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).
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.
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.
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.
It was a struggle, but I recovered fully within about 10 days.
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.
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.
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?
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!
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. 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. 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. 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.
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I agree with Do Nothing in regards to pharmaceuticals which are not necessary most of the time and just cover up symptoms and can even impede healing, but foods like elderberry and garlic that you mention, as well as astragalus, olive leaf, barberry, onions even, ginger, cayenne, turmeric….the list goes on….are far different. You are lumping herbals with antibiotics which I totally disagree with. They are on the list of nourishing foods in my book. They speed healing and build the immune system much as a real food diet does, only you can make medicines with them, or strong teas, that will deliver quick healing and even help boost the immune system for when sickness is around. There is no way we absolutely “do nothing” with those kinds of foods available to help nourish the body. They are not a crutch like drugs. They are healing foods. There is a vast difference. And although Elderberry and Echinacea that you mentioned are likely the two most common herbs these days, there are hundreds more that you may find interesting to research and get to know. The bath you mentioned, it works best with bentonite clay mixed in, for example. Not just Epsom Salts. We love herbs around here! 🙂 Elderberry syrup is a must for flu season and there is no way we would be without it, for prevention and quick healing.
Nickole
“8-Days for Your Cure” People come to me often (practicing herbalist); and to each of them I say “WAIT 8 days!” Give yourself 8 days before scheduling any procedure. Use that time to pray, think, ask, rest from the shock of the news. I chose the number 8 because it means “new beginnings.” In music, it is the end of one scale and the start of a new octave. In the week, it is the end of the work days and the start of a fresh set. People tell me that the decisions they were inclined to make based on day one test results are entirely different than the course they take on day 8. This is sooooooo important! When you chose the course for your body, you are no longer a victim —-you are now decisive, in charge, on board, empowered! And yes, I’m talking about an issue as “serious” as cancer—-it didn’t grow overnight–8 days will only change the outcome for positive—do not rush during a time when your immune system is the lowest–remember, you’ve been shocked by the news, let your body come out of shock.
Well… this is all well and good for some, but as for me and my family, we choose to use herbal supplementation. I’m an ICU nurse, and cannot even imagine the number of germs I am exposed to every day… and then get told about a week or so later (“by the way, that patient you had in 302 last week… TB was confirmed”) – I use the supplements as my National Guard, and I have to say (knock on wood), I have been sick maybe 3 times in the past 5 years. So Sarah may choose homeopathics, which we also avail ourselves of, but I swear by herbals.
Um, Diflucan is a fluoride-based medication. I, personally, would not take it under any circumstances and would recommend others avoid it as well. There are better ways to treat candida.
I was raised by a germ-phobic mother. Lots of shots, lots of pills. My sister had strep over and over (although i question how often she had it and how often the doctors assumed it was), and the family doc my mother liked treated the WHOLE FAMILY prophylactically with 2 weeks of antibiotics every time my sister got sick. I refused to continue when i was about 16, but i was treated numerous times not even being sick.
I spent much of my adult life following the same type of treatment (depression – try every antidepressant in the book and none worked, but this “depression” cleared naturally when i began to eat in a healthy manner). For myself, i believe anything fluoride-based has done untold damage to my body. I began weaning off of all these meds about 9 years ago, and started learning about natural health. But i ended up being very, very sick 5+ years ago. I didn’t know enough to leave it alone or treat it with herbs, i ended up with Cipro. That essentially ended my productive life. It has harmed me beyond words. I continue to struggle every day.
So, late in my life i have come to the “leave it alone” phase, because i will not willingly take a prescription ever again. I wish i had found this path years earlier. However, as far as colds/flu go, i have had only one in the past 3 years. It was a doozy, and i did nothing. It was hard! I don’t know many people who would do nothing and be as sick as i was, but i survived and am on the other side.
I’ve not heard of other people doing nothing in the case of a broken bone, but i’m there, too. I broke a metatarsal in my foot 3-1/2 weeks ago. I did do an X-ray, but the bone was not displaced. I used a splint for a few days, but it caused more problems than without it. I have not been in pain (except early on when putting pressure on that foot). I have not taken even Tylenol for it. I do use a topical capsaicin cream. It aches a little as it is healing. I’ve done what i can to stay off of it. Everyone around me thinks i’m crazy not to have gone to an orthopedist or have it casted, but i am healing quite well, thank you!
To Jill C – Difflucan isn’t necessarily bad. It killed the yeast caused by the antibiotics. But you now have to start from square one with your digestive system. You might want to try the GAPS diet.
All I can say is I wish I had never taken it. I was on a very good run up to that point, and I would rather have had the yeast than the problems I am now having (but which are slowly going away). I trust my body to heal from this too, but I am very frustrated. I was never, ever able to lose weight my entire life, probably due to the inflammation I had from being sick forever, I was finally losing weight and felt fantastic, and when I took the diflucan, the weight loss stopped, I got some fatigue and weakness back, and I now have terrible gas.
I have a question about fevers. I am comfortable letting it run its course if it’s only 102 or 103, but two years ago my oldest (who was then 18 months) had a 105 fever. We took him to the emergency room. How high do you let a fever go before intervening? It was a very scary experience with my son and I can’t imagine doing nothing if we find ourselves in a similar situation again.
