See What Others Have Said About Treatment Alternatives for Children “More and more parents are looking to integrate conventional and natural treatments for their kids. Dr. Rosen and Jeff Cohen provide a comprehensive book that doctors and parents can rely on for science-based treatment alternatives. I incorporate natural remedies into my pediatric practice whenever possible and will keep this book handy to help guide my decisions.” —Dr. Bob Sears, Pediatrician and author of The Portable Pediatrician “Pediatrics is about treating the whole child, not just ‘an ear’ or ‘a cold.’ I often find that the conventional medicine I’ve been taught doesn’t give me the tools I need to offer to parents to prevent and treat their kids. Dr. Rosen and Jeff Cohen offer a truly integrative approach of treatment alter- natives to treat children of all ages.” —Jay N. Gordon, MD, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA Medical School “Dr. Larry Rosen is the real deal! He lives and breathes the holistic lifestyle he recommends to families. He is widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the safe and evidence-based integration of complementary therapies into pediatric care and also well known for his commitment to leading the way in the “greening” of healthcare. In teaming up with Jeff Cohen, successful author and holistic parent, together they’ve written an invaluable resource for parents and healthcare professionals alike.” —Timothy Culbert, MD, FAAP, Medical Director: Pediatric Integrative Medicine, Ridgeview/Two Twelve Medical Center “Dr. Rosen is the best pediatrician I’ve ever come across. Not only is he knowledgeable and kind but he really does look at your child from all angles and comes up with the most effective holistic remedies and treat- ments.” —Aidan Quinn, actor and parent “Parents are increasingly turning to natural, non-toxic remedies for them- selves and their families but are often uncertain where to start. This handy, practical guide by Dr. Rosen and Jeff Cohen helps parents to navigate their way into natural healing safely and effectively. It is a must-have for holistic-minded parents and for all parents who want to be informed about the healing options available for common childhood ailments.” —Nancy Massotto, Founder & Executive Director, Holistic Moms Network, www.holisticmoms.org “Dr. Rosen is a national leader in integrative care for children. His work, with co-author Jeff Cohen, is thoughtful, based on sound scientific evi- dence, and ultimately on deep care and respect for children and families. I plan to use this book extensively in my practice and teaching.” —Kathi J Kemper, MD, MPH, author of The Holistic Pediatrician, Mental Health Naturally, and Addressing ADD Naturally; Director, Center for Integrative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine “This is a must-have resource for parents who want the best for their children’s health. Treatment Alternatives for Children covers everything from colic to bruises and does the work for you by giving the conventional remedy and treatment alternative in chart form. Who can argue with olive oil and chamomile as a first line of defense for your little one? Stick with nature, it always knows best.” —Stacey Antine, MS, RD, founder of HealthBarn USA “Dr. Rosen has the unique ability to inform, educate and re-assure in the language that parents speak. Treatment Alternatives for Children is an indispensable resource for Moms and Dads who are enlightened—and those who want to be.” —Bob Klapisch, Columnist (Bergen Record), Author, TV Analyst “What a tremendous gift for parents and children! By comparing con- ventional to alternative treatments side-by-side, Rosen and Cohen give families what they need to make informed choices about common ail- ments to fit their particular situation and approach to health. Treatment Alternatives is practical, balanced, and full of health. A treasure!” —Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, author of Raising Baby Green; Founding President, Society for Participatory Medicine Treatment Alternatives Children for Lawrence Rosen, MD, and Jeff Cohen A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. For Laura, the love of my life. —Dr. Rosen For my loving parents Janis and Bert Cohen, as well as Carol, Gabriel, and Sienna, my amazing wife and kids I will love forever and a day. —Jeff Cohen ALPHA BOOKS Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA • Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) • Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore, Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) • Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa • Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Copyright © 2012 by Lawrence Rosen, MD, and Jeff Cohen All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. International Standard Book Number: 978-1-61564-181-9 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2012930860 14 13 12 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the book’s printing. For example, a printing code of 12-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2012. Printed in the United States of America Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its authors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the authors and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. Most Alpha books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets, Alpha Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Publisher: Marie Butler-Knight Copy Editor: Jaime Julian Wagner Associate Publisher/Acquiring Editor: Mike Sanders Cover & Book Designer: Rebecca Harmon Executive Managing Editor: Billy Fields Layout: Brian Massey Development Editor: Mark Reddin Proofreader: John Etchison Senior Production Editor: Janette Lynn Contents 1 Baby Matters .....................................................................1 2 Watch Your Mouth ..........................................................21 3 Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling.......................................39 4 Take Your Breath Away ...................................................61 5 Temperature Rising .........................................................83 6 Tummy Troubles ...............................................................95 7 Eating and Energy ........................................................115 8 Midsection Maladies ....................................................135 9 Dermatological Dilemmas ...........................................151 10 First Aid for Bumps, Burns, Bruises, and Bites ...............181 11 Aches and Pains ..........................................................213 12 Nervous System Worries ................................................225 13 Behavioral and Developmental Difficulties .................241 Appendixes A Toxic Troubles ................................................................275 B Top Ten Treatment Lists .................................................285 C Treatment Alternatives A to Z .......................................303 D Citations for Science Says Sidebars ............................319 Alphabetical List of Ailments Acne ........................................................................152 ADHD/ADD ...........................................................242 Allergies (Seasonal) ..................................................62 Anemia ...................................................................116 Anger and Tantrums ...............................................245 Anxiety/Stress ........................................................248 Asthma ....................................................................64 Athlete’s Foot ..........................................................154 Autism Spectrum Disorder ......................................251 Bad Breath ...............................................................22 Bed-wetting.............................................................136 Bee