CHICKENPOX is doing the rounds again in the Bolton area. But staff at Bolton Therapy Centre can help ease your child's suffering. Homoeopathy gently stimulates the body's own healing, explained Steffie Price - a homoeopath at the centre - thus helping a child recover more easily and quickly from any childhood illness.

But parents should always consult a doctor if children suddenly develop worrying and extreme symptoms.

Once chickenpox has been diagnosed a variety of homoeopathic remedies can be used, depending on your child's condition. The remedies can easily be bought in healthfood shops and chemists, and given as directed on the container.

ACONITE: use within the first 48 hours if the child suddenly develops a temperature, thirst and is restless and anxious.

BELLADONNA: use if the child has a high fever, is flushed, has dry, hot skin but cold hands and feet and possibly also a throbbing headache.

PULSATILLA: use if the child is tearful and wants lots of company and cuddles, and also if they have a slight fever, itchy spots and possibly a cough.

RHUS-TOX: this is a remedy that is needed most often: if the spots are very itchy and the child is also very restless.

SULPHUR: this is useful if the skin is very itchy and red and this is made much worse by heat. The spots can become crusty, smelly and weep when scratched.

MERC-SOL: can be helpful if the spots go septic and ooze a sticky pus.

Steffie says that, although the most effective treatment is to take the tablets which trigger healing from within, it can also be helpful to put something on the skin to relieve the itching.

You can use Calendula or Rescue Remedy Cream, or dab diluted cider vinegar on very itchy spots (one tablespoon to a pint of water.)

These remedies and others can also treat a wide range of other health problems for both children and adults. For example, pulsatilla is a very common children's remedy for recurrent ear or eye infections.

You can find out more information on how to use homoeopathy to treat minor illnesses in the library, but for ongoing problems it is best to see a qualified homoeopath.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.