Children generally respond very well and quickly to herbal remedies. This is because their body are small, and they haven't had years of polluting themselves to compensate for. Children also usually respond better to single herbs versus herbal combinations; babies respond best to a single herb in a liquid form.

The older they are, the better able children are to take a few different combinations. Herb manufacturers make chewable or liquid herbs that are easy to administer to children. Make sure that your child's chewable herbs or vitamins are not sweetened with artificial flavors and colored with dyes!

The same quality that you find in your herbs apply to children's supplements as well. Artificial and synthetic materials are more likely to cause reactions in child's body. The same herbs that work gently for adults are also appropriate for kids. The following table includes several herbs that are ideal for children and that can be used safely in herbal remedies.

Herb	Used For	Body System Support
Astragalus	Colds	Immune system
Catnip and fennel	Colic	Nervous and digestive systems
Catnip and garlic enema	Breaks fever	Immune and nervous systems
Chamomile	Calming, getting to sleep	Nervous system
Echinacea	Allergies, Colds	Immune system
Elderberry	Mucus, runny nose, colds	Respiratory system
Garlic oil (externally)	Ear infections	Immune and respiratory systems
Licorice root	Energy, stress, coughs	Glandular system
Pau d'arco (externally)	Diaper rash	Immune system
Peppermint	Diarrhea	Intestinal system
Thyme	Stimulates thymus gland	Immune system (small doses)
White willow bark	Headaches	Nervous system

A good rule of thumb for discerning dosages for children is given here by Master Herbalist Humbart Santillio in his book Natural Healing with Herbs (Hohm Press, 1989):

Weight of child in pounds = fraction of adult dose to be used

Example: The average weight of an adult is 150 pounds. Divide the weight of the child by 150.

150 pound child = 1/3 of the adult recommended dosage
150 pound adult

When administering herbs to your children, it is best to start out with small doses and work your way up until results are achieved.