The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies by Martha Schindler Connors

Safer stand-ins: dried and powdered formulations of the herbs arrowroot
(Maranta arundinacea)
or rice
(Oryza sativa),
or the dried, starchy component of corn (Zea mays).
    A case of diaper rash that lasts for more than three days and includes areas of raised red bumps and a series of small red patches extending out beyond the main rash could be the sign of an infection with
Candida albicans,
a yeast-like fungus.
Dermatitis
    Babies are prone to a few types of
dermatitis
(skin inflammation). Infantile seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap, is a nonallergic condition that produces thick, scaly patches on a baby’s scalp. (In adults, it’s called dandruff.) It’s triggered by hormones passed from the mother, which cause the baby’s scalp to produce too much sebum (oil), and usually clears on its own.
    Atopic dermatitis, or infant eczema, appears at six to twelve weeks as a rash or patch of small pimples on the cheeks or chest and sometimes the elbows and knees.
Treatment Options
    Conventional remedies for diaper rash include topical zinc oxide or petroleum jelly, which can cause allergic reactions.
Candida
infections might be treated with antifungals like clotrimazole (Mycelex) or nystatin (Mycostatin), which can cause skin reactions in some people.
    Doctors generally advise parents to leave a case of cradle cap alone. Infant eczema is typically treated with hydrocortisone creams and ointments, which control itching but can cause skin reactions as more serious side effects if used long term or applied excessively.
    Eczema is caused by an immune system reaction that isn’t fully understood. It can appear in infancy and then disappear. Or, it can recur throughout childhood and into adulthood (in some people, it doesn’t appear until age four or five; in others, it starts in the adult years). In most babies, eczema resolves itself by age two.
    Herbal alternatives include these:
• Calendula
(Calendula officinalis)
Calendula is an anti-inflammatory that can soothe and heal many rashes.
• Lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia)
This is a classic remedy for all kinds of skin inflammation, including diaper rash. New research shows that it’s also effective against
Candida
albicans.
• Rice bran
(Oryza sativa)
Rice—or more specifically, its outer husk, or bran—has been used topically to treat a variety of inflammatory skin problems. Research has shown that adding a decoction of rice bran to a child’s bath can relieve atopic dermatitis. Oats
(Avena sativa)
are also effective in anti-itch baths.
Tips for Toddlers
    Toddlers—children who may still be “toddling” instead of walking perfectly—fall into the second stage of childhood development: not babies anymore, not yet schoolkids. Between the ages of one and three, toddlers are exploring their world and encountering new health challenges along the way.
Ear Infections
    Infections of the middle chamber of the ear are called
otitis media (OM)
. In otitis media, the natural fluids within the ear don’t drain properly, creating inflammation and pain.
    Conventional medicine treats OM with pain-relieving drugs and, in many cases, antibiotics such as amoxicillin. But giving kids too many antibiotics can lead to recurrent infections and antibiotic resistance. Research suggests that as many as half of the children who are given antibiotics for recurrent otitis media will still have drug-resistant
pneumococcus
and other common OM bugs in their bodies.
    If you think your child has an ear infection coming on, you might be able to stop it before it requires antibiotics. If an infection is already established, you can use these remedies in conjunction with antibiotics to reduce pain and speed healing.
• Garlic
(Allium sativum)
Garlic is a proven antimicrobial that can be used topically (as oil-based drops) to treat otitis media in young children.
• Goldenseal
(Hydrastis canadensis)
This is a classic herbal remedy that can be used internally and externally to fight ear infections. Its