Not all modern parents decide to use propolis to treat their children and strengthen their immunity. The fact is that for a long time it was believed that the high risk of developing a severe allergy to this beekeeping product outweighs the therapeutic effect of taking it.
Pediatricians were also wary of propolis. In fact, the fears are somewhat exaggerated. Propolis, when used correctly and correctly, can work wonders.
Propolis is a beekeeping product that insects use to disinfect the hives and seal the holes in their tray. It is sticky, resinous, from green to dark brown - the color depends on the type of plant from which the bees collected the sticky substance.
Propolis contains more than 200 organic compounds - amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals. For medicinal purposes, it began to be used in ancient Egypt. In the Middle Ages, with the help of bee glue (this is the second name for propolis), severe bronchial ailments were healed, and it was used for pain relief. Our great-grandmothers in Russia generally knew at least several dozen ways to use propolis for healing.
Of course, not right away, but propolis was still recognized by official medicine, and now in pharmacies you can buy propolis tincture, ointments and sprays containing bee glue, propolis in tablets, capsules. There is propolis in the form of rectal suppositories. Increasingly, manufacturers of soap, toothpastes, and some food products are talking about the presence of propolis in their products.
The most popular form of propolis use is tincture. We will talk about its use for treating children today.
Medicinal properties and contraindications
Propolis tincture has a wide range of medicinal properties. Of the more than 200 compounds in its composition, scientists have so far managed to "decipher" only slightly more than 110. These are vitamins, mineral complexes, esters, fatty acids, enzymes, flavonoids and much more.
Propolis tincture has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral, analgesic effects. In addition, it normalizes metabolism and helps eliminate toxins.
- Terpenic acids, which are abundant in propolis tincture, have antifungal effect.
- Romnazin and acacetin contribute to the early healing of wounds and abrasions.
- Kaempferol is a natural antibiotic, as are cinnamic and caffeic acids.
- Tannins - actively resist a variety of viruses.
- Flavonoid substances are responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect.
Contraindications consist in a rather strong allergic effect that the drug can cause. This effect is due to the abundance of various active ingredients. Therefore, it is forbidden to take propolis tincture to a newborn, one-year-old child, and if the baby has a tendency to allergies, then the tincture cannot be used by children under 3 years old.
Tincture of propolis for a child
Propolis is poorly soluble in water, but it does it perfectly with alcohol. However, an aqueous solution of propolis also takes place, and is actively used to treat children.
Modern pharmacists offer two types of propolis alcohol tincture, differing in the concentration of raw materials. Tincture 20% is used mainly for the treatment of adults. But the 10% option is quite suitable for children.
You can also cook it at home. To do this, 10 grams. solid raw materials (propolis) will need 100 gr. medical alcohol. It is necessary to infuse the resulting mixture for about 10 days in a tightly closed container in the dark. Shake the jar from time to time. Then the tincture will have to be filtered through two or three layers of gauze and poured into a glass container. Store the resulting drug in a closed refrigerator. The shelf life of propolis tincture is long - about 5 years.
An aqueous propolis tincture is prepared in the same proportions - 10 grams of propolis per 100 ml of boiled water. Before use, the water must be cooled to 50 degrees. Insist for at least a day. The water solution of bee glue can be 10%, 20% and 30%. Accordingly, the dose of raw materials will increase: for a 20% solution - 20 g, for a 30% solution - 30 g.
To prepare the tincture yourself, you need to be confident in the quality of the raw materials. Such confidence can only be among those who are engaged in bee breeding themselves or are familiar with beekeepers. The rest of the parents should be very careful about the proposals for the sale of propolis, especially on the Internet. According to the reviews of moms and dads, it is much easier to buy a ready-made tincture at a pharmacy, especially since it costs a little - no more than 50 rubles.
Pediatric dosage
For children, propolis tincture for any disease is given in a certain dosage, which directly depends on the child's age. It is quite simple to calculate it - 1 drop of tincture - for one year of a baby's life. If the child is 4 years old, then no more than 4 drops can be given to him as a single dose, after adding them to a spoonful of water or milk. If the baby is 6 years old, a single dose will be 6 drops.
If you decide to give your child propolis, then you need to start with honey. This bee product acts more mildly, and if allergies do not appear, you can switch to propolis.
Before the first use, a test for allergies should be done - a little tincture of bee glue should be applied to the child's elbow with a cotton swab. If redness and itching do not appear in this place in a day, propolis is not contraindicated for the baby.
The first dose does not have to be a full curative dose. If the baby is 5 years old, then he should be given 5 drops of tincture. Try giving it 2 drops. The next day - 3. If there is no allergy, you can proceed to the recommended therapeutic dose.
