An Anthroposophical Approach to Childhood Illnesses

By Kaye Keats

Modern medicine has made huge advances in eradicating disease and easing suffering, however, the general health and vitality of our children seems to be declining and there appears to be a shift to more chronic and allergic illnesses and less of the inflammatory illnesses of childhood.

If we look at the different stages of life, we see that illnesses of childhood and those of old age are polarities. In childhood, external heat and inflammations, acute fevers and contagious diseases predominate, while in later life the colder illnesses predominate with deteriorating and more chronic hardening conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis and tumours being the norm. It is becoming apparent that too much emphasis on preventing childhood illnesses can bring about a tendency to develop prematurely the diseases of old age.

Early childhood is the time of the most rapid growth and change and a child will attempt to remodel his physical body many times, breaking down the inherited structure through fever and illness in order to rebuild it anew and imbue it with his own individuality. Childhood illnesses promote the whole development of the child, working from above to below to support the healthy incarnation of body, soul and spirit. In this sense, fever can be seen as the instrument of the ego.

Traditional cultures have long recognized that fevers and purging, and the discharge of pus, mucus and rashes, is a healing response to the underlying illness. Giving fever suppressant medication will only suppress toxins that need to be eliminated, and healing only occurs when these toxins have been fully discharged and digested by the body.

The body’s immune system is designed to fight infection, but also to recognize foreign substances as allergens. With the advent of vaccines however, the immune system is no longer working to fight off life-threatening diseases such as polio and measles, and due to antibiotics, the immune system in the young child is no longer working in the way it was in the past, in fighting common bacterial infections. As a result, the immune system has shifted away from fighting infection to developing more allergic tendencies.

Anthroposophical Medicine takes a cautious view of vaccinations, especially against the classic childhood illnesses, which are seen as an important instrument in dealing with the individual child’s destiny and karma. If a child is treated with vaccination or antibiotics, the external nature of the illness will be eliminated, but it is then important to deal with the karmic effects of the illness in an ongoing way, through the fostering of a spiritual life and education for the child.

Anthroposophical remedies help support the child during times of fever and illness. They promote the cleansing process and help the illness work its way out of the body, supporting not only the bodily functions, but also the soul and spiritual development, which encourages true healing. Convalescence is an important element of this, otherwise children may become more prone to complications or infections later on.

Through anthroposophical nursing therapies and home nursing courses, parents can learn the importance and effectiveness of old-fashioned but time-honoured remedies, including compresses and poultices, herbal teas, and therapeutic touch. These are all home measures that can be learned and used to support and guide our children back to health, along with a simple, organic wholefood diet and a warm, quiet and nurturing environment. Being able to holistically nurse your child back to vitality and health is one of the most rewarding aspects of parenthood, and it is imperative that parents once again feel empowered and encouraged to care for their children at home.

“To foster overall physical and spiritual health in our children we need to stop seeing illness as the aggressor and children as helpless victims. Children become ill in their own individual way and each illness will have a meaningful part to play in their biography and development.” (Dr Philip Incao, ‘The Reason for Childhood Illnesses”, 2001, Anthromed Library, www.anthromed.org)

[This article is a written synthesis of the author’s understanding of the topic through her readings, course work, experience and practice.]