Stings ...............................................................182 Bipolar Disorder/Mood Regulation .......................254 Bronchitis .................................................................67 Bruises ....................................................................185 Burns ......................................................................187 Canker Sores and Cold Sores ...................................24 Cavities .....................................................................27 Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance ...........................118 Chicken Pox ............................................................157 Colic ..........................................................................1 Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye) ...........................................40 Constipation ............................................................96 Cough, Dry ...............................................................69 Cough, Wet..............................................................72 Coxsackie Virus .......................................................29 Cradle Cap.................................................................4 Croup .......................................................................74 Cuts and Scrapes ...................................................190 Dehydration ............................................................193 Depression ..............................................................257 Diaper Rash ...............................................................6 Diarrhea ..................................................................98 Ear Infection .............................................................45 Earache .....................................................................43 Eczema ...................................................................159 Eye Discharge .............................................................8 Failure to Thrive .....................................................121 Fatigue ...................................................................123 Fever ........................................................................84 Flu ...........................................................................87 Food Allergies ........................................................126 GERD/Reflux/Heartburn .......................................101 Growing Pains ........................................................214 Head Lice ...............................................................162 Headache, Tension .................................................232 High Cholesterol ....................................................129 Hives ......................................................................196 Impetigo .................................................................164 Insect Bites ..............................................................198 Irritable Bowel Syndrome .......................................102 Joint Pains ..............................................................216 Kidney Stones .........................................................138 Labial Adhesions ....................................................141 Menstrual Cramps ..................................................143 Migraine Headache ...............................................226 Minor Skin Infections .............................................166 Molluscum ..............................................................169 Mononucleosis .........................................................90 Motion Sickness ......................................................105 Muscle Aches ..........................................................219 Nausea/Vomiting ....................................................107 Night Terrors .........................................................260 Nosebleeds .............................................................200 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder .............................263 Pneumonia ................................................................76 Poison Ivy ..............................................................203 Psoriasis ..................................................................171 Recurrent Abdominal Pain .....................................110 Ringworm ...............................................................173 Runny Nose .............................................................48 Seizures ..................................................................229 Sinusitis (Sinus Infection) ..........................................51 Sleep Problems .......................................................266 Sore Throat ...............................................................32 Speech Development/Stuttering ..............................268 Spitting Up ................................................................10 Sprains ...................................................................206 Stuffy Nose ...............................................................53 Sunburn .................................................................209 Swimmer’s Ear ..........................................................56 Swollen Glands (Nodes) ............................................35 Teething ...................................................................12 Thrush ......................................................................14 Tics/Tourette’s Syndrome .......................................235 Umbilical Cord Care .................................................16 Urinary Tract Infection ...........................................145 Warts ......................................................................175 Foreword Nothing is more important than our health—except the health of our children. From the time they are infants and through young adulthood, nearly everything our sons and daughters eat, drink, inhale, swallow, or rub on their skin is determined by their parents, often at the advice of a pediatrician. Over the last decade, as the founder and president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, I have worked to help raise awareness of the dangers posed by toxins in cleaning agents, food, personal care products, medications, vaccinations, and much more. I can count on one hand the number of people I’ve met who are as passionate as I am about the health of our children, and ensuring their physical, mental, and emotional health is a priority. Dr. Lawrence Rosen is one of those people. Dr. Rosen’s dedication to integrative medicine—to treating The Whole Child, as the name of his pediatric practice implies, and not just the part that hurts—is evident in every page of Treatment Alternatives for Children. Dr. Rosen and Jeff Cohen, a writer and holistic-minded father in his practice, present integrative views of both doctor and parent throughout the book, a nod to the healing power of the doctor- family relationship. I met Dr. Rosen more than five years ago, when we found ourselves on the same side of many children’s health issues. Immediately, I knew I had met a kindred spirit. Information is key to the way Dr. Rosen practices medicine, and this book is chock-full of it. Because approaching medicine from a holistic—rather than reactive— standpoint requires a deep understanding of the way all the various systems and parts of the body work in tandem to create or negate health. As a pediatrician, Dr. Rosen, who is also the medical adviser to the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, is on the front lines of the epidemics threatening our kids: autism; allergies; asthma: ADD; ADHD; obesity; diabetes; premature births; and many other chronic illnesses. He also understands the impact various environmental factors—everything from air pollution to contaminated personal care products—can have on a child’s health. Rather than immediately