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 Health & Beauty | November 2005 
Folk Remedy Oils can Cause Pneumonia in Infants
 John Roberts, Ph.D. - foodconsumer.org
Vegetable and other oils are traditionally used to soothe infants' stomachs and stuffy noses, but such a practice can put the infants at risk of pneumonia, according to a study appearing in the Nov. issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
The study involved two Mexican-American infants who developed lipoid pneumonia after their parents used oils on them, a traditional remedy given to kids in Mexico.
Lipoid pneumonia is caused when fatty substances get into the lungs, causing inflammation. Patients with pneumonia have symptoms such as breathing difficulty and coughing.
The disease can result from use of mineral oil as a laxative or in the form of nose drops for nasal symptoms.
Other oils and animal fats are commonly used in some cultures as a means to relieve stomach irritation, constipation, and stuffy noses in children.
In one case, parents fed their week-old infant a capful of olive oil per day to ease his "fussiness". This caused the infant to develop abnormal breathing patterns and a cough.
Doctors examined him and found abnormal breathing, poor oxygen circulation, and high levels of carbon dioxide in his blood. Doctors did not know the cause of these symptoms until the parents were questioned.
The second case, which was similar to the first, involved a four-month old boy with breathing difficulty and poor growth. The mother gave him some oil in nasal drops to help his symptoms.
Although use of vegetable oil in certain forms can harm the infants, many people in these cultures believe the oil remedy would not do any harm to infants.
Overall, the risk of getting lipoid pneumonia is small. Still parents need to be careful when giving anything to their babies for medical conditions. |
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