Natural remedies for kids

Natural Remedies. -Natural remedies for kids

Some parents like Ms Jessamine Teo, mother of three girls aged 16 months, six and seven years, have switched to herbal or natural cough and cold remedies.

Ms Teo, 35, uses a herbal cough and cold syrup made by Gaia Herbs, which she stumbled on last year. 'I used the tonic prescribed by my doctor and it made them very drowsy, so I decided to try a more natural one,' Ms Teo said.

She believes that the tonic has helped shorten the duration and frequency of the colds her girls get.

'My children have sensitive noses, especially the middle one who gets a cold very fast with the mildest change in weather,' she said.

This is why she prefers to use natural preparations instead of over-the-counter drugs, Ms Teo said.

Mr James P.T. Ong, who owns Vitakids, a local store distributing natural remedies, said the shop sells preparations for coughs made from wild cherry, elderberry and cinnamon bark which supposedly soothe inflamed throats and strengthen the immune system.

'The products have been formulated by a naturopath doctor and a herbalist,' Mr Ong said.