It's terrible when we see our little ones in pain and of course we want to do everything we can for them. Luckily there are some simple home remedies we can use to bring some relief.

There are several herbs which can be made up as simple teas, with a little honey, not sugar, if necessary. If you feed them with a spoon, the child will relate it to having had some medicine. This will give him a feeling of confidence that you are in control of the situation, that something is being done. Many of these are lovely plants and easy to grow in your garden or in pots on your window sill.

The most popular herb for stomach pains in very young children is roman chamomile. It is slightly bitter but there is a variety called 'pineapple chamomile' which is much sweeter but harder to find. Chamomile is generally soothing for mild griping pains and has the added bonus of being very mildly sedative.

Next favourite would be peppermint. Peppermint is very good for settling a dodgy tummy but can be harsh for little ones. Either make the tea weak or use spearmint or applemint instead.

Ginger is warming and soothing for stomach pains associated with colds and is a great immune system supporter as well. Use fresh ginger. About a cube inch chopped finely and steeped in a pint of boiling water will be fine. It tastes wonderful with honey too.

Lemon balm is very soothing for stomach pains related to nerves. It is great as a regular drink for children who tend to be very excitable.

Fennel is the classic herb to use for colic in babies and it is useful for the same in toddlers. You can buy proprietary gripe water or you can steep fennel seed in boiling water.

Another, more controversial, tummy soother is whisky or brandy. One teaspoon of half spirit, half warm water, can work wonders.

These remedies are only of use as temporary soothers. If there is an underlying problem it will need to be addressed as well. The most common reasons for stomach pains in toddlers are related to their diet, sleep and exercise patterns. You may need to give attention to any one or all of these factors, perhaps with the guidance of your doctor. Your instincts will tell you when it is time to get help. Never ever feel that you are wasting the doctor's time with a false emergency. They are the experts and they are prepared to give time to reassure you, it's part of their job.

Occasionally young children go through phases of getting a lot of mystery tummy aches. If your doctor cannot find a concrete cause for chronic tummy pains it is likely to be for one of the following two reasons.

There are lymphatic glands in the abdomen which can be a bit over active so that whenever your toddler is poorly, his tummy will hurt. If this is the case then regular teas of ginger and lemon balm are a good idea. You can also support your toddlers immune system with vitamin c (preferably in the form of lots of fruit). Echinacea is another good one but use caution. Buy a proprietary form and read the instructions carefully. Garlic is wonderful for boosting the immune system and fighting off infection but is difficult to give to a toddler. Some kids find it acceptable if minced very finely in a toasted cheese sandwich. Garlic bread is also popular.

Some children get tummy aches when they are under stress in the same way that others will get rashes. Use the herbal teas, address the child's general level of health and cut down on stress in his environment.

One final note. If all else fails and your child can't sleep and you've already seen the doctor, good old paracetemol syrup almost always brings relief.

Learn more about this author, Briar Shaw.
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