On Thanksgiving, Coraline broke her foot. She was trying to keep up with her six-year-old cousin who had made a game out of jumping from a three-foot-tall firewood box onto the hardwood floor. There are few things in this life Coraline likes more than jumping, and so of course she thought it was a great idea to join in. She jumped, landed, and screamed. Though they initially told us at the ER she would have to be in the cast and non-weight bearing for four weeks, the pediatric orthopedist pardoned us from that misery a few days later and put her in a walking cast. All parties involved are much happier, especially Coraline who can run and jump and play while she heals.
There’s very little you can do for a broken bone except cast it and wait it out. Luckily, because their bones are still so soft, kids’ breaks heal quickly. But they still hurt, and there are some natural ways to address the pain, some more interesting than others. Arnica is a popular homeopathic remedy for soft-tissue injury and bruising that can also help ease pain, reduce swelling, and promote healing in the early stages of fractures; it can be taken orally, or topically in the form of a gel or lotion. Today I learned that raw cabbage is another powerful treatment for breaks, bruising, and a whole lot more, including engorged breasts and bird flu. I was advised to make a cold compress for Coraline out of crushed cabbage leaves to speed the healing process. I’m going to give it a go. Of course, my little daredevil will probably balk at the idea of wrapping cabbage around her foot and suggest we make coleslaw instead.
What’s the strangest home remedy you’ve ever heard? And does it work?
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