4 Creative ways to use tinctures with kids
What if you didn’t have to stuff medicine down your child’s throat? I know, it’s necessary sometimes.
But.. imagine if they loved it. Asked for it. And learned what remedies they needed when they were sick.
This is what’s possible when you use herbal and homeopathy medicine. Herbs can taste great when you incorporate these simple tips.
First, What is an herbal tincture?
Tinctures are a combination of herbs, water, and alcohol used to preserve the botanicals in them.- Tinctures are a safe, quick, and easy way to take herbal medicine and reduce our conventional medications for years to come.
- Tinctures are typically created with alcohol or glycerine. When you purchase a tincture made with alcohol they are hydroethanolic extracts; which means they are made with a mixture of water and alcohol for the desired optimization of the final product.
- Read more about tinctures and dosing for children here.
Tinctures with kids. What you really need to know, is that the amount of alcohol in a hydroethanolic tincture is minimal (less than what’s found in a ripe banana). Click To Tweet
But still, this is not the ideal medicine for diabetics or babies under three months due to the alcohol preservative. With babies, you could use glycerine tinctures.
What is a glycerite tincture?
- Glycerin is used to prepare “alcohol-free” tinctures, and to preserve and sweeten the taste of liquid extracts called- glycerites.
- Glycerine is considered a weaker solvent, so it may not be as strong as using the other extracts but is certainly safer for our children.
- Children under 1 year of age may prefer glycerine tinctures for their sweet taste.
How to give tinctures to children?
- #1 Start with Herb Pharm tinctures, as they have a whole line of children’s tinctures made with glycerine and they give you the EXACT dosing on the labels
- #2 Always dilute the tincture in water or juice and check the dosing below
- #3 Always use the safest botanicals with your children
- #4 Check with your doctor before administrating any new medication
- #5 Always watch for allergic or idiosyncratic reactions and use one herb at a time.
4 Tips for giving tinctures to children
- Babies can receive the tincture through the mother’s milk during breastfeeding or in a bottle. (check to dose below)
- Toddlers love taking tinctures with a fun straw or a syringe. (see the picture of my daughter giving my son a tincture)
- For pregnancy and young children, you can pour boiling water over the tincture to dissipate the alcohol. Let cool completely and add juice for children to disguise the taste if needed.
- If you are using a full-strength tincture or the taste is not great, add Elderberry or Lemon Balm Glycerite to sweeten the medicine.
What is the dosing of a tincture for a child?
The dosage depends on the weight and age of the person being treated. To treat an acute condition you can take a tincture 1-3x day.
Age — Dosage
- Younger than 3 months — 2 drops
- 3 to 6 months — 3 drops
- 6 to 9 months — 4 drops
- 9 to 12 months — 5 drops
- 12 to 18 months — 7 drops
- 18 to 24 months — 8 drops
- 2 to 3 years — 10 drops
- 3 to 4 years — 12 drops
- 4 to 6 years — 15 drops
- 6 to 9 years — 24 drops
- 9 to 12 years — 30 drops
- 12 and older —30-60 drops
Concerns when using botanicals with children
Always watch for an allergic or idiosyncratic reaction when using botanicals. If either parent has an allergy to a botanical, do not offer this herb to your child.
Signs of an allergic reaction include:
- redness of the skin and/or cheeks
- itchy skin
- blotching
If you see these signs, stop offering the tincture immediately.
Conclusion
Tinctures can be our children’s new medicine. When used properly, with correct dosing your child can reduce their medications by integrating natural remedies like tinctures into their diet.
Do you have questions about using tinctures with kids? Let me know in the comment area below.
xo
Tara
