Why the “Do Nothing” approach to illness is often the best policy for long-term health, especially in young children with a developing immune system.
You’ve likely heard of unschooling, a homeschooling philosophy where no formal curriculum is typically used and children learn based on what they are motivated to seek out and master on their own as well as natural life experiences.
While I don’t homeschool myself and so cannot attest to the validity of this educational philosophy, I would like to suggest that open-minded parents consider a similar approach to childhood illness.
When a child seems to be coming down with a cold or flu, how about this for a novel idea…DO NOTHING.
I followed the Do Nothing approach to illness for 25 years raising my 3 children (who are all now healthy adults). Â
At first, I did it without even realizing exactly what I was doing.
Then, in 2004, I formally put it into practice after attending a talk at the Wise Traditions Conference by Dr. Tom Cowan MD.
He discussed how illness is actually beneficial to the body.
It is a way for valuable detoxification to occur so that an improved level of vitality and maturity can be experienced by the child once the illness is past. Â
This talk was a light bulb moment for me!
I suddenly realized that my Father, a retired Family Physician, had followed the exact same philosophy while I was growing up.
Old school medicine is to do nothing and let the illness run its course, focusing on rest and nourishment alone. Intervention ONLY occurs if it becomes evident that the patient cannot handle the situation on his/her own.
My Physician Father’s rule of thumb was to wait two full weeks before doing anything therapeutically to facilitate the conclusion of the illness. Â
The result?
He rarely if ever needed to intervene at all as my brothers and sisters and I got well just fine on our own within that span of time.
Even when I got salmonella at a fast food chicken joint when I was 13, Dad did nothing. Â
It was a struggle, but I recovered fully within about 10 days. Â
No trip to the hospital, no saline drip, no antibiotics.
I realize this might seem extreme to some people, but my Dad had his reasons, and he obviously made the correct judgment that I was strong enough to handle it on my own.
Ditto when I had strep throat the summer I turned 15. Â
Do you need antibiotics for strep? In my case, my Dad never even considered antibiotics.
Home remedies for strep throat were not used either, and I still recovered completely with no complications.
Most interesting is that I have never gotten strep throat again despite repeated and close contact exposures (in college dorms, for example).
My children seem to be immune to strep too and have never gotten strep except for one instance where my youngest fell ill, but quickly recovered without meds….the same as when I was 15.
Did my immune system/no meds recovery give me a level of immunity from strep infections that I possibly passed along to my kids?
Anecdotal for sure but possible especially given that I practiced extended breastfeeding with all of them.
Too many parents in my view are far too quick to treat a child’s illness, either by running to the doctor for a prescription or by dashing to the healthfood store to obtain a natural or herbal-based remedy.
Trying to stop a cold in its tracks when it is first coming on and hasn’t quite taken hold yet is not a wise approach in my view.
Now, I don’t want to come off as anti-treatment here. Â
If a child is acutely ill and clearly not handling an illness sufficiently well on his or her own, then by all means seek out assistance from the healing professional of your choice.
As for me, though, my first course of action is to Do Nothing.
Echinacea to boost immunity during cold/flu season?
No.
Elderberry syrup to ward off a cold that you feel is coming on?
Pass.
A “preventative” dose of antibiotics because strep is making the rounds at school?
Absolutely not!
Garlic drops or pills for an early cough?
No thanks.
Ibuprofen or Tylenol to bring down a high fever?
NEVER.
Why? Â
A child with a high fever will get well so amazingly fast if you let the fever do its job and having the child sip diluted fruit juice to provide sufficient blood sugar to fuel that cranked-up metabolism will head off the risk of febrile seizures.
I don’t attempt to squelch symptoms and I don’t want to give my children’s immune system a crutch.
Letting the body go through the natural progression of meeting a pathogenic challenge head-on and resolving it with no outside interference is something that I have observed to improve and elevate a child’s wellness to a whole new level post-illness.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that adopting this approach resulted in children who grew consistently more sturdy as time went on.
The results?
My three children are now healthy adults with no gut issues, in my view, mainly because I never used a single round of antibiotics raising them.
I think that’s a pretty decent track record!
Again, this article is not intended to suggest that antibiotics and medications are always bad.
On the contrary, meds can be life-saving and should absolutely be used if needed in critical emergencies.
