Chicken Pox

by Tara Christopher Eyre

We had a wonderful time together this past Christmas with family members that lived near us, then packed up and travelled to Boise to spend a week with the other side of our family. The day after we arrived my three year old woke up with spots all over his torso, legs, face, head and arms. Chicken Pox! Although the timing was terrible, I was happy that he had chicken pox so that my three children would become immune to this childhood disease. I just wish it could have waited another week!

I usually pack a small bag of herbs when I travel and this time was no exception. I had Kid-e-Mune, Kid-e-Reg and Raspberry Leaf Tea. As soon as we discovered the spots I started a fresh batch of tea, gave Chandler 2 dropperfuls of Kid-e-Mune, and stuck him in a hot bath. My kids know this routine well, and they don't like the cold shower that accompanies it, but they have learned that this is a therapy that speeds the healing, and they really have no choice in the matter! The hot bath kicked his immune system into gear and his spots really multiplied during the next 12 hours. I gave him Kid-e-Mune every hour, Kid-e-Reg 3 times a day, and as much Raspberry leaf tea as he could drink. The only food he took was the stash of Ruby Red grapefruit I had also brought along. I started each day with a hot bath, kept up the herbs and he made it through the worst in just a couple of days! By the third day he was feeling much better, just beginning to scab over and was back to playing with his brother. I continued the routine for a few more days, phasing out the hot baths and lowering gradually lowering the amount of Kid-e-Mune and tea. Although we didn't leave the house, he was able to enjoy the rest of our stay and his pox didn't even bother him during the 7 hour drive home!

Topher (5 years old) and Asia (8 months old) broke out 2 weeks after we found Chandler's spots. It was good to go through the experience at home with my whole herb cupboard available! With them I continued the hot bath/cold shower, Kid-e-Mune, Kid-e-Reg, Raspberry Leaf Tea and grapefruit, but added fresh squeezed orange juice and homeopathic remedies, which really took the edge off the itching for Topher.

For those who are interested in the homeopathic remedies I used - for Topher I used Rhus Toxicodendron and Pulsitilla. I wish I would have had Antimonium tartaricum while we were in Boise for Chandler! There were six choices in my "Homeopathic Medicine at Home" book, and those are the ones that best described our situation. I have the beginning homeopathy course through the school, so just the basic stuff, but it worked!

Again, with both Topher and Asia the worst was over in just a couple of days.

I am thankful that I was able to support my children through this childhood disease with a few simple procedures. Herbs, remedies, love and time provided a life long immunity to chicken pox-without a vaccine-and for that I am grateful!