Seeking Lung Health Alternatives

hey there,

where do you live? the santa monica homeopathic pharmacy is a great place to get a diagnosis and treatment protocol for just about anything. they are on broadway at 6th st. they also have a website, but you cannot beat their personal touch. you might also try traditional chinese medicine to help build her chi. aksha medical center or east west medical center, both in santa monica, could help with that. if cost is an issue, then the village health clinic in korea town cannot be beat, $25/visit and most pills included in treatment!

good luck
-A.

I don't know about lung help, but instead of giving her cough meds you might want to use hony or agave nectar.

Whooping...does she have CROUP? My son had a few episodes of this, we always used the humidifier everytime he started coughing...he had to get anti inflammitory/steroids shots for the cough, his chest would cave in when he coughed....but, he's grown out of it. I don't know if that would help.

L.

We do not vaccinate and prefer natural remedies over prescriptions and other allopathic methods.

Hows that working for you, so now because you did not vaccinate your daughter came down with whopping cough which could of damaged her lungs, all because you don't believe in them, not to mention how contagious it is, which back in the early ninteen hundreds 1,000's & 1,000's plus some died from it,did you tell your daughter I am sorry for hurting you. Have you ever thought the reasons why they have the vaccinations, measles could cause brain damage, chicken pox skin damage, high fevers, not to forget what it could if other children catch it. What about polo, how it could damage her legs, what would you say to her if she caught that , sorry sweetie, you cannot walk any more because we don't believe in vaccinations. I apoligize for being so rough in this response, wither your reasons are based upon religion or your fear they will come down with autism, you can now see what happens when you dont vaccinate,

it really sounds like she has asthma. my daughter (who is 13mos) got sick at 8 1/2mos and we thought it was whooping cough or a bad cold but it took too long to clear up and no cough med would work on her either. but 2 months after her being sick like everyother week she was diagnosed with asthma. i understand your wishes to stay natural when treating your children but if its asthma she should really have a steriod for it (which would be albuterol). my daughter gets 2 steriods one to prevent her asthma symptoms (pulmicort) and albuterol to use when shes sick or having an asthma attack. also my daughter has never wheezed and is diagnosed with asthma she has whats called illness induced asthma which means it mostly shows when shes sick. though it does she when her allergies are bad. she uses a nebulizer and and inhaler (for when we arent home) to get her treatments. what should help though with your daughter is to use a cool mist humidafier (dont use the ones with vapors) while she sleeps that will help keep the inflamation down. but i would have her evaluated for asthma.

Acupuncture (or rather, acupressure for kids- no needles) is a powerful holistic approach to natural healing. If you are in the San Diego area, Nicole at 'Remember to Breathe' in Point Loma specializes in pediatric healing and she's wonderful! Also, Shaklee offers organic, food-derived viamin supplements for kids which are often necessary to support a healthy immune system and allow the body to heal itself. Check out www.shaklee.net/mclemore
In good health, C.

Hi S.
This may sound unbelievable, but my stepson, and 3 of the kids at my baby's daycare had chronic coughs and asthma symptoms which almost diappeared after taking Usanimal children's multivitamin for a couple of months. My stepson still gets a cough when the weather is extremely cold, but otherwise he's cough free - and he used to take Tylenol cough medicine EVERY DAY! Here is the link if you'd like to see a comparison to other kid's vits:

http://www.usana.com/media/File/Prospecting%20page/Tools/...

Good luck!
A.

Try to find an acupuncturist who will work on children. After the initial few sessions, you can probably take her once a month for maintainance. Acupuncture saved me from asthma when I first developed it. I had the same symptoms where I coughed everytime I laughed. I still go for boosts when I need it. Also try to keep a cold air humidifier in her room to help keep her throat moist.

Good luck!

L.

My son had "whooping" type coughs and asthma. He was on albuterol, pulmicort respules, and a number of other meds.

What really helped us was putting collodial silver in his nebulizer and letting him breathe it in through his nose. This was recommended by a pulminary physician who had success using this treatment on patients with emphasyma (sp?). We also used the homeopathic remedy spongia tosta to help get over the coughing in conjunction with the silver. It has literally been 2 1/2 years and we have not had a recurrence. Other family members have tried it with similar success. One family member had to do the treatment twice.

