I love working with children in clinic, it can be so satisfying to see improvements in their health. Kids often have such a robust vital force that they respond quickly to natural remedies, and these improvements can leave a lasting impression. It’s not uncommon for adult patients to tell me they had positive experiences treating issues like skin or gut health as children when their parents brought them to a naturopath. Those early experiences often bring them back as adults, and in some cases, even inspire them to learn more about natural medicine themselves. Believe it or not, I’ve been practicing long enough now that I’m treating adults I first saw when they were kids!

When working with children there are several considerations that need to be made, which I will share with you below.

Common Childhood Health Concerns We Support

Carissa and I both enjoy working with all things children’s health, strongly fuelled by our own experiences as parents ourselves.

Some of the most common issues we help with include:

• Mood & Behavioural Support – Anxiety, ADHD, sleep difficulties, aggression, and emotional regulation.
• Digestive Health – Constipation, stomach pain, reflux, worms, diarrhoea, mesenteric adenitis, and food sensitivities.
• Immunity & Respiratory Health – Frequent infections, low immunity, recurrent ear infections, nasal congestion, asthma, and urinary tract infections.
• Fussy Eating Support – Identifying underlying causes and addressing potential nutrient deficiencies.
• Skin Conditions – Eczema, psoriasis, acne, and molluscum contagiosum.

Prescribing Considerations for Children’s remedies

1. Making Remedies Kid-Friendly (Because Taste Matters!)

Let’s be honest—if it tastes bad, most kids won’t take it, no matter how healthy it is. While some adults might power through bitter herbs, kids are a different story. That’s why we only choose remedies that are naturally palatable or easy to disguise in foods or drinks. Powders or chewable tablets have to taste decent, and liquid herbs that I commonly prescribe to kids I stock in a glycetract form – this means that there is less alcohol content in the herbal formula, and it improves the taste of the formula.

If needed, there are a few tricks to getting the remedies in, such as hiding powdered supplements into gummies or iceblocks.

2. Gentle, Yet Powerful – The power of small doses

Children have strong, vibrant systems that often respond beautifully to gentle treatments. This means we can achieve wonderful results with small doses of herbal drops, flower essences, or homeopathics – all of which impact the healing process on an energetic level. These remedies work in harmony with your child’s natural healing abilities, often leading to surprisingly quick improvements without overwhelming their system.

3. Tailored Dosages for Growing Bodies

Your child’s body processes things differently than an adult’s. Their detoxification systems are still developing, which means we need to be mindful of the types of remedies we use and the dosages we recommend. We take great care in prescribing the right amount—just enough to support healing without overloading their system.

4. No More Tablet Battles

If your child struggles to swallow tablets (let’s face it, some adults do too!), don’t worry. We offer alternatives like liquids, powders, chewable tablets, and even topical creams. Yes, you read that right—sometimes we can use creams that absorb through the skin to deliver nutrients. No more mealtime meltdowns over medicine!

5. Simple Solutions That Fit Your Family’s Routine

We get it—juggling school, daycare, activities, and family life can be hectic. That’s why we design treatment plans that are practical and easy to follow. We’ll work with you to create a routine that fits seamlessly into your day, with dosing schedules that won’t add extra stress.

6. The Power of Food and Lifestyle Changes

Sometimes, the most powerful medicine comes from simple changes in diet and lifestyle. We love helping families discover how small tweaks—like adjusting food choices, improving sleep routines, or adding gentle movement—can make a big difference in your child’s health. This often reduces the need for lots of supplements, keeping things simple and natural.

7. Support for Parents, Too

We know that navigating your child’s health can feel overwhelming. And it’s very hard to implement changes for your child if you’re feeling burnt out yourself. That’s why we’re here to support you as well. It’s not uncommon for a parent to leave their child’s appointment with some nervous system support for themselves.

Ready to Support Your Child’s Health Naturally?

Carissa and I love working with families to create gentle, effective, and personalized health plans for kids of all ages. Whether you’re looking for help with immunity, digestion, sleep, skin issues, or general wellbeing, we would love to help you.

If you’re ready to explore natural health options for your child, book an appointment with us today. We’d love to meet you and your little one and help you feel confident in their care.

The post Natural Remedies for Kids appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Worm your kids. You’re welcome.

You’d be surprised at not only how common worm infestations are in kids, but also how much something like worms can do to your kids. It can affect their behaviour, sleep, energy levels and more.