However, a healthy child who is simply achy and feverish is not a candidate for meds in my opinion!
Ok, I Want to Do Nothing, But I Need to Do Something!
If the Do Nothing approach strikes a chord with you, congratulations! Â
I think you will be pleasantly surprised and amply rewarded by implementing this approach with children who rarely get sick and when they do, recover quickly with no assistance or complications.
If you are an action-oriented person, however, here are some Do Nothing suggestions that will help your child along the path to quick recovery without in any way hampering or short-circuiting the natural healing and detoxification process that is taking place:
- Rest, rest, rest. Our culture is way too busy and overscheduled. Sometimes illness is just a way for the body to say “slow down and take it easy”. Honor that message and encourage your children to just rest with no stimulation of any kind except perhaps a good book.
- Homemade broth, stocks, and soups. Nourishment is important during illness to provide the body with the ammunition necessary to win the battle and come out on top. There is no food better during illness than soup made with nourishing, mineral-rich, and easy-to-digest broth or stock. If you don’t know how to make homemade soup, you need to learn. Soups from the store are no comparison and should be avoided. Commercial soup will likely hinder the healing process instead of helping it as it contains little to no nourishment with vitality-zapping MSG in large amounts.
- Chiropractic adjustment. Â Some people find that even a minor misalignment of the spine can make illness worse. Getting a gentle adjustment to the spine can free up blockages and facilitate healing in a beneficial way.
- Homeopathy. Â I used homeopathy when my children all had whooping cough (pertussis) at the same time. My youngest was only 15 months old. Homeopathy works with the body, not against it, and does not stifle natural healing mechanisms. A homeopathic remedy can prove useful in certain cases of illness particularly if it is a chronic condition that doesn’t seem to resolve on its own permanently.
- Cleansing baths. Â Soaking in a warm Epsom salt bath to get the elimination routes flowing via the skin and colon can be extremely helpful to natural, med-free recovery. A fever bath can also encourage the body’s natural immune response. These are typically the only things I will do if there is “a cold coming on” as they assist detoxification from the toxins that caused the cold in the first place.
More Information
I also forgot to mention that we unschool and that it has been a wonderful experience to see my children blossom before my eyes. I actually don’t usually use that term when talking to others because there are so many misconceptions out there that it is just not worth my time debating virtual strangers on the choices we have made for our family!
Your but about using homeopathy for pertussis is something I’m interested in hearing more about! Could you write about what you did or send an email to me??? I have not vaccinated my 15 mo old and I always love to hear tales of homeopathic remedies that have worked. Thank you.
And I thought I was taking the “do nothing” approach bc that’s what I’ve done my whole adult life (as a child I was prescribed a rx for even a cough and I would HATE taking it and eventually refuse against my mom trying to follow drs orders.
I have got tiny colds by hylands bc I thought I was helping him recover but next time I won’t give anything. I agree that illness is great for our bodies and immune system.
Read this blog on how a family I know treated Pertussis naturally. Mainly with Turmeric, a common spice. I would also use Red Clover and Lobelia, and garlic, as well.
http://www.gwens-nest.com/natural-remedies/whooping-cough
I’m a “do nothing” girl.. never thought it was a formal thing! As a nurse practitioner, I have often got strange looks from friends and colleagues! Funny thing.. my 7yo is very RARELY sick- I can count on one hand the number of times she has been sick. And then it was about 24hrs of fever or being sluggish. Never a GI symptom. A few snot noses- but no chest infection.
I honestly think food is everything. A bug here and there is not only natural but NECESSARY! Why would I want to not let her body learn to heal itself? She is young and strong, and needs to build an immune system NOW so she doesn’t get whacked out by the flu or some other such normal thing when she is 95.
Of course nobody wants their child to suffer and be sick and miserable. I say- comfort measures and good food. Have compassion, baby them. But also do not make a “big deal” over being sick. Kids get sick, its part of life! ITS A GOOD THING!
I think if more parents- and we all love our kids and want the best for them.. had more education they could relax a little bit and so could the kids.
