Is it possible to give valerian to a child?

Soothing properties of valerian have long been known to people and are very popular among adults. And if a child is very active, capricious, easily excitable, does not sleep well and is restless, many mothers have the idea of ​​using valerian for a son or daughter. But is it possible to give such a medicinal plant to a child, how does it affect the children's organism, and from what age is it allowed for children?

The most valuable part of the plant is valerian root, rich in essential oils, tannins, glycosides, resins, alkaloids, valeric acid, polysaccharides and other compounds.

They have antispasmodic and sedative properties.

The pharmacological industry offers the following products from valerian.

For its production, 70% ethyl alcohol is added to the crushed rhizomes and roots, resulting in a red-brown transparent liquid with a bitter-sweet taste and a characteristic odor. The drug is sold in bottles 25, 30 and 50 ml. This form is used in children over the age of 1 year.

Each one contains 20 mg valerian extract supplemented with starch, gelatin, sodium hydroxycarbonate and other compounds. One pack includes 20 or 50 small round yellow pills. This form is prescribed by pediatricians to children who have turned. 3 years.

It is presented packaged rhizomes in the amount of 1.5 grams per 1 package. One pack includes 10 or 20 bags. In addition, boxes are sold in which raw bulk materials are placed in the amount of 35 or 50 grams. Like tincture, such valerian is allowed for children. older than a year.

Most often, valerian is used as a sedative.

Preparations from this plant are in demand for:

• Neurasthenia or neurosis, which manifests with frequent headaches, poor sleep, irritability, dizziness and other symptoms.
• Hyperactivity in which the child can not focus on the specific action, restless, loud, behaves noisy and moves a lot.
• Insomnia, especially if it is associated with an excess of emotions during the day or significant physical exertion.
• Increased nervous excitability, when the child reacts very emotionally, is very worried about any reason, is overly vulnerable and his mood often changes.
• Headaches, if they are not associated with viral or other infectious diseases.
• Tachycardia.
• Hysteria
• Bad appetite.
• Spasms of the stomach, intestines, or vessels.

Valerian should not take:

1. With severe pathologies of the digestive tract.
2. With individual intolerance.
3. With inflammation of the kidneys.
4. When treated with other sedatives.

Do not be considered a valerian harmless medicine, because it is based on natural raw materials. Like other herbal remedies, these drugs have various side effects.

While taking pills or tincture of valerian, you may experience:

• Allergic rash or swelling.
• Lethargy
• Drowsiness.
• Depressed mood.
• Reduced performance.
• Constipation.

In some children, the intake of valerian can lead to quite the opposite effects - the child becomes restless, excitable, cries and screams. In such a situation, the medication is immediately canceled.

• In case of fright or other nervous shock, valerian can be given to the baby once without the consent of the doctor. If the child is required to give such a sedative for a long time, consultation with a pediatrician is obligatory.
• The tincture is given to a child older than a year by adding the right amount of drops to a spoonful of plain water. To determine how many drops you need to give a particular child, you need to know the age of the baby, because for each year of life take one drop of the drug. This means that only two drops of tincture are given to babies at the age of 2, and at 4 years a single dose will be 4 drops of this medicine.
• Tablets give 30 minutes before meals, offering to drink plenty of water. The frequency of reception of this form of valerian - to 3 once a day. For a child aged 3-5 years, one half of a tablet is taken at one time, and from 5-7 years a single tablet will already be a single dosage.
• Dried valerian in tea bags is brewed for children 1-6 years old in the proportion of 1 bag for 2 glasses of water, after which the drink is given in a teaspoon before bedtime (when the child goes to bed). Children over 6 years old can brew one packet of herbal tea with only one glass of water, and the portion of the resulting drink will be from 50 before 100 ml. In this case, tea can be drunk not only at night, but also during the day (for example, if a child has high emotional stress).

Brewing for bathing can be the roots and rhizomes of valerian, which are sold in a dried form in a pharmacy. To do this, take a handful of dry raw materials, pour 3-5 liters of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. The resulting infusion is filtered and added to the water for the bath. If desired, along with valerian, you can brew other plants, such as chamomile, tutsan or sequence, but there should be no more than four.

A dry plant can also be replaced with valerian essential oil. His dosage per bath for a child of 1-2 years is 1-2 drops, and a child over two years old - 3 drops. Since such an oil does not dissolve in water, it is first dripped onto the bath salt for children, and only after mixing is dipped in water.

In addition, it is important to know that valerian baths should not be done daily. Only 1-3 of these water procedures per week are enough, and the duration of the first bathing should not exceed 5 minutes.

The use of valerian in mom's children is mostly good. They confirm that baths with the infusion of such a plant soothe children and promote good sleep, and tablets and drops help with feelings and insomnia. Side effects on such a plant are rare and are often presented with allergies or drowsiness.

Instead of valerian preparations, other medicines with a calming effect can be used.

This herbal preparation is allowed from the age of 3.

Such a homeopathic remedy in drops based on zinc, phosphorus, chamomile and other components valerianate can also be given to children over 3 years old.

The composition of this solution includes extracts from different plants (lemon balm, hops, valerian, passionflower, etc.). The drug is allowed from 12 years.

With what other diseases in children and adults the variant is used can be found in the following video.