And by the way, you don’t have to have an itchy bum to have worms. If you suspect that your kid (or yourself) might have worms, then you need to have a look. I’ll talk more about what the symptoms of worms can be, and what symptoms it can cause below.

I find gastro-intestinal infections to be a key driver for many symptoms in children, but especially so in mental and behavioural health. Taking herbs and nutrients for brain health to improve behavioural problems is all well and good, but if you’re not treating the cause you will be pursuing and endless journey.

Signs and Symptoms of Worms

Symptoms of a worm infection can include, but does not have to be all of these:

• Mood swings, anger and violence
• Digestive pain
• Diarrhoea
• Disturbed sleep
• Nightmares
• Teeth grinding
• Nose picking
• Weight loss
• Poor appetite and/or fussy eating
• Fatigue
• Iron deficiency
• Vulval irritation and pain, itching or discharge
• Food cravings and a relentless appetite
• Urinary incontinence (more common in girls)

The key age group for worms is 7-11 years of age, but any person regardless of age can get worms. If worm infestations become chronic or recurring, that can be a sign of deeper digestive and immune imbalance.

The mature female worm travels through the digestive system (6 cm every 30 minutes) and will typically leave the anus to lay eggs along the perineum. The larvae will cause itching and irritation, and kids will often scratch down there during their sleep, potentially re-consuming the eggs or larvae (continuing the cycle) by putting their fingers in their mouth or nose.

How do you know if your kid has worms?

A skilled practitioner can find clues to a gut infection through standard blood tests – one of the reasons I ask all my patients to bring recent copies of blood tests along to blood tests. Other more complicated stool analysis tests can give you information about the state of the digestive system, but when it comes to looking for confirmation of worms, the best thing is to have a look yourself. I warn you, none of these methods is going to be delightful.

Method 1: Use some sticky tape on the skin around anus first thing in the morning. Do this for three days in a row. If you can see little white balls, this is likely worm eggs, and confirmation of an infestation. You can then take this tape to your doctor to look at under the microscope for confirmation but often you will be able to tell yourself.

Method 2: In the middle of the night when the female worm is out laying her eggs it’s possible to see her in the midst of her adventure. Use a torch, sneak in and try not to wake your kid, and have a look at the bottom. It looks like a small white thread.

Method 3: Look in the toilet bowl. Sometimes you can see evidence of worms that have been pooped out. But this technique is only going to show up in more severe cases.

How to get rid of worms.

Let’s face it. Kid’s are gross. It can be disturbing to think of but kids will often have some trace of faecal matter on their fingers which they transfer to their mouths at some point. Various studies have found that worm eggs are found under finger nails of kids and can contamination is also often found in their bed sheet, toys and pyjamas.

There are lots of things you need to do to reduce re-contamination. Keep nails short, and nag try to encourage them not to put their fingers in their mouth.

If your kid does have worms: wash pjs and sheets in hot water, and wear a mask and gloves when doing so because when you change the sheets you’ve got a good chance of breathing in the eggs. Eww. Underwear may need to be ironed to kill any eggs if cases are more persistent.

I don’t object to the common worming treatment available in chemists on a semi-regular basis (don’t forget to repeat the course), but there are herbal options available if you need or prefer them. It is however possible for the worms to become resistant to conventional options which can make things very tricky as the common chemist option isn’t going to work.

If you think about how far these worms can travel when they exit the anus at night, you can understand why there can be issues with the urinary tract related to this. It’s an important thing to consider with young girls with frequent issues in this area, but also worth considering for older women with unexplained urinary and menstrual concerns.

If the case becomes persistent or chronic, more needs to be done to support digestive health – chat with your practitioner about this.

And here’s another consideration, many supplements such as probiotics that are common for gut health can actually perpetuate chronic worm infestations because it dampens the immune response – an action that is fantastic in any other instance, but not appropriate right now.

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The post You’ll be surprised (and a little grossed out) at this cause of kid’s behavioural problems. appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

A growing child and baby has a large requirement for iron as their blood volume increases so dramatically as they grow. It can be challenging finding foods that a fussy young one will eat, let alone ones that are a good source of nutrition.

My children have been a wonderful learning experience when it comes to feeding toddlers and children. I have helped many patients over the years to overcome fussy eating, and through my work built up a lot of skills, but when it comes to doing it for yourself that’s a whole different ballgame. 

Many parents are concerned about their children getting the right balance of nutrients, and if they are a fussy eater, then with each mouthful that doesn’t get eaten or gets thrown on the floor/wall/parent, that lays on a whole new type of stress.

