You surely know children for whom conventional medicine has provided great benefits. But, like most of us, you may also know those for whom such medical care has not worked.

Parents should be aware that most medications are not adequately tested on children. Drugs are tested on adults, and doctors estimate (or “guesstimate”) the appropriate dose for youngsters based on crude determinations, such as weight.

Worse still, the number of children being prescribed two or more drugs concurrently is on the rise. It is unlikely, however, that any research confirms the safety or efficacy of such polypharmacy. Studies previously conducted on a single medication are of little value when a second drug may change the absorption or side effects of the combination.

Ultimately, the high number of pharmaceuticals prescribed to children today and the serious side effects they cause constitute a type of “medical child abuse.” While this language may appear harsh, statistics confirm that it is a serious and widespread problem.

Children and Pharmaceuticals

From 1995 to 2002 alone, the number of antipsychotic medications prescribed for children increased fivefold. Some of these drugs have been linked to severe hallucinations, and others have been linked to suicide. As a parent myself, I find it shocking that safer methods are not a first attempt before more dangerous drug therapies are recommended.

Prescribing antibiotics for various children’s problems has become routine, even though many studies over the years, including a recent study in Pediatrics, confirm that antibiotics are often no better than doing nothing. As an example, a 2005 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) compared the treatment of 807 patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections. One group was given antibiotics immediately; in a second group, antibiotic use was delayed; a third group received no antibiotics. Researchers found no difference in the results!

It is important to note that doctors are not the only source of this problem. In a 1999 survey of pediatricians, 48 percent reported that parents “always, most of the time, or often pressure them [pediatricians] to prescribe antibiotics when their children are ill but antibiotics are not indicated.” We need to provide safer and more effective treatment for various acute pediatric ailments.

What Parents Can Do

In light of all the information now widely available, one important action that parents can take to optimize a child’s immunity is to avoid prescription drugs except in medical emergencies—and to minimize the use of conventional, over-the-counter drugs. Let’s remember the words of the father of medicine, Hippocrates, who said, “First, do no harm.” This dictum was not just intended for doctors but for anyone treating the sick.

The use of homeopathic medicines can provide a beneficial alternative, especially for children. Because homeopathic medicines frequently offer rapid results, these natural medicines are ideal for many common acute problems your child may experience. The solution is to learn how to use them. For self-care, you have two choices:

• Get a homeopathic guidebook (or two or three) that provides instruction on how to use homeopathic medicines.
• Use homeopathic formulas (also called “homeopathic combination remedies”) for specific minor complaints.

You will generally get the best results when you use the guidebooks to select the individually indicated homeopathic medicine for your child’s pattern of symptoms. If, however, you cannot figure out which single remedy fits your child’s disorder, consider using a ready-made homeopathic formula. These formulas make homeopathy very user-friendly because they inc