The use of camphor alcohol in the treatment of children

For many years, people have utilized camphor alcohol as a natural cure for a variety of illnesses, including pediatric conditions. It comes from the camphor tree and is widely used to relieve pain and reduce swelling because of its inherent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Parents who have symptoms like sore muscles, coughs, and earaches frequently use camphor alcohol. Even though it might work in some circumstances, it’s crucial to use caution when applying it, particularly to young people. Overuse or misuse can cause irritability or unintended side effects.

This article will examine the possible advantages and disadvantages of applying camphor alcohol in pediatric treatments and offer recommendations for its safe and efficient use.

What is it?

The majority of essential oils contain camphor, a volatile, colorless crystal with an overpowering scent that is found in nature. There are three ways to get camphor: semi-synthetically from fir oil, synthetically from processed turpentine products, and from the leaves of the camphor laurel plant. An alcoholic solution of camphor crystals is known as camphor alcohol. available in pharmacies in 25 and 40 ml glass bottles.

Instructions for use

The medication enhances blood circulation, reduces inflammation, kills microorganisms, and eases itching. It is limited to external use. Adults apply it topically for muscle and joint pain, compress it for headaches, drip it into their ears for otitis media, and rub it on their temples.

Can children?

Children can use camphor alcohol, but only very sparingly and with extreme caution. The truth is that camphor is a toxic substance that can make a child with a weakened immune system experience severe allergies. For this reason, it is strictly forbidden for children under the age of two to use the alcohol solution of this medication.

In all cases, alcohol instillation is contraindicated for ears with childhood otitis. Regardless of what the all-knowing proponents of alternative medicine suggest online, this should not be done. Children may receive a compress containing this medication if they have an inflammatory process in their ears. Nevertheless, you have to see a doctor before using it.

The medication should not be used in any way if the eardrum is damaged, as camphor alcohol can enter the inner ear deeply and result in serious issues that could lead to total deafness.

Independently determining the membrane’s integrity is not possible; a restoralologist with specialized equipment for diagnosing such conditions must perform the examination.

It is not permitted to use pure, undiluted alcohol to treat otitis. The medication needs to be diluted 1:2 with water or saline, or 1:3 if the child is small (between the ages of 2 and 4).

In some cases, children are allowed to put cotton swabs soaked in diluted camphor alcohol into the sore ear. We will tell you how to do this below. Sometimes the drug is used as a cough rub. In this case, it must be remembered that the child should never inhale toxic camphor vapors. Cough can only be treated in this way for children aged 6 years and older, I repeat, with great caution! Remember that a nursing child should never be rubbed with camphor when coughing, even if it is diluted with water. Such procedures should also not be carried out if the young patient has a fever. Camphor has a warming effect and this at a temperature of 37.0 or 38.0 can greatly complicate the child"s condition. Camphor alcohol is allowed (with safety precautions) to treat acne in adolescents, and also to make compresses with this remedy on the sore spot in case of sprains and severe bruises.

Although it must be used carefully, children’s mild aches and pains have long been treated at home with camphor alcohol. Parents should be aware that while camphor alcohol can be soothing when applied externally, it can be dangerous if swallowed or used excessively, especially on young children. In order to guarantee safe application and prevent any risks related to camphor’s potent effects on the body, proper guidance from a healthcare professional is essential.

How to treat?

Ear compress

The drugstore preparation is diluted in half with water and heated to room temperature. The solution should not be cold or hot. Gauze, folded several times, is moistened in this composition, having previously made a hole in it for the ear. A wet compress is applied to the parotid region, the auricle should pass through the cut hole in the gauze. The structure is covered with a sheet of compress paper (sold in pharmacies), a hole is also made in it. The third layer is dry and sterile cotton wool, after which a multi-layer bandage for the ear is secured with a plaster or bandage wrapped over the head. The compress should not be applied at night. It should not be used at all if the child has a purulent inflammation of the ear, so as not to provoke the rapid spread of the infection.

Turundas in the ear

Twist turundas made of sterile cotton wool, then dip them into heated, diluted camphor alcohol. Only after you are certain that the medication does not leak or flow from the turunda should you insert it into the ear. It ought to be damp, but not drenched. The turunda is placed briefly, no longer than fifteen minutes. The contraindications for this method are the same as those for a compress because it also has a warming effect.

Rubbing

You need to dilute the camphor alcohol with water before rubbing the chest and back. Care should be taken during the procedure to avoid the volatile essential vapors of camphor from entering the respiratory tract by covering the child’s mouth and nose with a wet towel. To prevent allergic dermatitis, lubricate the skin beforehand with baby cream. Then, using light circular and arcuate motions, rub the heated solution from the center of the chest (or spine) to the ribs.

Cosmetic

If you use half-diluted camphor alcohol to wipe your face and neck area once a day, teenage acne will go away much faster.

Warming compresses for injuries

A bruise or sprain can be treated by applying gauze that has been soaked in camphor alcohol, "warming" it with cotton wool on top, and then securing it with an elastic bandage. Remember to apply baby cream or Vaseline oil to the skin before applying the compress.

Use Description
Ear infections Camphor alcohol can help reduce pain when applied around the ear, but should never be used inside the ear canal.
Cough relief Applied to the chest, it can help ease coughing by creating a warming sensation.
Muscle pain Massaging camphor alcohol on sore muscles can provide temporary relief from discomfort.
Skin irritations It can be used to treat minor skin irritations, but avoid using on open wounds.

Although generations of people have used camphor alcohol as a traditional remedy, care must be taken when administering it to young patients. Although it can alleviate some symptoms, its use needs to be carefully considered because of the risks involved, particularly for small children.

Be sure to get medical advice before giving your child camphor alcohol. This is crucial because treatments that are beneficial for adults might not always be safe for children, and if given improperly, some may even be harmful.

To ensure your child receives the best care possible, it’s worth talking to a doctor about the many other safer and more contemporary options that are currently available.

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Svetlana Kozlova

Family consultant and family relationship specialist. I help parents build trusting relationships with their children and each other. I believe that a healthy atmosphere in the home is the key to happiness and harmony, which I share in articles and recommendations.

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