In our species it is normal to contract respiratory system infections in the first few years of our lives.
When we are born, we have fully developed resistance to things that we may ingest or which may infect us through damage to our skin.
However we don't take our first breath until we leave the womb, and although piggy backing on our mother's immunity through breast milk, initially protects us, this only lasts for 6 months. Then this protection switches off and we are left to develop our own immunity to the multitude of bugs that we are exposed to in our air.
This is all as it should be, and the experience that parents have of their children getting lots of infections during their early teething is also how is should be.
We were provided with the caring instincts and herbs that we were meant to use to help our babies over these first few years while their own immune system develops to maturity. Properly encouraged and supported, by the age of around 7 years, our children should be able to throw off even a pretty severe respiratory infection after a fever and illness of 2 or 3 days maximum.
We used to give rosehips syrup, hot lemon drinks and all sorts of gargles and poultices made from herbs to help our systems fight the infections and emerge stronger with each exposure.
Needless to say, through intervention in every infection with antibiotics and every fever with aspirin, we have subverted this normal process. Many members of the last three generations have never really developed their own immunity at all well and have poor defence against infection and illness all their lives.
Some folk seem to be more prone to Sinus and Ear Infections, others to Throat and Chest Infections and there are many simple home remedies, which we can use to assist in general. The herbs Lemon, Garlic, Rosehips, Fenugreek and Thyme cover the whole range of possible weaknesses pretty well and all should be included in all children's diets.
In particular, to treat a case of a patient with Bronchitis or an Infection/ Inflammation of the Bronchial Tubes in the chest I make up a herbal combination of: Yarrow, Garlic, Rosehips, Ginger, Elecampane, Marshmallow, Golden Seal, Thyme and Nettle with the Back Flower Remedies Olive and Chestnut Bud.
This mixture given three times daily in a hot Rosehips and Lemon drink will quickly clear a case of Bronchitis and, if continued for 3 or 4 weeks after the symptoms have gone, will build up the immunity and heal the linings of the Bronchioles dramatically.
This sort of course may be repeated as frequently as you need until your own, or your child's bronchitis is a thing of the past.
It is as simple as that.
