Q. My name is Sandra. We have four children in Pa. My interest in herbs is an extension of healthy eating, I suppose. We have tried to support our bodies with good food - herbs seem to be the next natural step to take. I've read the discussion of eczema. We plan to follow the advice to use Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) and flax oil. We have done the EPO before, with good results, but I thought maybe just the flax oil would do after I ran out of EPO. Not true. I was wondering if the licorice extract, which they recommend in a topical application, burns? Any other ideas? We will be taking a break from milk for a while too.

A. Silymarin is pronounced sil-ih-muh-rin. The Liv Care is an excellent source of silymarin, the active constituent of milk thistle. Although LivCare is not standardized, I feel this is the best source for non-capsule or tablet-taking children. Eczema and psoriasis are both related to fatty-acid deficiency and food allergies. Have you identified and eliminated food allergens?

Q. In one of the last digests, someone had mentioned eczema. You had said that it is usually caused by fatty-acid deficiency and food allergies. My daughter just turned 8 months old, and a few weeks ago I took her to the pediatrician for a rash under her chin and an oval patch on the side of her face. She had the rash under her chin for probably 2 months or so, but I assumed it was from drooling so much. The severity of it would come and go. I tried lanolin, cocoa butter, even Balmex, but nothing seemed to help. One night the rash got so red and sore and I thought perhaps I should take her to the doctor seeing as she had it for so long, plus that's when she developed the rash on the side of her face, also. Anyways, the doctor said immediately it was eczema and gave me some Westcort ointment and Eucerin lotion to put on. The doctor said the westcort is a steroid cream. I'm not sure as if that's good for my baby or not, but within two days both patches of rash were gone. Now though, the rash has returned to the side of her face in the same spot. So, to my questions - finally!! Is this Westcort ointment okay to give her, and could she indeed be lacking fatty-acid with me nursing her almost exclusively still? She gets solids twice a day but hasn't cut out any nursings yet. I order herbs from Tri-Light and maybe should get some LivCare as you mentioned previously. What are your thoughts on this and if she may be lacking fatty-acid, what would you recommend giving her to help boost the deficiency?

Q. Thank you for all the wonderful information. I have had eczema after the birth of my daughter and have terrible white heads—what can I do to clear them up?

Q. I have read in Dr. Mendelsohn's book "How to raise a healthy child in spite of your Dr." that it is best not to try to lower a fever caused by virus or bacteria, because the body is fighting the virus with the fever. Does this agree with what you have learned? I have Yummy Yarrow and Elderberry from Tri-Light herbs, which can be used for fevers. What does it do for fevers? And does the use of it counteract the body's own mechanisms for fighting the virus?

A. Kendall, the information on fevers being a good thing is accurate. For every degree of raised temperature above normal body temp, we get an additional 20,000 white cells working to fight the "invader" germ. The Yummy Yarrow and Elderberry helps to increase the body’s immune response, along with the fever, and the yarrow works especially to increase perspiration, which naturally helps lower the fever, without interfering in the body’s disease-fighting mode. The Echinacea and elderberry both stimulate the immune system. It does not counteract the body’s mechanisms, rather, it actually supports the body’s own antibody actions during an illness.

Q. I’d like to get your advice on fever control for babies and children. About two weeks ago, my 15 month-old had a virus with a steady temperature of 102 degrees. I was faithfully giving her an herbal combo of echinacea with oregon grape root, "Children's compound" by Herb Pharm, and Vitamin C regularly for about 18 hours. When she seemed to be getting hotter, I gave her a dose of Tylenol (I only use it as a last resort if my children seem very uncomfortable.) A couple of hours later, she hadn't cooled down, so I put her in a warm bath and gradually let in some cool water. When I took her out of the bath, I dressed her and held her for awhile. After about 20 minutes, she had a febrile seizure that lasted about 10 minutes. We were getting ready to take her to the emergency room when my husband remembered he had two febrile seizures as a small child. We prayed for her and she immediately started to regain consciousness. After calling her pediatrician, the doctor and I agreed that she probably had the seizure because I didn't bundle her up for long enough after the bath (he said I should have held her in a towel for at least 10 - 20 minutes).

A. Since I am NOT a physician and not the child’s mother, I could never make the decision as to what you should do for your child. Choosing family herbal care is choosing to self-diagnose and self-medicate unless medical attention is needed. Now, it’s also hard without information to be able to make those kinds of decisions. What has the Parker family done in regard to this issue? Two of my children, my boys, have had febrile seizures. I believe this is due to some protective mechanism for their body that God has given them, and yes, when you abruptly change a child’s temperature status, a febrile seizure can result. With both boys, I’ve allowed the fever to rise until 103 degrees (when they are under 2 years of age), then I choose to treat with Tylenol if all of my natural fever measures are not helping. For my older children, I let the fever go as long as they are not miserable. I am always treating with herbs, vitamins, physical medicine, etc. If they are in extreme pain, I choose a pharmaceutical that I’m comfortable with.

Q. I have not heard of lymphatic massage. What is it? How do I do it? I won't give any more Scout Out to my baby, but need something to help her. She has a terrible cough, and coughs up phlegm, but swallows it again. What can I do to get it out of her mouth? I know this is gross, but need help.

Q. Our 8 year old daughter has been having periodic stomach aches for about 8months. I've taken her to the doctor to rule out appendicitis, and the blood tests were normal. The doctor thought it could be stress as her sister who is 18mos older than her had a brain injury a little over a year ago. I think it is more an acid problem; she has a cousin with severe problems with stomach acid. I've noticed her having trouble with pizza and soda. Anyways, as I am "herbally challenged" I was hoping someone would have a natural suggestion for me. Our co-op has something called acidophilus primadofilus,jr. and primadophilus, children under digestive aids for sale. Would one of these be something I'm looking for or is there a better suggestion. Most of Emily's stomach complaints are in the evening :-/.