Fussy Eating

Behavioural vs. Physiological Causes

For some children, there are physiological and/or behavioural reasons why they are fussy about eating. Physiological reasons can include:

• Nutritional deficiencies affecting their sense of taste (namely zinc)
• Digestive disorders, especially if they experience discomfort during or after eating
• Anxiety
• Behaviour changes related to the autism spectrum
• Pyrolle disorder
• Swallowing difficulties

For the physiological reasons, correcting deficiencies, reducing inflammation and supporting the nervous system with herbs and nutritional supplements can allow the child to feel more comfortable and willing to try new foods. For some children it is behavioural, and for some children it is a combination. When addressing the behavioural causes, I have found that a lot of it comes down to how you as a parent prepare the food and your actions around meal times.

If you do have a fussy eater, it is natural to be a little worried about whether your child is getting enough nutrients. A common worry parents express to me is whether their child is getting enough iron. 

Signs of low iron

Considering most parents are going to be keen to get their child to have a blood test to find out for sure whether they are low in iron, it may be helpful to look for some signs of being low in this mineral.

• Does your child appear to be tired and sleepier than usual?
• Does your child get infections (colds) more than you think they should?
• Does your child appear to be slow in their growth?
• Does the inside of your childs cheeks and eyelids appear pale?
• Does your childs skin appear pale, or have visible dark circles under their eyes?
• Does your child have more temper tantrums than usual?
• Does your child have difficulty concentrating?

How much iron does a child need?

Toddlers (1-3 years old) need 9mg iron daily

Children (4-8 yrs) old need 10mg daily

In the next article I will share some iron rich recipes for toddlers. Below are some tips that I have found have helped me personally with meal times, as well as with my patients.

Tips for reducing fussy eating behaviours

• Make the main meal times a stress free occasion, but with limits. Sit down together to eat (if you’re not eating at the same time then just sit with them) and give them your attention, and while you can chat about the food, don’t try to force them to eat. If you are worried about your child’s weight then it can be very difficult not to try to force food into them, but I believe you need to respect your child’s awareness of whether they are full or not. Having said that, I don’t think meal times should be a game. As a younger child, If Ash was to start to throw the food or play with the food, I would say something like ‘does that mean you’re all done?’ and if he continues to play/throw (I do try to stop his from actually throwing the food before it happens) the food I will then say ‘okay, you’re telling me you’re all done. Let’s clean your hands and you can hop down’. Since early days I have tried to teach Ash to sign ‘all done’ by waving my hands, but it was only after putting it in the context of this that he has started signing it back to me (Lara picked up on signing much more quickly). After a couple of times of doing this, Ash would then tell me if he was done by signing, or if he starts to look like he is losing interest and playing around I say ‘are you all done’  and he will tell me yes he is all done (by signing) or will keep eating.
• Both adults and children can often find new flavours and textures difficult to like. However research has shown that repeated exposure to a food, often in different  preparations is required to really be sure if a child doesn’t like the food. I recommend offering a new food to your child at least 10 different times (some of the research said 15 times was needed) before giving up on it.
• Make the food taste good. Overly boiled vegetables are something very few people enjoy so it’s not surprising children won’t enjoy this either. I try to cook Lara and Ash’s food to how I would like it, and have noticed that he eats the best when it is the same thing that I am also eating. Personally I chose to introduce solids to my kids using the Baby Led Weaning technique which advocates letting them eat the same things that you are eating, and at the same time so that you can model eating behaviours. From this I have slowly moved to giving them their own bowl, and it is usually a slightly modified version of my own food – less salt and no chilli.
• Make the food interesting. I found a crinkle cutter was an excellent addition to my kitchen as it made sliced cucumber, carrot and sweet potato much more appealing. For older kids, presenting the food arranged in the shape of a face or the like could be another version of this theme.
• For older children, having the discussion about how that food will make them feel better e.g. happier stomach, more energy for their sport, better concentration at school; is something not to be dismissed.
• Get older children to pick a vegetable from the grocery shop that they would like to try and help them involved in cooking.
• If you have the space try growing some veggies yourself and get your kids involved in the process. If they pick the veggies and eat it before they get cooked, that’s still a win. 
• An “Eat A Rainbow” chart where children can tick off their coloured vegetables can be another incentive for older kids to eat a broad range of vegetables.