To find out info on homeopathy including an overview checkout www.bluedominoes.com

To find out more about collodial silver visit:
http://www.americanbiotechlabs.com/ and
http://www.silverbiotics.com/Research/SafetyStudies.pdf

Have you considered consulting with a chiropractor that specializes in optimal health. My kids see one once a week, for the past 4 years and they haven't had any serious illnesses and when they do get sick, it doesn't last long. I'm not sure where you are, but ours in located in Los Alamitos, CA ~ Quest to Health Chiropractic ###-###-####

Google Loquat syrup..It works wonders!!!

Good luck!!

I really love the product Clear Lungs by Ridgecrest Herbals. It's a chinese formula and boy does it work! I used this every time I got a chest cold... which wasn't that often! The directions state that for children under age 12 take 1 capsule every 4 hours so it sounds like it's a go for your daughter! We're very likeminded and I'm glad you don't vaccinate! :)

im sorry you are going through that. im not a doctor, but i know that studies show that omega-3 can benefit COPD lungs. perhaps adding that to her diet and some light but specifically cardio exercise might help. also, there are several sources for non vaxers on the mothering (dot com) forum. maybe a combo of a homeopath and resp. therapist could come up with a good plan. obviously, with a traditional dr you run the risk of hearing the pro-vax BS (and when it unsolicited, its BS on principle) but whatever helps ya know? good luck and please keep us posted.

This may not sound like its connected to you, but really...everything starts at the base of the brain stem. The Atlas (the 2 bones that the head sits on). When those 2 bones are out of alignment, it cuts off a portion of trillions of nerves that travel from the brain to the body and a number of illnesses have the tendency to develop when those nerves are not able to reach their proper destination. I would highly recommend the BLAIR UPPER CERVICAL CHIROPRACTIC METHOD. This fixes the problem at the source, instead of trying to treat the symptoms of the nerve interference. It is perfectly safe for even infants, as there is no manipulation or cracking...just a precise movement of the offending bone based on specific 360 degree x-ray sequence of the neck and head. This care has helped many people with all different types of ailments, and I swear by it. I don't get anything for promoting, I just really whole heartedly believe this will help her. It really helps everyone that goes, and everyone feels instant relief the very first visit. You just have to go. That is the first step. GOOD LUCK! A.

www.blairchiropractic.com

The Los Angeles doc is Dr. Johnny Truong, 3600 Wilshire Ste 932, Los Angeles. (On Wilshire between Harvard & Kingsley) ###-###-#### www.doctortruong.com

This isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I've heard that putting Vick's on your (or your childs) feet with socks overnight will help the cough. I've tried it and it worked for us.
My son (now 5) was diagnose with Asthma last year. I have asthma too and figure I've spent 1/2 my life not being able to breath. However, every asthmatic is different. For example, they advise steam for some. This makes my breathing worse. I weaze so you can hear it. My son, however, is having an asthma attack when he coughs excessivly. That is the only clue I have. Even if I put my ear to his back or chest, there is no weaze. He's too young to take an inhaler properly, so we use the treatments. It's a prescribed solution you put into an at-home breathing machine (around $30 at a medical supply store) and that works. We noticed at first that he was breathing through his nose so we had to use the mask. I, personally, panic with the mask.
Another piece of advise is to recognize the triggers. For example, my daughter has skin issues and if we are around anyone who has a pet, she'll break out. For my asthma, it's the weather changes. If you can pinpoint a trigger and eliminate it, her lungs and brochoiles will have a chance to strengthen.
Good luck.

Once a year my son gets an upper respiratory issue where he has a head cold that turns into a long-term cough. His regukar oediatrician put him on albuterol (inhaler) which is a steroid and warned that he would likely develop asthma. This happened for two years in a row. He would be sick for 3 - 4 weeks with the albuterol and antibiotics. The following year, when the same illness emerged I took him to my chinese medicine doctor. She gave him a combination of herbs that immediately broke up the mucous in his chest within 2 days and cleared up the cough and congestion within a week. I am so relieved. For two years now I have been using these herbs when this annual illness/allergy arises, with the same fast results. He is not asthmatic and his lung function is much stronger. So I recommend seeing a chinese medicine practitioner.

