My son (6 years old) has pretty severe asthma. He's been to the emergency room a few times and we now have a nebulizer and inhaler at home. His asthma seems to be triggered primarily by colds. Pretty much 100% of the time that he gets a cold the dreaded "cough" starts soon thereafter. He is like 10 for 10 with colds and asthma.
We're really frustrated (and nervous) for his severe asthma attacks. He is too young and we are desperately looking for an alternate natural cure. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Cod liver oil.

2 tablespoons a day when sick or during winter.
1 tablespoon daily otherwise.
Also vitamin D gelcaps, 1,000 IU, 1-2/day.

Magnesium is also good for asthma. For a six year old it's best to use the liquid form. State with the dose that's on the label for a child and gradually work up to double that.

A good childrens multi would be good also.

Good luck.

On the above he will stop getting sick and his asthma will get better.

I just bumped an informative thread we had just last week about asthma.

Dietary changes have made a world of difference for me, as a life long asthmatic.

Put your child on a diary and grain free diet for 2 weeks and see if it helps. Putting him on a low sugar diet will also help reduce inflamation and strengthen his immune system. Many low carbers don't get sick any more, me included.

Along with Zuleika's supplement recommendations.

I am repeating some of the advice above:

low *glycemic* diet (avoid high glycemic foods)

high quality childrens multi vitamin

plenty of cod liver oil

Dr Atkins recommends
Vitamin A. You may get enough in the cod liver oil. Do NOT use synthetic
Pantethine (may be enough in the multi-vitamin)
magnesium
Quercetin
grape seed / pycnogenol
licorice

vitamin D3 would be a good choice -- there might be enough in the cod liver oil

http://www.vitacost.com/articleResu...ss=1&Ntt=asthma

http://www.lef.org/protocols/respiratory/asthma_01.htm

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=328240

Sorry about your child, I know how frustrating and scary are asthma attacks in little children.My GF's daughted was born with this condition, and she had severe attack every time she had a cold or flu, which is hard to prevent in little ones.
So, they started to practice breathing technique by russian professor K. Buteyko, a world wide known method to reduce and comopletely elliminate asthma attacks, and also used ...badger fat or badger lard, that is known to help with pulmonary condition like asthma. Badger fat - 1-2tbs in a glass of warm milk. I know it sounds gross, but many pulmonary deseases including tuberculosis are treated with bager lard in Europe.
In 6 months she was symptoms free. I duno what helped the most: fat or breathing exercise or combination of both, but you can read more on Buteyko method, on badger fat and decide for yourself.
http://www.pnc.com.au/~breatheasy/profbut.htm ttp://www.buteyko.co.nz/buteyko/intro/default.cfm
http://www.buteyko.co.nz/buteyko/trials/default.cfm
http://www.buteyko.co.nz/buteyko/bia/tim.cfm

In general, I think good old fashined saturated fat work the best for lung function, even if it's plain lard, beef tallow, or badger, bear fat ( these 2 are the most potent).
I hope your son feels better soon.
best wishes,
D.

My son too had asthma. We spent many nights in the ER with him and a nebulizer on his face.

We went through the following changes. We have been inhaler free for 2 years now.

Chiropractic treatments
Dairy Free
Wheat Free
Sugar Free
Perservative Free
Exercise (outside exercise)
Deep Breathing exercises

Its not a sure cure - that is for certain. I do feel strongly though that every little bit helps. In our case, it helped tremendously.

Wonderful advice! Essential fatty acids are an integral missing ingredient in most asthma sufferers.

Badger fat? Heh! I would love to see that on my supermarket shelf.

I am not very knowledgable about asthma... but I HEARD that rubbing VapoRub on the bottom of the feet helps a lot with coughing. It sounds weird, I know... has anyone else heard this?

This is an email forward I got from a trusted friend containing the VapoRub info:

I checked this to see if it's listed in SNOPES hoaxes----not listed!!

RPF
(Next cold I get, I'm going to try it.)