But thanks Sarah! I can now officially say the next time someone is saying “why don’t you take her to the doctor?”- that I’m a “do nothing” parent- NOT THAT I AM LAZY AND UNCARING. Which has been implied on more then one occasion. People who know me will ‘add’ it to my list of ‘weird’ parenting ideals! Extended breastfeeding, co sleeping, baby carrying, real food, raw milk, strange dental care, fish oil etc etc etc.. and she does NOTHING when her kid gets sick- which is very rare and (knock on wood) never lasts. HMMMMMMMM…….
😉
Love this post and it is the opposite of how I was raised! My very well meaning and loving mother was a nurse and her brother was a pediatrician. Back in the 70’s and 80’s for sure I was given an antibiotic for every little illness. I would get sick as I have an IgA deficiency and as a child you are sucker because of this. However, does that necessitate an antibiotic when my only symptoms were flu and fever? I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disease when I was TWELVE people!! I have over seven other known autoimmune diseases which I believe stem from my gut being imbalanced my entire life. Now both my boys were preemies and were given vaccines and antibiotics without my consent when they were in the NICU. It’s a long tragic story that is now thankfully coming to through a long road of recovery for us all with the whole foods diet and soon the GAPS. Thank you
While I like most aspects of this article, I feel like it is extreme. When it comes to herbs and whole, nourishing foods that have healing properties, I think viewing their use as some sort of medicinal intervention that interferes with the body’s healing process is silly. Instead, supplementig the the diet with, for example, the homemade elderberry syrup I’m making today, logically would helps the body on its road to recovery. I believe God made certain herbs and plants for our use in this way, and I’m very thankful!
This is EXACTLY what I was going to post. I make organic elderberry syrup and we supplement (for lack of a better word) with it because it of the helpful properties. It’s a food! I feel strongly that it HELPS the immune system do the job it’s already doing and feel that we were given it for a reason as well. Our immune system is ALWAYS being introduced to things it defends against on a daily basis in our toxic world. I don’t need to let things reach an all-out illness to keep my immune system at its strongest. Antibodies are built from exposure alone because if you’re healthy, it just handles it and most time we aren’t even aware! While we do nothing at all for most things and we never need a doctor, (so I entirely agree with 98% of the article), we certainly want to help ourselves as well. Our ‘illness record’ is almost identical to Sarah’s family but we attain this through the best possible food sources and we see herbs and certain organic berries as additional immune support. I also have extended family that cannot afford to miss work so they use food as their ‘medicine’ to stay healthy so they can provide for their families.
I know the article is not a one size fits all but it is a bit on the extreme side. If we didn’t want to use things like garlic and elderberry so the immune system could deal with it entirely on it’s own, then why are concerned about even eating healthy/nontoxic in the first place? And lastly, I just want to keep feeling good and I know my family does too, so if we head something off or shorten the misery of an illness through food/herbs, why the heck not? Its synergistic, right?
Since our illness record is very close to what Sarah says her family enjoys, I think it shows we can all go about this in slightly different ways and get a similar result. So garlic, ginger, elderberry it is for us! And we feel super! Besides that, some of these healing foods work against other more serious conditions and diseases.
I just saw your post, Julie, after I posted below. Glad to know there are others likeminded out there who appreciate God’s herbal resources! 🙂
I completely agree with you. I too use elderberry syrup for our family. I honestly don’t see harm in using it.
And to the other commenter who said to drink raw milk for asthma. I have asthma, and I know so many asthmatics that are allergic to dairy and their asthma is triggered by dairy. Raw or not. I did try it with catastrophic results. I broke out in hives, had breathing problems, ended up in the ER and ended up with a GI bleed that went on for a month because of the raw milk. I tried raw milk because of people who kept telling me that despite of my milk allergy, I am going to be “fine” with raw milk because it’s different.
How about coping with asthma in this way? If I’m not mistaken, I recall having read the do-nothing approach, or at least a gentler, non-conventional approach, can work for asthma.
I know that doing the GAPS diet can resolve asthma, but what I’m wondering about is avoiding the mainstream meds during an attack.
