Baby Talk May2019

Baby & Toddler
Health & Medical Diary
How do they differ from the
mainstream?
The main difference with complementary medicine and
conventional medicine lies in its philosophical approach.
Alternative and/or complementary therapies place a high
priority on health promotion and illness prevention. The
various healing practices that fit within the classification of
complementary therapies share common beliefs, such as:
The terms ‘complementary therapy’ and ‘alternative therapy’
are used to refer to any healing practice that does not fall
within the realm of conventional medicine. They may also be
referred to as traditional, natural, holistic or complementary
medicine. Complementary therapies are used with
conventional medicine, whereas alternative therapies are used
in place of conventional medicine.
Why parents seek treatment for
their babies
Be it conventional medical treatment or an alternative one,
parents usually seek help for their babies for the following:
Digestion issues
Pain
Unexplained fussiness
Restlessness
Fevers
Colds
Weak immune system
Complementary and/or alternative therapies have the
potential to resolve many physical ailments and may reduce
the risk of future problems developing. However, parent do
need to realise that the benefits they offer are not always
immediately identifiable.
• Disease and disorders are manifestations of an imbalance
in the body’s natural homeostatic processes.
• The human body has an inherent ability to cure itself given
the right conditions.
• Many illnesses and disorders could be prevented if the
body is supported to function at its optimal capacity.
• All body systems are interrelated; therefore, in order to
effectively resolve a problem in one area of the body, it’s
necessary to treat the body as a whole. This is referred to
as a ‘holistic’ approach.
Therapies that may be used to reduce irritability in babies
include:
Chiropractics;
Osteopathy;
Cranio-sacral therapy;
Herbal medicine;
Naturopathy;
Infant massage;
Acupressure;
Reflexology; and
Aromatherapy.
Conventional medicine
Conventional medicine, also known as modern or
mainstream, is the dominant medical/health system in
developed nations. Conventional medicine uses a symptombased
approach to diagnose and treat illnesses, diseases and
disorders after symptoms become apparent.
Treatments recommended to relieve infant irritability may
include:
• Medications;
• Dietary change, i.e. hypoallergenic formula, thickened
feeds;
• Maternal dietary restrictions in the case of breastfed
babies;
• Special infant feeding equipment, including feeding tubes.
BabyTalk | May 2019 21