Sorry, no graphic for this one, and don't laugh, it works 100% of the time although the scientists at the Canada Research council (who discovered it) aren't sure why.

To stop nighttime coughing in a child (or adult as we found out personally), put Vicks Vaporub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime, then cover with socks.

Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief.

Works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.

I heard the head of the Canada Research Council describe these findings on the part of their scientists when they wer e investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children as compared to alternative therapies like accupressure. Just happened to tune in A.M. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs so, I listened.

It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, and in addition, to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.

Lolly tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutes and believe me, this was a deep, ( incredibly annoying!) every few seconds uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough free for hours every night that she used it.

So, if you have Grandchildren, pass it on, if you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed by the effect.

I imagine seeing a child suffering from asthma attack can make one find bear fat on the web. There are folks who hunt, so it is another chance to get badger or even bear fat. So far, I have found this site.
http://www.naturallist.com/bearfat.htm
I would imagine that bear fat can be bought from Alaska. I will check our local Russian and Asian stores, I know they sell lots of herbal and folk remedies. I also recall seeing badger fat on the web, but can't find the site now.
I think any high quality sat. fat will do, the whole idea is to start using incorporating lard and other rendered animal fat into the kid's diet, this alone will improve pulmonary function.Good quality home made lard is good too.
There is nothing funny about having a sick child, I have raised 2 kids.

Joe Graedon promotes this use of Vicks on the feet on his website and newspaper column, The People's Pharmacy.

He also points out that using Vicks in one's nostrils can be deadly. If particles of the petroleum jelly get in the lungs, there is no way to get them out and death from a form of drowning / gunked up lungs can follow.

Any remedy that makes blood vessels on the soles expland, will results in airways blood vessels to constrict, reducing swelling and inflamation. It is an old and well know negative feed back loop reflectory reponse, and the opposite is also true. My mom knew it very well, she would make me soak my feet in hot water with dry mustard power added, and then will make me put double socks with more dry mustard in between. The water should be hot enough, but not too hot, you will get feet simmered in mustard sauce.The greately reduces discomfort associated with stuffed sinuses during cold and makes speedy recovery.
I would imagine viks vapor would do the same: making blood vessels to expland via skin irritation) that will results in airways opening via blood vessel constriction.
I am not sure if this will work for asthmatics though.

My son had it too, he also had a narrowing in his air way that would swell when he got sick, or was exposed to allergens. This is what helped him after we nearly lost him at age 6. Homeopathic drops for his allergies, calcium and magnesium to relax air way, grape seed extract for inflamation, MSM for inflamation, and a multi vite because his diet was so restricted because of allergies. We never had another stay in the hospital after we started him on these. I am not a doc just a mom. I highly recomend you carefully research for yourself before giving anything to a young child. My son is an adult now no longer has asthma, or the narrowing (his voice box streched that area), allergies much better but still some. It has been about six years since he has taken any of these I can't remember doseages except we started with only one drop of the allergy drops because he was so allergic. My heart goes out to you it is so scarry to see your child strugle for air.

My daughter is also 6, and was diagnosed with asthma at 15 months old. We have been in and out of the hospital many times.

For the last two years or so, it's been well-controlled on a combination of Singulair (daily) and Flovent 1xday. We add a Xopenex inhaler when she's having an bad time. She is also a cougher rather than a wheezer, and every time she gets a cold (even still) I get a bag packed and prepare myself for sleepless nights.

I have tried any number of natural things (although beaver lard is a new one to me), but I have found that with my d, every time I take her off the meds completely, she gets bad, and her pulminologist yells at me. She had the worst attack in two years a few weeks ago, which ended up getting her put on steroids for 5 days (something we'd avoided for the past few years) but it was that or hospitalization. It will be awhile before I start changing her meds again, that's for sure. However, there is a wellness clinic some at my church have recommended, so we might try a visit there.

Good luck. I know what it's like, and it's not fun.

Oh, I should add... I have had some success with the Vicks on the feet idea. It doesn't relieve it completely, but helps her to sleep, which gets her feeling better sooner.