I have had asthma for almost 40 years and personally I would love nothing better than to avoid mainstream meds when having an attack but unfortunately mine gets too intense to avoid them most times. I have treid just about every natural remedy under the sun as a substitute with litte luck. I have been on GAPS for a year and after having been on it for 3 weeks I was able to get off all medication. After being on it for about 5 months it came back mildly. For some reason in the last few weeks since our weather has changed my asthma is flaring up strongly again and I can not tell what is causing it. For awhile taking Camu Camu would clear it out without meds but mine gets so intense that I can not do the “do nothing” approach. I also have a history of medication use as this was what my mom chose for me as a young child not knowing anything else. It’s been a struggle to get off it but GAPS has brought improvements as has herbs and acupuncture. I would say listen to your own body. If you can move through it without meds all the more power to you but you need to get to the root cause of the asthma to eliminate it completley.
Thank you, Tracey. I’m struck that after such a longstanding health condition, you were able to get off the meds in just 3 weeks doing GAPS. The fluctuations since then makes sense to me as something in existence for that long will take time to completely resolve. Maybe the flare-up is another layer of healing.
I’d like to know more about the Camu Camu, herbs and other helpful things you’ve tried.
My question is not for myself but for a friend. If you’d care to share any more about your experiences and progress, please do so! I’ll check this for future comments.
Hi Beth. Well I have found my asthma trigger! I was reacting to dairy even though I was doing GAPS friendly dairy. I did not recognize it as after being off dairy for quite awhile, it took me awhile to start reacting to it and so it slowly crept up on me. It was hard to recognize as I would not get flare ups right after consuming it but on a hunch I took it out and 3 days later I was clear again and have been ever since. I am not on GAPS anymore 100% but still apply a lot of the GAPS principles. I am asthma free again and feeling great. I have also started a protocol of daily Sodium Bentonite clay to help detox my organs, gut and colon along with BioKult probiotics. I read about the Bentonite clay on a website called Unique Healing. I do not agree with her philosophy on diet but her info on how the clay works makes a lot of sense.
BTW I do not need the Camu Camu anymore and things that used to trigger me like animals do not anymore! And I do plan to eat dairy again when my gut is healed!!!
Tracey, why did you choose sodium bentonite over calcium?? I keep hearing calcium is better…And where do you purchase from?
thanks!!
Just a suggestion. Have you had your hvac system cleaned and sanitzed? With winter weather we are typically inside more, in a closed environment. There are more toxins and pathogens in the air. I have my ventilation cleaned and sanitized at least every other year and run an air purifier where I sleep. There are many models. Mine is a Vornado AQS 500. They are about $110.00 and use filters which are about $35.00 for a 4 pack at QVC. They use 2 at a time and need to be replaced about once a year. I do mine on New Years. There are also some that have ion generators. I have a lot of sinus problems, more in the winter. Have had mild asthmatic symptoms (mostly wheezing) on rare occassions. I was on medication only while I was remodeling my former house with drywall dust in the air for several months. Also, if you have pets do not let them go in your bedroom, ever. My mother and grandfather as well as several nieces and nephews have had bad cases. My mother smoked for many years. None of my siblings have asthma that I know of.
Hi, Beth. I’d caution against the “do nothing” policy during an attack. While it can be helpful to change diet and use herbs and/or supplements to prevent an attack and even to resolve underlying asthma, respiratory distress during an attack can be devastating – it can lead to cardiac arrest and signifciant brain injury and/or death. I work in pediatric healthcare, and I promise that this is not an exaggeration. While it doesn’t happen all the time, it is not unheard of. I’ve seen six of these sorts of cases (2 deaths and 4 devastating hypoxic injuries) in 2.5yrs. They cases have been awful for everyone.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m all about using diet and homeopathy/natural remedies/supplements to prevent and or recover asthma, but these are NOT the way to go in an exacerbation.
One of the best things you can do for asthma, adult or otherwise, is raw milk.
Please look up the Buteyko method for treating asthma. No drugs, just breathing exercises. There are practioners all around the United States. What helped me was eating enzyme rich food, the elimination diet…..but above all getting out of the wrong environment. For instance, the type of fiberboard you get from Ikea is a real trigger for me and many others. I was at Office Max once ordering 5 giant metal two door cabinets. I said to the salesperson, “I bet you’re wondering why I’m ordering so many at once” and I began to tell him my asthma story. He stop me, “People with asthma and allergies are coming in ALL THE TIME ordering those!”
What does FCLO/BO count as? Part of the diet?
Many people consider fermented cod liver oil / butter oil more of a food than a supplement. Is that what you’re asking?
