Playing detective at 4am....

Well, it wasn't too fun the other night when Kimberly got me up at 4am informing me of some painful sensations Rowan was having as well as a big outbreak of hives.

Well, at first I did not know they were hives...all I saw were lots of big bumps. After looking at lots of photos on Google Images, I determined we had hives. For a little while I was freaked out because I thought they might be scabies. When you Google "hives, armpits, waist, legs," that's what comes up.

But in my hazy 4am mind, I realized that these hives or welts were in all the areas where the lymph nodes gather. Therefore, it had something to do with his immune system, and the fact that his body wasn't flushing something out. He had kind of a cold the last couple days, so I figured there was a virus at play as well.

So, I had the following things to work with... Lymph issue, a virus, an inflamed situation, and stress. Why stress? Well, hives indicate to me that something is stressed out. Also, when the liver is not doing so well, it can send stuff out for the lymphatic system to deal with. Do there must be something going on with the liver.

Here is a photo of the hives at 4am...

What am I looking for?

• An herb that is helpful for the lymphatic system: 4am idea? Cleavers or calendula
• An anti-inflammatory herbs: 4 am idea? Calendula
• A calming herb for kids. 4am idea? Lemon balm
• Anti viral herb for kids. 4am idea? Lemon balm
• The liver? Dandelion or burdock? 4am idea? Burdock, also helpful for the skin.

So, Kimberly fot a calendula infusions and a lemon balm infusion going. That would take 4 hours. SO... we made a 30 minute burdock decoction as well.

This we'll do until symptoms subside, and then switch to a dandelion root decoction for a few days to support the liver.

Of course, we are also using the calendula as a compress on the hives.

WHY THE HECK did this happen?

Well, the first thing that came to mind was stress...school, friends, starting baseball, etc.. BUT doesn't EVERY kid have that? Really... he has a history of being a really healthy kid.

Kimberly figured it out. Sure it is a guess, but it makes sense to me...ONLY because this happened before.

Our kids were not vaccinated at birth. I do not want to get into that discussion here at all...really... BUT we did choose recently to get him the tetanus one. Why? He's barefoot and plays quite a bit outside.

Kimberly realized she is seeing the same thing happen that happened after his FIRST shot of the series of three... TOTALLY compromised immune system. Just like last time, he is getting sick a lot. Recurring symptoms, etc... and now these hives. He even has had muscle symptoms as well.

We are not sure what to do about the final shot. Not sure of what we will do there. Meanwhile, we have a kit with a compromised immune system that needs to be nourished.

Dandelion will be good for him.. Also thinking catnip tea.

Ok... That's my 4am detective story.

The "after photo"

Well, after the compresses and the teas, it always clears up...

..but at night it seems to come back. BUT it gets a little better every time. 

Comments

[Gail]

Oh thank goodness it really is just hives. It looks alot like the shingles my son got at 13 and his was due to a huge dose of stress. So glad it is going away. And as to shots, good for you both for your choice.

Gail

[Em]

I am glad to know he is ok, that is very scary but thankfully you are both such knowledgeable parents in the use of herbs. I know you didn’t mean to but this entry has gotten my hubby & I thinking about what we will do about our children and vaccines when we finally start building our family.

Thanks!

[Neomia]

After seeing our oldest daughter suffer the swelling, pain,and fever from "baby shots" in 1967. My husband and I decided not to continue the shots for her----we had four more children and none had shots---except tetanus when there was cuts we felt needed a doctors attention. Our children are all now in their 30'a and 40's and we have never reqretted our decision.

[Marisa]

I am glad that he is doing better. 2 thoughts came to my mind while reading this. Vaccines are such a personal decision. In terms of the Tetanus shot, though, I have read a lot about it and confirmed with several practicioners, both NDs and MDs that Tetanus requires an anaerobic environment to replicate and infect. So, if blood flows in a wound, oxygen will be getting to the area. Therefore, unless the wound is a deep puncture wound that does not bleed, tetanus can not grow. The only caveat is that if the foot gets cut and the skin flaps over and seals without bleeding there could be an anaerobic environment again.

Second thought, should you choose to have the 3rd shot done, Sandra Ellis- a midwife and Master Herbalist talked about giving the patient Lobelia and then following the shot with black ointment to draw out the toxins.
Good luck