Every parent is familiar with stomach aches and coughs in children. Quick help is needed to alleviate the offspring’s symptoms. Medicinal teas are little helpers for everyday life. However, the Lower Saxony Chamber of Pharmacists advises caution when making your selection.
First of all: What is the difference between medicinal teas and everyday food teas? Medicinal teas undergo strict controls and may only be called that if they meet the quality requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia. A herbal tea is not automatically a medicinal tea.
How to find the right tea
Parents should choose the specific type of tea taking into account the child’s symptoms and age, as certain teas are not suitable for small children.
This includes, among other things, peppermint tea, which is only recommended for children aged six and over for stomach cramps. Anise, caraway or chamomile, on the other hand, can help even younger children with stomach pain and flatulence.
For colds and coughs, thyme tea is suitable for children aged one year and over. According to the Chamber of Pharmacists, you can drink a cup of it up to three times a day.
Be careful with fennel tea
The European Medicines Agency advises against fennel tea for children under the age of four. And according to the authorities, children up to the age of eleven should only drink it sparingly.
Background: Fennel teas can contain high amounts of the substance estragole, which is considered to be liver-damaging and carcinogenic.
In general, when choosing the right medicinal tea, parents should take into account the manufacturer’s information on the recommended age and dosage, advises the Lower Saxony Chamber of Pharmacists.
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