I use it, but not because it's herbal or alternative. It depends on their symptoms. For instance, teething. Unless a fever's involved, we use Hyland's teething tablets. For a cold in my older kids, we use Hyland's cold tablets unless there's a fever or severe cough. I also do Vicks on the soles of their feet for a cough.

Sorry, by "but not because it's herbal or alternative" I mean I have nothing against traditional medicines, it's just that herbal sometimes works better. And I can't usually dose them with cold medication before school anyway, it makes them drowsy.

I do use Zicam religiously but since there's no traditional alternative to that, it doesn't really make it alternative. It's not even herbal.

we also use the hylands teething tablets (i think they're terrific) and i've never tried the cold tablets, but we will now (thx greggie) we use the lil noses chest rub for coughs (why do you put the vicks on their feet greggie) and i really like the pediasure sudacare plug in night light thingie when he's congested...

we've used it, especially w/ my daughter that has autism. whatever works, whatever might work, leave no stone unturned. i really like the cold treatments of alternative medicine.

Generally no, especially if it is a medicinal substitute. I don't really trust anything labeled as "medicine" that is not regulated by the FDA. And both my husband, who is a doctor, and my pediatrician, warned against the Hyland's Teething tables because they contain Belladonna, which can cause hallucinations.

i dont have much faith in the fda... failing to ban bpa in plastics and melamine found in formula... are just the two most recent things that have me disenchanted w/them. but that aside, the teething tablets were recommended to me by a number of different friends so i felt comfortable with them. and they've worked wonderfully for us... we use them sparingly.

another alternative remedy i forgot to mention that we REALLY like, is garlic oil for ear infections... i think it also helps preventatively, he'll smell like a lil garlic knot, but it's soothing & it definitely helped clear that last one up AND he hasnt had one since.

Hyland's teething tablets contain belladonna the herb, not belladonna the drug. A lot of people confuse the two, but the herb is not dangerous.

We put Vicks on the soles of the feet because they absorb it best. It doesn't make sense, but it stops a cough really well.

i use alternative medicines as often as possible, but when there is a need for traditional medication (i.e. fever reducer) i don't hesitate to use it. i think it's important for children to grow with as few chemicals and preservatives in their bodies as possible.

like regular Vicks vapor rub Greggie? I'll have to try that next time I have a cough!

Yup, regular Vicks. My son calls it his foot massage. *lol* Then just put socks on and head off to bed.

I take my son to a homeopathic osteopath because it's important to my mom.
As for the belladonna- the way homeopathic medicines work is that the remedies are made of an INFINITESIMAL amount of active ingredient and so for most of them if you google what's in it the results will say it's a poison, but in the dosages it's given in the remedy it actually heals.

I know many people who've called Poison Control after their child ate an entire bottle of teething tablets and they were always told it wasn't harmful at all.

'Alternative' medicine is traditional medicine. It's the stuff in the aisles that's the alternative and inventive medicine. All drugs started as a plant and then has been extracted, concentrated and other chemicals added. So it depends on how mild a drug you need. If I can get by with eucalyptus oil in a steam shower to unclog a child's stuffy nose, or rub Vick's vapor rub on his feet and cover with socks...why on earth would I give a child cold medicine? Because it's easier, takes less time and lazy. But if I've waited until the child is near pneumonia clogged... sure, the stronger the better. The best medicine is preventive. Starting with vitamins and nutritious, whole foods.

I don't think it's lazy to use something that works better. It actually takes me more time to rub the Vicks and cover his feet than to measure out cold medicine and have him drink it.