One of the most common childhood illnesses is the ear infection, which normally occurs in children between the ages of 4 months and 5 years of age. They may be common, but try telling that to the new mother at 5 in the morning who has been walking the floor with her screaming 6 month old since 2 AM. The ear infection normally stems from having a cold or possibly allergies. The Eustachian tubes in the middle ear swell and become inflamed. Since these tubes are shorter in children, they don't drain as well as in an adult and are likely to become blocked and the fluid that becomes trapped causes discomfort. These conditions are perfect for bacterial growth which leads to infection. Once the fluid becomes infected, the pressure on the eardrum causes pain. Usually, by the time a child begins school their Eustachian tubes have grown enough to allow sufficient drainage and ventilation. Taking advantage of a safe and natural herbal extract will soothe the ear that has fluid build and up help to prevent infection from developing.

Now they're headed off to school where everyday they'll be with friends with runny noses, sneezes, coughs and sore throats. You can count on your preschooler coming home with as many as 10 colds in a year. A cold is a virus and it's spread usually from touching something that has been touched by an infected person, then you touch your mouth, eyes or nose and, about 3 days later, you have a cold. It can also be spread through the air when the child sneezes or coughs. And we all know how diligent our 6 year olds are when it comes to covering their mouth. A proactive approach to take is to boost your child's immune system with a natural extract of echinacea root, goldenseal, ginger root and other herbal ingredients which will help them fight off the germs they are inevitably going to encounter.

A much more serious childhood disease is Type I Diabetes which can develop in very young children, even prior to their first birthday. Because it's often difficult to diagnose in infants or toddlers since may not be able to express "what's wrong", it's very important to be aware of the signs to look for in "Juvenile Diabetes" as it is commonly called. Low growth or little weight gain, normal appetite with weight loss, the child's being more thirsty than usual, dehydration, a persistent diaper rash that isn't responding to your normal remedy, and increased urination; perhaps your child has been potty trained and has begun wetting his pants again. If these symptoms exist, invest some time in a natural program that has been researched and developed to effectively cleanse the body, and normalize blood sugar levels. A bio-insulin blended of elecampane, fringetree bark, and goldenseal root will help cleanse, build and revive the pancreas. An herbal dialysis will gently, and without chemicals, eliminate excess fluid from the kidneys. Type I Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be managed and starting a child on the this journey will condition their body and teach them a natural approach to healing.

Intestinal parasites are easier to contract than one might think and they don't just exist in underdeveloped countries. Giardia infection is one such parasite that is a waterborne disease very common in the United States. It's extremely contagious and can be found in city water, well water or that hotel whirlpool spa you relaxed in last week. Your child may have contracted it swimming in the local, public pool. It can be passed by person-to-person contact and through food. Your child can have it without showing any symptoms or they can have the classic ones which are watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps and bloating, nausea and fatigue. An extract blended from senna leaves, peppermint, chamomile, ginger root and slippery elm bark is gentle enough for your child's colon and strong enough to detoxify rejuvenate, strengthen and nourish it at the same time.

You're always going to want the best for your child. And how better can you give them that than to start them off in life teaching them that their body truly is a temple. From infancy through puberty an elixir used to boost the immune system, cleanse the blood, lymph and bowels is the perfect beginning. It's also effective in lessening the severity of many childhood diseases such as measles, whooping cough, chickenpox and diarrhea. Add to this an elixir of moringa seed which gives the body a source of what we commonly call vitamins, minerals, B-complex, protein, and essential fatty acids. Finally, include an all-natural vitamin C and you will have put together a complete herbal program for your child.

Suzanne VanDeGrift of Web Submission Services, Inc has developed this article, on behalf of Dherbs.com, provider of specially formulated children's herbal supplements, cures and prevention for childhood ailments.