A. Certainly, an acidophilus product would seem to be indicated in this situation. If it were my child, I might want to add something to help specifically aid the digestion. My own son complained of his "chest hurting" for a number of months following a coxsackie infection a few years ago. We ruled out a heart infection or any heart problem and found that this was more a stomach acid problem as he would periodically have his chest hurt and then get heartburn. Sometimes, he actually would throw up. I gave him two products: One, called RF Plus made by NF Formulas that has herbs particularly suited to acidic conditions such as heartburn, ulcers, etc. and the other product was ginger/peppermint capsules, also from NF Formulas. The peppermint can make the sphincter muscle between stomach and esophagus relax causing an increase in heartburn problem. This did not seem to happen in his case, although it is possible. Using plain ginger capsules can be quite helpful. His dosage was: 2 RF Plus and 1 Ginger/Peppermint capsules. A helpful "at-home" test to check for excess stomach acid would be to take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or water with a lemon wedge squeezed into it with a meal and see if that makes the condition worse or better. If the condition is better, then the problem may actually be too little stomach acid, which would lead to use of digestive enzymes with meals. If the condition worsens, then perhaps some use of chamomile or licorice root with meals might be found helpful.

Q. I have a friend whose third child, 18months old, has been diagnosed with pertussis. Anyone have any herbal recommendations? Shonda, I remember seeing in the Trilight catalog that one of the echinacea or coughing remedies were recommended for whooping cough. Can you give me more info on what herbs would be helpful? This family has given no immunizations to this child as the previous child was permanently injured by them. Our 2 year old has had frequent contact with them, and she is not immunized, either. We have no plans to immunize her. Any recommendations for prevention? I have a newspaper article I clipped last fall saying that whooping cough is far more common than we think. Possibly as many as 1 out of four adults and teens who have had a persistent cough, have whooping cough. They also estimated that most pertussis vaccines have worn off between ages 8 and 10. Interesting.

A. Echinacea & Thyme may be given as well as Lungs Plus of the Tri-Light products. If you can find Sundew, combined with Thyme, this is a remedy often used in Europe for Whooping Cough (Pertussis). Extra vitamin C may be given as the capillaries of the eye are apt to burst due to the ferocity of the coughing spells. Care must be taken to avoid the complication of pneumonia. I might even give Osha root in very small dosages to an 18 month old, if I thought pneumonia was beginning. I have done an enormous amount of research about pertussis in the last few years. If your child has been with the child who has pertussis, the current recommendation for control of the disease is a round of Erythromycin to prevent the onset of pertussis. Once the disease has begun in earnest, little can be done to lessen severity medically. It’s a nasty disease.

Q. I am nearly at my wit's end with Pinworms--my 6 year old daughter has had them every summer for the past 3 years. I have tried Yerba Prima's "Parasite Purge" capsules, along with AIM Herbal FiberBlend, and it doesn't seem to be making any difference. Is there a difference in effectiveness between capsules and a liquid? How long should I expect this to take? What about using a cleansing enema to flush them out--what could I use in it?

Brenda

A. Pinworms are tough to eradicate because they require, not only herbal or pharmaceutical intervention, household intervention! The entire house must be cleaned from top to bottom, sheets washed in very hot water, towels, too. The eggs may be living in the home and can re-infest the child after herbal therapy.

Q. My 10 year old son has what I think is poison oak for the 3^rd time this summer! He seeps, stings and is so miserable. I have tried the homeopathy for poison oak, Vit. C, and tea tree oil. He is getting worse. Can you give me some ideas, please?

Q. I just received you book, "Mommy Diagnostics" last Friday and love it! I am trying to learn more about herbs and alternative medicines for my family. Your book, along with my first order from TriLight Herbs came at just the right time. My three year-old started running a fever on Friday night and her lymph

A. I know I’ve said this before, but there really is no way for me to evaluate your child’s health risks, as I’m not a physician and not the mommy watching over the child day and night. I can, however, tell you what we Parkers do when we encounter similar symptoms of illness. For respiratory infections, I would highly recommend the purchase of Dr. Mary Ann Block’s video, "Treating Respiratory and Ear Infections at Home." Dr. Block actually teaches parents in this video how to do simple osteopathic manipulative therapy themselves to avoid unnecessary doctor visits. As for spreading to eyes, conjunctivitis, infection of the eyes, is usually a self-limiting illness. Herbalists generally treat with goldenseal and/or chamomile eye washes. As for myself with my own children, I usually try to watch my children’s entire behavior during an illness to decide when to call in other help. When my son was lying limply with a 104 fever and a swollen eye, I called the doc. When he sounded terribly mucous-y and was coughing, sometimes even throwing up due to drainage (we call this booger-belly), but running around playing and wanting to eat and drink, I just kept giving him his herbs and waited out the infection. Herbs aren’t overnight miracle healers, usually. The medicinal power is lower, thus, sometimes, it takes several days to a week for results. The big thing I watch for are abrupt changes in the negative direction. Going from running around to lying limply is a sure sign that what you are doing is not working. At this point, I always at least consult with my professional health care provider. It never hurts to have a consult, and, you, as the parent, still have the responsibility and ability to decide which method of treatment you prefer, even after you’ve consulted with a professional.

Q. I have two questions. First, I have a four-year old with a rash on the back of his leg that won't go away. I did take him to the doctor and they gave me some anti-fungal cream. It went away for a while, but as soon as I stopped the cream it came back. They said the next step is an oral medication. I don't like that idea. Do you have any suggestions?