Hi S.,

I am a mother of two and although I did vaccinate and am a huge proponent for natural rememdies over prescriptions. One that may help her night time coughing is putting Vic's Vapor rub on the bottoms of her feet and then socks. This one is amazing, and really does work.

I would also go to a homeopathist and work with tring to rid her body of the original whopping cough problem. The fact that she continues to have these problems stems from never completely recovering from the original stress on her body.

Finally, it is important to enhance her immune system everyday and I recommend a product called Juice Plus+ which is a whole food supplement made from fruits, vegetables and a couple of grains. If you have time please visit my website at www.HealthyBlessings.net . I am so proud to be a distributor and mother of two healthy & happy kids.

Have they ruled out asthma? I used to get asthma attacks from Bronchitis.

My son has had asthma since he was 5yrs old he is now 16yrs old. He started playing water polo in school and we have noticed that the swimming has helped him tremendously. So think about putting her in swimming classes this summer. I hope this helps.

I would suggest a hummidifier in her room at night when she has a cough. Also have you tried echinchea? It is great for boosting the immune system and could help her avoid colds. I get it from Trader Joe's or Target. Also, I have found that a few drops of tea tree oil in the hummidifier helps. I would also have her practice taking deep breaths thru her nose and blowing out thru her mouth. several reps of this every day should help improve her lung capacity. but you may want to also have her checked by a Respiratory Therapist, someone who specializes in respiratory issues.

I know this is not the info you're looking for, but have you gotten rid of all the toxic chemicals in your house? switched to Shaklee's nontoxic cleaners? The owner of Shaklee bought the company because switching made such a difference in his son's asthma. Let me know if you want more info.

J.
www.shaklee.net/healthyfriends/prodHou

Previous lung damage from whooping cough can cause asthma, bronchiectasis and other lung illnesses later in life. The coughing you describe, occuring at night and while laughing etc is very symptomatic of asthma. I was raised around medical professionals and studied extensively to enter the same field but for my own reasons, didn't. You should take your daughter in to see a pulminary specialist to rule out lung damage because if left untreated, it can become progressively worse leading to further COPD complications when she is older.
I can respect your choice to not vaccinate even if I don't agree with you. I wholeheartedly believe in the efficacy of vaccinations while I tend to opt for natural remedies in place of OTC and prescriptions whenever possible. I believe in both of these because of my own background and in my own extensive research on both topics. I feel the risk of non-vaccinating versus the risks of the illnesses is too great for my own children and so far, other than a handful of colds (literally for my son in 12 years, maybe 3 total colds) we've had no major illnesses. If everyone vaccinated, vaccines would become obsolete as in the case of the smallpox vaccine. I also feel the risks of some prescribed or recommended medications may be greater than the disease they are supposed to treat.
I have no concern about how Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine only that I have only met one person in my lifetime who had contracted it (pre-vaccination and crippled for life) while I have met plenty of seniors who have known scores of their friends who have died from it or been disabled. I only know that my friends son died in convulsions in her arms from vaccine preventable meningitis before it was recommended for his age group.
Again, I respect your decision for your children but please note that not all parents that DO vaccinate are uneducated on the decisions they make for their own children. And perhaps you can understand another parents anger towards your choice not to vaccinate when your children come in contact with people every day. Yes, many of these diseases aren't as frequent now (because of vaccines) but because of non-vaccinating, the diseases themselves still exist. There are immuno-compromised people who live among you and your choices who CANNOT receive the vaccines and whose lives can be put in danger by your choices. Again, if you choose not to vaccinate, that is your right as a parent but many who don't, do not consider the risks to others if they do contract one of these viruses (Chicken pox being an excellent example) and don't take precautions about keeping their children home while fully contagious or knowing that their child was exposed, sometimes on purpose from a pox party etc(a child can have chicken pox for two days and be contagious prior to showing symptoms and may not develop chicken pox for two weeks after deliberate exposure)
Much of the anger towards your choice is the fear of the disease you may be carrying. If more non-vaxxing parents took that into consideration, then the anger factor would be less.

Hi my name is S. and I may have a suggestion. First off most of my 3 children have had numerous lung ailments, whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma and even vial pneumonia (before 2 years old)

There is no asthma in my family but I had allergies that would come and go as I was growing up, mostly a hayfever type.

