Can motherwort be given to children?

The herb motherwort has been used for its calming effects in traditional medicine for a very long time. Many parents are concerned about the safety of this plant for their kids, as it is frequently used to treat stress and anxiety. Before deciding to use it as a treatment for your children, it’s critical to be aware of both the possible advantages and disadvantages.

Motherwort has been said to have calming properties for adults, but it can have very different effects on kids. Given the differences in adult bodies and metabolisms, what is safe and effective for adults may not always be appropriate or suitable for children. This article will discuss whether or not it is wise to give motherwort to kids and, if so, how to use it sensibly.

Question	Answer
Is it safe to give motherwort to children?	Generally, motherwort is not recommended for young children without a doctor"s advice.
At what age can children take motherwort?	Some sources suggest it may be safe for children over 12, but always consult a doctor first.
Can motherwort calm children?	Motherwort is known for its calming effects, but it should only be used under medical supervision for children.
Are there risks?	Yes, side effects like drowsiness or allergies can occur. Always check with a healthcare professional.
How should motherwort be administered?	If prescribed, it can be given in liquid or tablet form, but the dosage must be carefully followed.

What is it

A common medicinal plant in Russia is motherwort. It can be found in Siberia and the Caucasus, as well as almost all of the country’s central regions, in wastelands and beside roads.

Only the leaves and stems of the plant are harvested; the roots and flowers are not used medicinally. During the summer, when motherwort blooms, raw materials are gathered and dried, as this is when the highest concentration of beneficial compounds builds up in its foliage. The plant’s composition:

• Alkaloids. The plant contains several of them at once (stachydrine, leonurine). Their presence makes motherwort a fairly powerful antidepressant.
• Tannins. The presence of tannin, in particular, gives motherwort anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and restorative properties.
• Essential oil. This component of the plant affects the blood vessels of the brain and heart, gently and quickly relieving spasms.
• Carotene. Provides antioxidant action.
• Ascorbic acid. Vitamin C gives motherwort additional benefits for use against vascular diseases.
• Steroid and flavonoid glycosides. Thanks to them, motherwort has a pronounced sedative or anti-inflammatory effect.

Release forms

Motherwort is easy to prepare on your own. It is gathered between June and August. It is not appropriate to mow grass that is growing near roads, inside city limits, or next to solid waste and landfills. Stem motherwort in a well-ventilated, dry area to prevent direct sunlight from damaging the raw ingredients. The plant’s leaves and stems can be kept in a paper bag or cardboard box for up to three years after drying.

Purchasing a ready-made pharmacy collection of the plant is considerably simpler. There are always affordable 50 g packs of dry herbs available. Motherwort Forte is a herbal preparation available in tablet form from the company "Evalar." Pharmacists also sell motherwort tincture, a small glass bottle containing 25 milliliters of alcohol that is sold in pharmacies. Drops of motherwort extract are placed in tiny glass bottles.

Application for children

All forms of motherwort release come with usage instructions that explicitly state that children under the age of twelve should not be given this medicinal plant. As many mothers will attest, motherwort is actually used almost immediately after the baby is born.

The general strategy used by manufacturers with regard to herbal medicine is the source of the contradiction. Pharmacists are not legally permitted to state that their product is approved for use by children because the effects of different herbs and roots on a child’s body have not been thoroughly investigated, i.e., special clinical studies on children have not been carried out.

It is standard practice to advise against giving motherwort to infants younger than one year old for external use, such as baths. A doctor’s approval is required before a 2-year-old can consume a homemade water infusion or decoction made from this plant. You can start bathing your child when they are 3–4 years old by adding an alcohol tincture of motherwort. A child as young as five years old is able to swallow an alcohol tincture that has been dissolved in a few drops of juice or water. Children as young as six years old can take motherwort extract, and as young as seven or eight years old can take the medication in tablets.

Instructions for use

Motherwort has a wide range of applications. Children under the following circumstances may be prescribed the medication:

• A state of severe stress.
• Hyperactivity syndrome.
• Sleep disorder.
• Anxiety during teething.
• VSD – vegetative-vascular dystonia.
• Anxiety attacks, panic, excessive capriciousness and a tendency to hysteria.
• Various diseases of the nervous system.
• Immunodeficiency, weakening of the nervous system due to a long-term illness.
• Headaches.
• Formation and periods of menstrual cycle failures in teenage girls.
• "Restless child" syndrome.

Watch the video below to learn about motherwort’s health benefits and application techniques.

Dosage and method of administration

One characteristic of motherwort and preparations made from it is that the dosage recommended for a given age is, in reality, conditional, approximate, and average. The pediatrician can prescribe both doses that are significantly less and doses that exceed average values based on the baby’s diagnosis and the severity of his problem.

Motherwort forte

Since this medication can seriously impair a developing body, self-medication with this type of motherwort ought to be totally avoided. Children between the ages of seven and eight will typically take one tablet three times per day. On the other hand, the doctor might suggest taking two doses if the stuttering is very severe or requires complicated treatment. Additionally, it is frequently advised to take just one tablet before bedtime in the event of frequent headaches or sleep disorders.