Instructions for use
Immunity
Most often, propolis is given to children to strengthen the immune system. This is especially true during periods of seasonal increase in the incidence of viral infections. For the prevention of influenza and SARS, it is enough to give the little one its age dose three times a day, mixing the tincture with one spoon of boiled water. It is better to do this before meals for half an hour.
You can repeat such preventive courses lasting 10-14 days twice a year - in autumn and spring.
For colds, the number of daily intake can be increased to five. Unlike medicinal antiviral agents, propolis tincture does not exert serious pressure on the child's immunity, does not force him to "work for three", does not cause side effects.
Cough
For a cough, a child can be given drops of alcoholic tincture of propolis, and drops of an aqueous tincture.
The most effective recipe for propolis with milk. Cooking is pretty simple. You need to boil a liter of milk and add 50-60 gr. solid raw material of propolis. Mix and strain everything. Store the milk drink in the refrigerator. A single dose is 2-3 tablespoons. For bronchitis, it is better to take three times a day, for whooping cough - up to 5 times a day. With a strong night cough, the last propolis intake should be half an hour before going to bed.
Runny nose
Rhinitis in children is common. With a cold, propolis is used both inside and in the nose. Drops of alcoholic tincture with water or milk are taken three times a day, and drops of tincture, diluted with saline solution 1:10, are dripped into the child's nasal passages at least twice a day.
Such procedures are especially useful for sinusitis, sinusitis, although the antimicrobial effect of propolis differs from that of pharmaceutical antibiotics. First of all, the fact that propolis does not destroy the beneficial microflora, as antibiotics do.
But in terms of its effect on bacteria, propolis is still somewhat inferior to traditional drops with antibiotics.
Angina
For the treatment of throat diseases, propolis tincture can be used in water and alcohol versions. Rinse your throat with a special solution.
To prepare it, you will need an incomplete tablespoon of alcohol tincture or two tablespoons of water. They need to be diluted in a half-liter jar of warm boiled water. Gargle with angina and adenoids 4-6 times a day. After the procedure, it is advisable not to eat or drink for at least 40 minutes.
Otitis
For the treatment of inflammation of the hearing organs, alcoholic extract of propolis is used. There are two ways to carry out the procedure: by wetting a tampon in undiluted infusion and laying it in each nostril for 3 minutes, or by instilling diluted drops of propolis tincture into sore ears. They should be diluted 1: 10.
Propolis, due to its excellent bactericidal properties, will not only fight the bacteria that caused otitis media, but also effectively relieve pain, and this is important for ear inflammation.
Stomatitis
For stomatitis, propolis tincture is an excellent antiseptic. 15 ml. infusion you need half a liter of boiled water. The resulting solution should rinse the mouth 5-6 times a day. Small children who cannot or refuse to rinse their mouths can be treated with cotton swabs. To do this, parents need to moisten them in an alcoholic infusion and gently cauterize the ulcers in the child's mouth.
Gastritis
If a child has a stomach ache or has problems with digestion, intestines, propolis tincture is diluted in the age dose (by the number of drops per child's age) in a tablespoon of low-fat milk. You need to give a baby to drink such a drug twice a day, half an hour before meals.
Cystitis and thrush
Propolis has an anti-inflammatory effect, and therefore it can be used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system.
With cystitis, a child can be given propolis tincture in an age dose 3-4 times a day, in parallel prepare him a solution for a sitz bath. 25 ml. alcohol tincture of propolis is added to 5 liters of water. It can be used to wash or add a solution to the water for a sedentary warm bath. The procedure is similarly carried out for thrush on the genitals in children.
Wounds and burns
Propolis tincture is a good antiseptic, and it also promotes wound healing. For topical application, it is not necessary to dilute the propolis infusion with water; it is enough to apply it with a cotton pad or swab on the affected area of the body.
Trauma
For sprains and bruises, propolis tincture is used in a pure undiluted form. A compress is applied to the sore spot. Change the propolis dressing every 4 hours.
Toothache
Propolis, due to its analgesic action, can relieve mild toothache, but is unable to eliminate its causes. You still can't do without the help of a dentist, but temporary relief will come if a cotton swab is moistened with propolis infusion with alcohol and applied to a sick tooth.
General recommendations
- Before using propolis to treat a child or strengthen his immunity, be sure to consult a pediatrician.
- In case of manifestations of allergy to propolis (itching, burning, redness of the skin, increased runny nose or the appearance of an allergic cough, edema, diarrhea, vomiting, headache), you should immediately stop treatment with bee glue and seek help from an allergist.
- With care, you need to give propolis tincture to children with liver and kidney diseases.
In this video you will see that honey with propolis for immunity for children is useful!