I LOVE this post, and this has also been my philosophy in 14 years of caring for my 6 (now 7 including my stepdaughter) kids. When my kids are sick I might brew them hot tea with honey to soothe their throats, but other than that I do nothing… no special herbs or supplements or anything. And it works. My kids are rarely sick, have no chronic issues (asthma etc) and are well in 48 hours, tops.
I have something to compare it to. My stepdaughter, who lives with me and my husband full time, gets the full workup every time she gets a sniffle if she’s at her mother’s. (My husband has primary custody.) I have seen how this approach prolongs and complicates simple illnesses. For example, once she had a small wart on her finger. Her mother freaked out and took her to the Dermatologist who froze it off and gave her medication to deal with the pain (it was painless on her finger). Then the now wartless finger got infected so she got antibiotics which gave her stomach pain… I could name many more examples. It’s totally ridiculous.
When she gets a sore throat or whatever she has to spend the weekend in the ER then comes home from her mom’s with a list of instructions for us like “bathe her head with water and vinegar hourly including through the night”. What a sick kid needs most is rest, and she wakes her up to bathe her hourly? Ridiculous. (This is a 13 year old!) She also gives her herbs and Tylenol (inconsistent!?) at the same time.
I honestly believe that giving a sick child too much attention can cause a psychological tendency to exaggerate or invent illness. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
Been practicing that too – do nothing. Whenever I have colds, I don’t drink medicine. Just water and nutritious food and citrus fruits. It’s part of my everyday eating.
I’m very thankful to have found your blog!! I’ve benefitted from many of your tips and recipes! So, thank you!
I did have a few questions regarding this post. I totally agree with everything you said. Makes total sense. However, I have two children, 5 and 2… both of whom have had febrile seizures. My 5 year old has had 2 pretty severe (with ambulance rides) and my 2 year old has had one mild one…
As much as I would love to “ride it out” and let the fever run its course, I flashback to the seizures…
You mentioned sipping diluted fruit juice… have you had experience with any of your kids with this being a successful deterrent to that freaky spike in temperature (in a child who has previously had a seizure)? I only ask, not to be facetious at all!!! But to see if it has worked on children who have previously had seizures (And have family history of them… me, my sisters, my mom, and grandmother…etc).
We’ve started cleaning up our eating about 6 months ago and have noticed so much improvement and my kids have rarely been sick, which is a huge answer to prayer! But the febrile seizure thing is still in the back of my mind…
Just wondering. Thank you! And thank you again for a great and helpful blog! Keep up the good work!
My daughter had a febrile seizure as a child, and it was indeed very scary. We were talked into taking her to the ER by a nurse friend, but by the time we got there she was fine, and speedily recovered shortly thereafter from the illness. I have heard that if you keep the child well hydrated with diluted juice, bone broth, herb tea, lemonade, water, etc this will prevent dehydration, which is the real risk. You can also put olive oil on the bottoms of the feet and cover with socks to keep moisture in the body. The reason for the seizure is the rapid rise in temperature, not necessarily the temperature itself. Febrile seizures are usually not dangerous and will cease when the body has found its level of homeostasis. Also, homeopathic belladonna 30c is an excellent remedy for very high, fevers that come on rapidly in a child (104 and above), especially if there is redness anywhere. You can buy this at a health food store, and it would be a good idea to have it on hand as a precaution. Now that you’ve improved the diet, you can continue to expect fewer illnesses. Good luck!
My 4 children are all in their 20s and never had antibiotics or any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vaccinations, during their childhood. I used a combination of “do-nothing,” chiropractic, herbal, and homeopathic remedies, depending on the situation. I also cooked mostly from scratch and refused to buy junk foods or sodas. None of them ever developed allergies or any serious illness and I am convinced that they are stronger adults because of this approach.
Julie, I enjoyed this article…I think he has some great points on how we as Mamas can monitor our child’s health if they are seizure prone:
thank you for the article. my issue with my kiddos isn’t random seizure episodes, they are febrile, and that is why I just wonder about bringing the fever down… 🙂
Several of my friends have suggested to me to not push water during fevers, but to use an electrolyte drink or fruit juice to keep that electrolyte balance up. So I think febrile seizures possibly stem from similar circumstances.