For whooping cough bundle them up and sit outside in the damp cool air. That really works like a charm, but I couldn't tell you why!

We bought a breathing enebulizer or breathing machine. You squirt solution in a little cup attached to a mask and turn on the machine. It turns the liquid almost immediately into a vapor and they inhale it for approximately 10 minutes. You can use albuterol or a saline solution. It helps clear the passage ways and you breathe easier

This is what I used when they first contracted the viral pnueomina, which can develope from a cold to pnuemonia overnight. It helped immensely and usually the children fell asleep while using it or right after because they could breathe so much easier.

Granted that was 10+ years ago but even now when the kids start to develop a cold or allergies act up, they ask for a breathing treatment. Even my husband is a believer after suffering a horrible bout and relapse of a cold/flu virus 2 years ago. He was receiving treatments in the morning and the night. It seems to speed up the recovery time.

Also what plagues your children as babies and toddlers alot of time they grow out of it when older. I don't know whether their immune systems become stronger and more tolerant, but my children's touch of asthma disappeared around 5-7 years old. They never needed an inhaler but had persistant coughs especially when laying down at night.

Their allergies only kick in when really windy or certain times of years when everything is blooming and not even with consistant symptoms. We just use over the counter Claritin on an as needed basis.

Good luck and kudos to you for the more holistic approach. Years ago I bought a book, which I have since lost. But it was a great herbal book which gave examples of plants to grow in individual planter to create teas to handle different illnesses. 1 pot was for flu another for cold, another sore throat etc. I used it for my husband and myself, but I never
really develop the planters, like I should have. I only messed with it for several months. Life just got too busy!

Hope this helps and good luck and God Bless

Untreated long-term coughs WILL lead to permanent lung damage. Take her to a pediatric pulmonary specialist immediately.
I know... I damaged my lungs with chronic bronchitis that I didn't know I had. I just thought it was allergies.

Chaitanya, I recommend asking your pediatrician, pulmonologist, or respiratory therapist to prescribe the acapella vibratory pep therapy device: http://www.smiths-medical.com/catalog/bronchial-hygiene/a.... The acapella will mobilize the secretions in your daughter's lungs and help cough them out. The acapella will also help to expand the airways in your daughter's lungs. The device is not a drug, but needs to be prescribed by a physician. Hope that helps, C.

sounds like she has croup, which can be reoccuring. My daughter (now five) had this horrible cough at night when she had a cold. Try moisture therapy, such as a humidifier where she sleeps at night. Also, try a shower before bed.

I'm not doctor by any means, but based on my experience, you may want to have her tested for asthma. I have a daughter who, when she gets sick or the weather turns cold gets the "whooping" or "barking" cough. The doctor prescribed albuterol liquid when she was younger and now that she is almost 8, she has an albuterol inhaler. When her cough starts up, I give her the inhaler and it stops.

Good luck!

Dear S.,

Sorry to hear about your daughter's cough... have you considered acupuncture and herbal medicine? Acupuncture has been shown to be very effective in clearing up coughs and helping with sleep... With Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, your son's Lung system can become strong and develop the way it should. If you are in the Las Vegas area, you can give us a call for more information: Rhee's Acupuncture Clinic: ###-###-####. Good luck, O.

Hello there,
I'm confident there are many options for you 4 1/2 year old. For the last 3 years i've consulted with our family nutritionist who also does not believe in vaccines and has helped my 7 yr old with several illness's while treating with more alternative homeopathic remedies and all have been successful.

http://samfgrant.com/ a brief bio and contact info on her! I'm confident she'll get to the bottom of it and or at least point you in the right direction.

Good luck and hope your little girl gets stronger soon.

You may also want to check into Spanish Black Radish. As for Tuesday M, you must not know what it feels like to have a child affected by autism and who has been injured by vaccines. My son is autistic and is now 14, it has been a life long journey with a lot of money (over $150k) so far and a lot of therapy and to tell you the truth I think I would rather he had whooping cough. I fully vaccinated my child and I am paying the price. I am not against vaccines but there should not be a one size fits all as far as vaccines go. Some children have compromised immune systems and loading them up with shots can be destructive.