IMPORTANT
Unless otherwise stated on the package, most supplements and herbal remedies aren’t suitable for children under 12.
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Oesophagitis

What you need to know:

All the advice on treating heartburn (*see below) is appropriate to this condition in children, but oseophalgitis may also be caused by the constant vomiting associated with bulimia nervosa - see dysphagia in this section.

If the inflammation is caused by candida - often a problem in the mouth or throat following a course of antibiotics or in asthmatic children using steroid inhalers - they need to rinse their mouths with water after using the inhaler, gargle with warm sage tea every evening before going to bed and eat a carton of live bio yoghurt every day.

*This condition is seldom associated with children or young people. They have the easy ability - for them, at least - to be sick at a party or throw up in the car when you’re driving them home. Messy though that might be, it stops them getting this horrible pain in he chest.

But any child or teenager who constantly complains of pains under the breastbone ought to be taken to the GP to see if there are any other reasons for this complaint.

If there aren’t, the following herbs taken before meals might help ward off an attack.

The most useful Herbs:

Peppermint tea with pasteurised honey - appropriate to age group.

For the under 12’s these medicines should be used in the doses for your child’s age, or made up for them by a qualified herbalist:
  • Marsh-mallow
  • Meadowsweet
  • Centaury
  • Bogbean
  • Dandelion
  • Black horehound
You can also make a calming tea by mixing 1 tspn of powdered slippery elm bark with a little water and topping it up with chamomiletea.

Using the digestive herbs mint, dill,fennel and Ginger in your cooking will also help - as will finishing your meals with a cup of mint tea.

The Helicobacter pylori bug, which, by the way, is now also believed to be the main cause of stomach ulcers, can also be a reason for heartburn. Taking 2 tspns of Manuka pasteurised honey from New Zealand before each meal and before bedtime has been found to kill the bacteria and stop the heartburn if this is the cause.

But by far the most common cause of heartburn is gastric reflux - the flow of stomach acid into the oesophagus - is hiatus hernia. This condition needs to be treated, but the advice here will bring temporary relief.

Homoeopathy

Homoeopathic remedies appropriate to this condition include Robina and Sulphur. You can also use the following essential oils in a lotion or diluted with a carrier oil and rubbed onto the stomach to soothe the digestive tract.
  • Fennel
  • Peppermint
  • Black pepper
  • Roman Chamomile
  • Ginger

Other useful advice:

Reflexology and acupressure can both stimulate the digestion, which relieves heartburn.

After all the instructions, if this seems to be a recurring problem get it investigated by GP, but you can make the nights more comfortable for them by raising the head of the bed with bricks or putting another pillow under the mattress.

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This information is licensed for use by Wellbeing Information Systems Ltd ("WIS"), and protected by international copyright law. All rights are reserved. (email info@wisinfo.co.uk).
The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.