The post Fussy Eating and Low Iron in Children appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

No matter the age of your children finding productive and budget-friendly things to do can be quite challenging. While it can be tempting to throw the kids in front of the TV, it’s not good for their health to do that too much. The blue light from screens can disrupt children’s hormones, especially melatonin which is important for sleep. Screen time can also make kids trend towards inactivity, and may impact on development and overall health.

The current recommendations for screen time for kids are:

• children under 18 months should avoid screen time, other than video-chatting
• children aged 18 months to 2 years can watch or use high-quality programs or apps if adults watch or play with them to help them understand what they’re seeing
• children aged 2-5 years should have no more than one hour a day of screen time with adults watching or playing with them
• children aged 6 years and older should have consistent limits on the time they spend on electronic media and the types of media they use.

If you’re interested in learning more about this, you can read the policy here: Early Childhood Australia Digital Policy

Brittnay from the Nut Butter Hub has returned to the blog to share some great ideas on how to keep the kids busy without a screen, or lots of money.

This post contains some affiliate links. This means if you click the link and purchase the product contained within the link I make a small commission from this. This helps with the cost of maintaining this website. You don’t have to pay any extra for this.

Ideas for Entertaining the Kids

Below are 8 ways (that won’t cost a fortune) which you can use on any day of the week to ensure your kids (or you) don’t go stir crazy. 

A Day of Volunteering

An awesome way to give kids some perspective on how others live is to have them give back in some capacity. It teaches kids to have empathy and care for others around them as well as to have gratitude for what they have in life.

There are many ways to give back that kids may be able to participate in. Some great places to start volunteering are your local soup kitchen, animal shelters, or spending the day cleaning up trash at your local park.

Indoor Camp Out

What kid doesn’t love to pretend play and make their dreams come true? What they would love even more is actually bringing their imagination to life. Bringing the camping inside is just the fun they may be looking for.

For this activity you will need a tent, a real one will do or one made from sheets is good too. Pretend to light a fire and eat freeze-dried foods. You could also make indoor s’mores very easily at your stove or in your microwave. Be sure to get the sleeping bags and ghost stories ready for a fun night under the ‘stars’.

In Need of A Furry Friend?

If you can’t commit to an animal year round you can try pet sitting over the holidays. This can also help you decide whether you and the family are ready to get your own yet. It could be just a phase and you end up doing all the work. They are a few places you can look for pets to care for try Guide Dogs Australia or if you’re not keen on getting a puppy you can look at house sitting sites which also offer animal care.

Make Your Own T-Shirts

Let’s be real, kids will practically draw all over the house if you let them. Foster their creativity skills and design your own t-shirts. It doesn’t take much to get this done and can be made on new or old shirts.

Use any type of art medium your child likes such as crayons, markers, or even let them paint on their shirt. Make sure to hand wash and dry your shirts so that your kids can cherish their creations for years to come.

Otherwise you can use fabric paint to paint your own shirts. After you’ve let them dry just iron them to set the paint and they can be machine washed.

Indoor Obstacle course

Sometimes it’s just simply too cold or rainy to get out of the house. Bad weather or not, kids need to be able to have the space to release all of the energy they have.  Creating an obstacle course in your home is fun for everyone.

Try making a string laser course like you see in the movies for your kids. All you really will need is lots of string to create the course and then your kids can collect the objects you already have at home and put them in baskets at either end of the course.

Have A BBQ With Friends

Throwing a get together can be team effort one that children would love to be able to participate in. Tell your kids to think of a few family friends who have kids that they would like to invite over for a BBQ.

Let your kids decide on a few items to eat, let them come grocery shopping with you, or pick out décor/activities so that they are involved in the process.

Once the day actually arrives the kids will be so focused on hanging out and playing with the other kids that it will free up time for the parent to enjoy the day as well. Having kids near a BBQ can be dangerous so ensure you gas grill safety!  Having a BBQ will be a win-win situation for both the parent and the kids.

Give Them Lots of Colouring Room

Kids of all ages enjoy colouring but depending on the age the activity can go pretty quickly before they are bored again. A way to switch up just plain old colouring is to buy a big roll of plain white wrapping or banner paper. Use the wrapping paper and spread it out anywhere like the floor or across a table. This can be really cool for kids because they can just keep pulling the paper whenever they need more space to draw.

Get Crafty

There is nothing like a bit of DIY that gets kids excited! Learning how to make their own things will also give them a better appreciation for their belonging as well as the costs of things. Make sure you pick something that is useful but also achievable for a few age groups. You could try making animal masks or maybe a learn how to make a pencil case for the coming school term!