Alcohol tincture

This dosage form, like all medications containing ethyl alcohol, is not appropriate for small children. As a result, the medication is used in water procedures. You can add motherwort tincture to baths for kids three years old and up. To achieve this, mix no more than 20 drops per 10 liters of water in the bath water that has been prepared once a day, an hour before bedtime. You shouldn’t soak in one of these for too long. Bathing should begin with five minutes (the initial procedure) and be increased gradually to fifteen minutes. The therapy lasts for roughly one month. Then you ought to take a rest without a doubt.

It is occasionally permitted for children as young as five to consume alcohol tincture orally. Such a need typically develops when a child stutters frequently, has "restless child" syndrome, or needs emergency assistance when they are extremely stressed, afraid, or shocked. In this instance, the dosage shouldn’t be more than one drop of tincture per half-glass of warm juice, compote, or sweet tea. Such a drink should be given two or three times a day.

Motherwort extract

This medication is available in tablet and drop form. As we discovered, children as young as 4–5 years old can take drops, but the solid form can only be taken starting at age 8. One drop administered three times a day is the typical dosage for children with nervous disorders. There are handy dispensers for the bottles.

Motherwort herb

An amazing herbal cure that you should have in your home medicine cabinet from the moment the baby is born. It comes in sachets and cardboard packs in pharmacies. Parents are free to select the format that works best for them.

You can make motherwort tinctures or decoctions for use in baths for newborns. You will need 200 g of water and 1 teaspoon of dry collection to make a decoction. Pour boiling (pre-cooled to 80 degrees) water over the motherwort. After submerging the container, leave it in a water bath for approximately thirty minutes. When bathing a baby, the decoction that is left over is mixed with the water.

You will need the same quantity of water and grass for the tincture. After adding the plant materials and bringing the water to a temperature of approximately 90%, cover the container and allow it to steep for approximately forty minutes. It is also intended to add the final product to water. One-year-olds can benefit from the addition of another medicinal plant, such as oregano or lemon balm, to the infusion. Single-component herbal compositions are best for a newborn.

Children as young as two years old can take motherwort decoction and infusion orally. Three times a day, two teaspoons is the typical dosage. In actual practice, physicians attempt to steer clear of this kind of care unless the case is exceptionally complicated or severe.

Contraindications

Astute parents are aware that not all products derived from plants are suitable for a child’s body. Take motherwort with extreme caution.

It may cause a child’s allergies. It is advisable to conduct a test before the child’s first bath using this product. Apply a few drops of the prepared decoction or infusion to the back of the child’s hand. Motherwort can be used if, after one hour, there is no rash or redness.

When taking a product made from this plant internally for the first time, start with a dose three times lower than what is advised. You can resume taking the medication as usual if, after a day, there is no reaction.

Children with congenital heart defects, severe heart rhythm abnormalities, hypotension, acute atopic dermatitis, and a propensity for a severe allergic reaction to plant components should not take motherwort in any form.

It is not appropriate to use motherwort as a preventative. You shouldn’t give a child a motherwort bath if he is peaceful and sleeps well because the herb’s "for future use" effect does not spread and it will not benefit from needless stress on a healthy nervous system.

When to see a doctor?

If you are using motherwort to treat your child’s nervous breakdowns and increased excitability, you should be aware that a child between the ages of three and five may typically have one or two tantrums per month. The child’s mind "drops" extra stress in this way. It is not necessary to give motherwort in these circumstances.

However, in the event that tantrums become more frequent, are accompanied by intense aggression, attempts at self-harm (such as biting or banging one’s head against walls), and no discernible improvement is seen after taking motherwort for a month, it is time to see a pediatrician, neurologist, and child psychologist.

In the upcoming video, Dr. Komarovsky will go over the signs of hyperactivity in children and how it impacts the nervous system.

Motherwort is frequently given to children by their adolescent mothers because hormonal shifts brought on by an increase in schoolwork lead to inappropriate behavior in kids. Medicinal plants won’t help your adolescent if he doesn’t feel better after taking the medication for a few months or if he is extremely depressed and hopeless. Other resources are required. See a physician.

You should cease taking motherwort right away and see a doctor if your child’s symptoms worsen, he becomes even more agitated, sweats profusely, or he exhibits mild tremors in his fingers.

In addition, you will require hospitalization following an allergic reaction. Motherwort typically causes gastrointestinal problems, skin rashes, and in rarer instances, lacrimation, which entails swelling of the eyelids and nasopharynx. It is not acceptable to use the medication further.

Motherwort is a natural herb that is frequently used to help with stress and anxiety, but it’s important to exercise caution when giving it to young children. Although some people think it can help kids relax, doctors advise consulting one first because there isn’t enough information on the herb’s safety for young children and potential negative effects. Prioritize expert medical advice above all else when it comes to natural child remedies.

General recommendations

• You should not give motherwort preparations in the first half of the day, this will cause drowsiness and lethargy in the child during the day. It is better to do this starting in the afternoon.
• You cannot give motherwort to school-age children before exams, tests and other important events. The sedative effect of the plant can cause absent-mindedness, inability to concentrate, excessive relaxation.

It’s crucial to use caution when administering motherwort to youngsters. Although it has historically been used to soothe and relieve stress, each child is unique, so what works for adults might not always be appropriate for younger children.

Before giving any herbal remedy, including motherwort, to children, always get medical advice. Their guidance will help guarantee that it’s suitable for your child’s particular needs and safe.

While natural remedies have their uses, they should never take the place of appropriate medical care. Put your child’s welfare first and seek professional advice when making decisions.

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