Larissa,
I havet he same question and I really hope that Sarah will respond to this.
Kristina
High fevers are scary, but the height of the fever has little to do with the severity of the illness. I also highly recommend Dr Mendelssohn’s book
I never try to lower a fever and my kids spike a nice high fever and get well quickly
I read on Mercola that it isn’t as much about the temp as it is the speed of elevation. If it spikes fast, that’s a problem. If it’s a gradual raise, the body is doing it’s job. But, that’s just what I read.
Larissa-
I had an educational experience with this. My daughter one time began to get a very high fever. It was so scary as it began to get over 104. I just got determined to TRUST her body. I was determined to try a different way than in the past. I even called my doctor in the middle of the night and he said I was being “cruel” it was so hard to stick to my guns but I’m SO glad I did! I was up all night monitoring her and so afraid of “brain damage” and all I’d heard about. Deep in the sleep her fever climbed to a solid 105. It blew me away though- it only stayed there for a few hours! I also have learned since that I should’ve just LET her stay in solid sleep as much as possible instead of continuing to take her temp constantly and interrupting it! By morning she had burned off the germs and was totally better! I had to hold her down and make her rest! If one is a little worried about the brain too theres nothing like a good old cold cloth on the forehead to ease the headache and cranial temp while still allowing the body to burn off the germs like it needs to! Our ancestors knew best! Now I have a strict routine and will ALWAYS let my kids burn a good fever for at least one night. If I do this it never lasts longer. It’s a natural cycle for the body to spike a fever high in one bad night of illness then be done. Let it work! It actually takes a lot of energy for the body to get that fever up! For that one night I will never wake them, they need that UNINTERRUPTED sleep but will only come in to check fever, hydrate with bone broth or other electrolytes or diluted juice and cool forehead compress if necessary when they call out or cry out- they usually will a few times anyway so take this op to do your work, then LEAVE THEM BE. It’s hard to resist too to not keep checking but you know how it is when you’re trying to sleep of an illness and someone keeps waking you! It’s torture! That’s why hospitals only make you sicker with their constant disturbances! This always works. Trust their bodies. Since I began this my kids have never burned a fever over about 100 for more than a day and a half. It’s a natural cycle for the body to climb in temp, spike then go back down. Interrupting this with fever reducers, baths or other measures will cause up and downs that the body can’t handle and this artificially induced roller coaster is what causes febrile seizures. I’m happy to say that my daughter is now 10 yrs and radiantly healthy! In advanced learning and no brain damage to speak of. She also had that fever I spoke of, one other time got one that went up briefly to 103 for about an hour and other than that has been very healthy and almost fever free with only the occasional cold. Each year she gets sick less and less. Good luck. I know it’s hard!
Reminds me of my 18th birthday, where I got diagnosed with mono (happy birthday to me!). My doc told me to go back to school, but take it very easy, and no phys. ed. that semester. Most kids of my era got put to bed for 6-8 weeks. I got over mono in four weeks and really never looked back.
Not trying to be mean here: I get SO sick of these mothers whining and whining that their kids don’t get better when they use fever reducing medication! Even many conventional doctors will tell you about the importance of burning a fever. You rob the body of its number one defense against the invading pathogen, then the illness just drags on and on forever and you wonder why?
I’ve experienced this first hand SO many times with my kids and its so true that you must LET them spike their fever! Our society also just wants them up rested and ready right away! Back to school and daycare so that they didn’t even get over the illness and are in a constant state of half- illness. One time while visiting family far away for a week long holiday visit my kids, unfortunately, got real sick. My oldest got it first and I controlled treatments, let her have her fever with rest and she was better in a few days. By the time my son got it a little behind her everyone was growing impatient that we couldn’t go out sledding and doing things. They pressured me about it and said he was too uncomfortable for me to not treat his fever. That I was being cruel etc. I finally bent to the WHOLE family’s pressure and gave Tylenol. My son was sick for the next six days! Same germ, extremely similar genetics but it just PROLONGED his illness! It hung around making him half miserable for the rest if the vacation! Yes, he was able to go to the sledding hill but was miserable in no time. My daughter had more severe symptoms for the few days she was ill and I know that’s no fun. But I feel setting up kids to get PROLONGED illnesses for longer is actually MORE cruel! He could’ve been 100% in just a few days! Trust the body! Trust results and don’t bow to pressure!
Is there no fever too high to treat? I am wondering…. my kids usually get high fevers with simple colds. I usually give Tylenol or Ibuprofen…. today I let my son’s fever get to 103.5, but after it got that high, I felt that I should treat it… It’s hard for me to stow my nursing background. Ugh. Thanks for the great posts everyone.
In the Mendelssohn book How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor, I believe he says fevers until 104 or 105 are OK (except in newborns, or with sunstroke) as long as you can keep the child hydrated. He has a whole excellent chapter about fevers in that book.
And a question: What about something like Master Tonic (soaking a mix of onions, garlic, horseradish and ginger in some ACV for a couple of weeks). Would that be considered doing “nothing” or “something”? I’m going with the theory that it’s food so it falls under the category of “appropriate nutrition”.