Did it help? I don’t know. Maybe the stinging and burning distracted me from my ailment.

Given that I tend to steer clear of chemical-based products, especially ones on my children’s skin, and that I promised myself that I wouldn’t torture my kids with such treatment as my mom did me, I began to seek alternatives.

I came up dry. Other than the “No Name” versions of Vicks, that is. One thing that I noticed that they all had in common was their warnings not to use the products on infants or children under 2. This got me wondering why and here is what I found.

A case reported in Clinical Toxology 44:357-370, 2006 (http://www.aapcc.org/archive/FinalizedPMGdlns/camphor.pdf)  reported a case of a 2 month old infant hospitalized for an unrelated illness was discovered to have camphor poisoning due to repeated use of Vicks.

Vicks is made from menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, thymol and turpentine oil suspended in a beeswax base.

Camphor, the active ingredient, is dangerous if ingested. Historically it has been used as an aphrodisiac, contraceptive, abortifcient, analeptic, lactation suppressant, cardiac and central nervous system stimulant, cold remedy, muscle and joint liniment, and rodent repellent. Important to note that Camphor poisoning symptoms include stomach ache,  nausea, vomiting, irritability, and seizures.

While I realize that reactions from exposure on the skin are rare, I think that if I can avoid the stuff, I will.

So the question remained, what do I use instead? Well, I got my answer when we began working with a new Canadian company called Broody Chick. Broody Chick has a line of natural skin care products that includes one my my new faves and a mom-must-have, Sniffs and Snuffles (Canadian link and USA link).

Steph, creator of Sniffs and Snuffles, “wanted to create a salve or balm that could be rubbed onto baby, the act of gently rubbing a baby’s chest or back is very soothing itself, but if the balm contained very gentle decongestants that would calm and soother irritated airways and realse nasal and chest congestion, then all the better.”

Here is Steph’s description of the ingredients she lovingly selected, “The balm itself is a blend of coconut oil, bees wax, macadamia oil and vitamin E ,this melds together to form a light,readily absorbed base. The oils I choose to incorporate are all safe to use on young children and have no contraindications (in the percentages I use them in). Eucalyptus blue gum, or fever tree, as it is also known,a traditional oil used for respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and croup, Frankincense used medicinally in the east and west for respiratory infections, Indian myrrh used for its ability to ease asthma, coughs, the common cold and catarrh and Ravensara for its ability to assist with respiratory problems colds and flu, sinusitis and lung infections.

The oils were all chosen not only for they’re therapeutic qualities but when blended together they create a wonderful calming and soothing aroma that doesn’t over power the senses and it actually does work!!!!!!

All of the Broody Chick skin care range has been created with this kind of fore thought, the best possible ingredients combined with the best possible therapeutic benefits of pure essential oils.”

Both Corina and I have used it on our entire families and the stuff just plain works! I rub some on my kids’ chests and backs, especially at night time when they are congested, and they sleep WAY better than without. One application seems to work all night long.

My whole household is sick with colds at the moment and I don’t know how we’d get on without the stuff! Thank you Steph and Broody Chick for a safe, effective, economical alternative!