Grapefruit Seed Extract for Children

Grapefruit seed extract is a supplement created from the pulp and the seeds of grapefruit 13. The extract is bottled as a liquid or available in pill form at health food stores and drug stores. Grapefruit seed extract liquid has a very bitter taste 13. Medically, grapefruit seed extract is taken as an alternative to antibiotics 13. Grapefruit seed extract also has anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties 13.

Usage

In children, grapefruit seed extract is used as a natural remedy by alternative medical practitioners to treat yeast infections such as thrush 13. Most mainstream medical doctors choose prescription anti-fungal medications to treat thrush. Thrush is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouths of breastfeeding infants. If your child has white patches inside of her mouth, especially on her cheeks and tongue, she may have thrush.

Dosage

Pediatrician Jay Gordon recommends giving your infant a very small dose of grapefruit seed extract to treat thrush 123. Mix 10 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract with 1 ounce of water 13. Dip a cotton swab in the mixture and wipe it on the inside of your child's mouth once every hour while your baby is awake.

If your child suffers from a diaper rash caused by yeast, you can put the diluted grapefruit seed extract mixture in a spray bottle and spray it on your baby's bottom at each diaper change 13.

Considerations

Using grapefruit seed extract to treat fungal infections in your child usually has fast results, according to Gordon 13. If your child does not experience relief from thrush after the first day of treatment using grapefruit seed extract, you can increase the dosage to 15 or 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract per ounce of water 13. If, after increasing the dosage and treating your child with 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract for an entire day, you still see no improvement in her thrush symptoms, contact your child's doctor and discuss starting a course of prescription anti-fungal treatment 13.

Side Effects

Physician Loretta Standley claims that grapefruit seed extract has no side effects 13. Even children who are allergic to citrus fruits may be able to use grapefruit seed extract without reaction 13. Grapefruit seed extract is considered safe for use by everyone from babies to the elderly 13.

Expert Insight

You can use grapefruit seed extract topically as an alternative, natural remedy to medications to treat ringworm infections and athlete's foot in children 13. If your child has a rampant yeast infection of any kind, add grapefruit seed extract to his laundry to help kill yeast hiding in his clothes 13. If you do not see results after two weeks of treating your child's ringworm or athlete's foot using grapefruit seed extract, take him to his pediatrician to discuss treatment options 13.