Sensory Bins

Young toddlers to school ages children love to play with sensory bins. Sensory bins can be fairly messy so be sure to work on a sheet or outdoors where it is okay for you and the kids to get a little dirty. Make shimmer snow made from baking soda and glitter. Try a coloured rice bin with just plain rice and food colour. If you want to avoid the mess altogether fill a bin with cotton balls and simply add kitchen utensils and measuring cups and the kids will have a blast.

With a little of creativity and planning it easy to keep the kids busy! Once you have built up a repertoire of activities you will have then away from the TV and enjoying themselves all holidays!

Brittnay is an Australian who lived in London for the past two years.  She managed to squeeze in 21 trips to Europe & Africa in that time. She is passionate about her health and her family, and you will find her healthy and delicious recipes on The Nut Butter Hub.

The post 8 Ways to Keep the Kids Entertained Without Spending A Fortune appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Does your child need more zinc?

In my clinic, one of the minerals that I see a lot of kids needing more of is zinc. This mineral has a big role to play in keeping a little body healthy, however not every child is getting enough. While severe deficiency is rare, it’s thought that mild-moderate deficiency is common, one third of our population have inadequate levels.

According to WHO, zinc deficiency is responsible for approximately 16% of lower respiratory tract infections, 18% of malaria and 10% of diarrhoeal disease worldwide.

If our levels of certain minerals are not ideal this can be a factor in many health issues. For zinc, this is an important one, especially in children.

Here is a common scenario that I see in clinic:

Little Johnny, 5 years old is brought in to see me by his concerned Mummy and Daddy. From taking his case history I find that Johnny has been getting sick almost every month, he refuses to eat anything other than chicken, chips, rice and lollies and generally has a low appetite. His skin is red and irritated, his nails are peeling, he is hot headed and has difficulty focusing (less than one would expect for a 5 year old, anyway).

Have you guessed what I think Johnny needs more of? Zinc!

Zinc has a lot of functions in the body, and many of Johnny’s complaints can be attributed to these.

• It is important for taste perception. Low levels of zinc cause fussy eating, dislike of foods which aren’t strongly sweet or salty, and causes a low appetite overall.
• Alongside Vitamin B6, zinc aids in hydrochloric acid production in the stomach which helps with digesting protein and carbohydrates. Low zinc can contribute to low appetite.
• It is important for healthy stress response. Low zinc = more reactive to stress and emotional triggers.
• Zinc has an anti-inflammatory action.
• Zinc is important for wound healing, for collagen production in the skin, and for healthy skin, nails and hair. Eczema, peeling nails, poor wound healing and other skin issues can all be due to insufficient zinc.
• It is important for the immune system.
• Low levels of iron and zinc have been associated with memory deficits in children.

In addition to these Zinc is also involved in balancing blood sugar levels, it influences behaviour and learning, prevents oxidative stress and helps with development of reproductive system.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why are kids so low in zinc?

One possibility is because the foods that we introduce to infants are low in zinc and can also cause the stores of zinc to be depleted. One study proposed that the high intake of cereals as first foods may contribute to the prevalence of iron and zinc deficiency, possibly due to the binding effect that processed grains can have on minerals, something that young children are more susceptible to.

Poor gut health can affect the absorption of minerals and if there are digestive issues, this may play a part.

The other issue is that the standard Australian diet is not abundant in minerals generally, and we know that 1/3 of the population is low in zinc. We cannot store this mineral and so need to eat it regularly, so when both adults and children are not eating enough zinc rich foods, it makes sense that we are seeing deficiencies.

See also: Pyrolle Disorder

How much zinc do we need?

The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for zinc in 1-8 year olds is 3-4mg/day.

Having a few foods rich in zinc throughout the day can help to keep levels up. For kids with a deficiency or those with Pyrolle disorder, consider supplementation. If you think your child would benefit from supplementation, book a consultation with a naturopath or nutritionist to get advise on the best forms of zinc, dosage, and to assess reasons why your child might be low.

Foods rich in zinc

• Oysters
• Ginger
• Beef, lamb, poultry, pork, liver
• Egg yolks
• Milk products
• Fish and seafood
• Whole grains, wheat germ
• Lentils, Chickpeas and Beans
• Nuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Peas, carrots, beets, cabbage

Click here for a Kid friendly Zinc Rich Recipe.

This article first appeared on Western Sydney Mum’s Hub

The post Fussy eating? Fuzzy head? Think zinc. appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.