Folk Remedies Part of Child-Rearing Tradition

Potentially Harmful Home Remedies

Researchers say most of the folk remedies used by the caregivers in this study have not been shown to be harmful. However, some of the remedies could be cause for concern because they have been associated with harmful side effects.

Those potentially risky home remedies include:

• Isopropyl alcohol. Use of alcohol to reduce body temperature is useful because it rapidly evaporates. However, it is also absorbed through the skin, and large amounts used on the skin may also be inhaled, which could cause alcohol poisoning in some children.
• Asafetida. Sold as a tincture in pharmacies or as a spice in ethnic food stores, asafetida is used by some to treat colic and abdominal discomfort. But use of this herb has been associated with a condition that affects the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen (methemoglobinemia).
• Cigarette smoke. Use of smoke to treat colic is highly discouraged due to the negative effects of tobacco smoke on children's respiratory systems.
• Whiskey. Used to treat teething pain, whiskey can put children at risk for alcohol poisoning or cause intoxication, even in small amounts.
• Bicarbonate. The use of bicarbonate as a home remedy for colic has been associated with high sodium levels (hypernatremia), which can lead to coma and death.
• Pennies/buttons. Tying a penny or button on a string around a child's neck to treat or prevent teething discomfort should be discouraged because of the risk of strangulation.

SOURCE: Smitherman, L. Pediatrics, March 2005; vol 115: pp e297-e304.