Five Bach Flower Remedies for children

Holistic therapist Noah Goldhirsh shares some of her favorite Bach Flower Remedies to help children cope with back-to-school stress, post-pandemic anxiety, ADHD and more

I first encountered Dr Bach’s Flower Remedies over 30 years ago and discovered the remarkable power of these natural remedies to soothe and to support physical and mental recovery—for both humans and animals. They can be used as treatments in themselves or to supplement other healing methods.

I’ve now treated thousands of people with Bach Flower Remedies, specializing in the treatment of children of all ages. Infants, children and adolescents tend to respond quickly to these remedies, which can be especially effective for problems such as fear and anxiety, fatigue, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social difficulties stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bach Flower Remedies are sold all over the world and can be used simply and quickly. Here are some of my top remedies for common problems in children.

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

For difficulty waking up in the morning, fatigue and procrastination

Hornbeam Remedy is suitable for children and adolescents who have difficulty waking and getting up in the morning, and who feel they lack the strength or desire to deal with daily tasks and life’s routine. They feel tired and bored, and they put off doing their tasks for as long as possible, preferring to sink into sleep.

These sensations of fatigue and dejection usually stem from bore­dom or a fundamental dissatisfaction with their life, which leads to chron­ic procrastination. With help to start taking action, their fa­tigue disappears, they are full of energy and happiness, and they tend to carry out their tasks with joy and satisfaction.

Hornbeam Remedy can also help those who suffer from sensations of vagueness and heaviness, have difficulty getting up to go to school and feel emotionally tired after excitement, tension, or a holiday or illness. It’s ideal for children who have difficulty going back to school after a break.

A personal experience

Thirteen-year-old Roy had great difficulty getting up in the morning and felt tired and lacking in energy during the day. He tended to put off homework, school assignments and tidying his room. His mother had to wake him every morning and remind him repeatedly of what he had to do.

When I asked him how he felt, he looked down, saying, “I’m just tired all the time. I’m bored, and I don’t feel like doing anything.”

I prepared a bottle of Bach Flower Remedies for Roy with the fol­lowing formula:

• Hornbeam to improve his procrastination and inability to wake up.
• Rescue Remedy for calm and general balance.
• Walnut to improve his ability to transition easily from sleep to wakefulness.
• Olive for mental and physical strength.
• Wild Oat to help him find and manifest his calling.
• Larch to strengthen his faith in himself and his abilities.
• Mimulus to alleviate his fear of failing to carry out assignments.

After taking the remedies for several days, Roy woke up in the morning by himself, and about two months later, I saw him and his mother at my clinic. She told me that his behavior at school was wonderfully improved.

Roy looked at me and said, “I wanted to say thank you very much. I used to be tired and depressed all the time, and now I have strength and energy, and I enjoy doing all sorts of things.” I was very moved and thanked him for his warm words. He continued to use Bach Flower Remedies for many years, every time he felt he needed help.

Olive (Olea europaca)

For extreme fatigue and mental exhaustion

Olive Remedy is suitable for reinforcing mental and physical strength in children during or after an illness that is long, difficult or chronic. It is also good for recovering from extreme body-mind exhaustion or a great and sustained effort in hard mental and physical work. It is an ideal supplement during challenging physical treatments such as chemotherapy, and during difficult or exhausting emotional transitions.

A child in need of Olive Remedy feels exhausted and doesn’t have the strength to go on; they might suffer from various aller­gies, and to them, life appears hard and lacks pleasure.

Many children suffer from physical exhaustion after having Covid-19, and Olive Remedy can help them to recover in the best possible way.

A personal experience

Eleven-year-old Emanuel, who was recovering from Covid-19, felt phys­ically and mentally exhausted. He suffered from hair loss, skin prob­lems and various fears. I prepared a bottle of Bach Flower Remedies for him with the following formula:

• Olive for mental and physical strength and to rehabilitate his body after the illness.
• Rescue Remedy for calm and general balance.
• Star of Bethlehem to alleviate his physical and mental trauma caused by the illness.
• Walnut for protection and to improve his ability to transition easily from one situation to another.
• Mimulus to alleviate his conscious fears.
• Aspen to address his hidden fears.
• Crab Apple to address his skin problems and to facilitate his physical and mental cleansing.

After he had used the bottle of Bach Flower Remedies consistently for about three weeks, there was a significant improvement in Emanuel’s physical and mental condition, and he continued to use Bach Flower Remedies until he had completely recovered.

Mimulus (Mimulus guttatus)

For fears and anxiety

Mimulus Remedy is suitable for children who suffer from fear of something known, such as exams, visiting the dentist, elevators, flying or certain animals—a fear that overwhelms them and restricts their activities. Those in need of Mimulus Remedy tend to be naturally nervous, unconfident and sensitive to noise. They occasionally tend to quarrel easily.

As a result of humanity’s massive transition to an urban environment, many children tend to fear animals, being out in nature, and natural phenomena such as lightning and thunder. Covid-19 has added new fears to our lives.

Many children have also started to fear illness and medical problems, and Mimulus can help reduce these fears. It also helps those who suffer from shortness of breath, sinus problems, sensations of tightness in the throat, chills and body tremors.

A personal experience

Eight-year-old Natalie was very frightened of the dentist. Every time she visited him, her whole body trembled, and she cried, screamed and refused to sit in the dentist’s chair. Her mother asked for my help and, after talking to them both, I prepared a bottle of Bach Flow­er Remedies for Natalie with the following formula:

• Mimulus to reduce her fear of the dentist.
• Rescue Remedy for calm and general balance.
• Aspen to calm her hidden fears.
• Walnut to improve her ability to transition from one situation to another.

This formula was meant to be taken only the week before and dur­ing Natalie’s dental treatments. Her mother told me that, due to the remedies, Natalie was calm before the treatment and agreed to climb into the dentist’s chair and sit quietly.

She asked to hold the bottle of remedies during the treatment, and every time she felt her fear growing, the doctor allowed her to take a few drops. The dental appointment went successfully, and everyone wondered at Natalie’s mature, calm behavior. At the end of the treatment, she said to the dentist, “I’m brave and I’m not afraid of you anymore. We’re friends.”

Natalie and her mother continue to use the bottle of Bach Flower Remedies when needed, and both enjoy the results.

Chestnut Bud (Aesculus hippocastanum)

For learning disabilities and difficulty learning from past experience

Chestnut Bud Remedy helps children with learning dif­ficulties and those who tend to learn slowly, forget things they have already learned, and repeat past mistakes or harmful behavioral patterns. A child in need of Chestnut Bud quickly learns and excels at subjects they love, like sports or computer games, but struggles with things that don’t interest them.

Chestnut Bud is effective for difficulties with physical and mental development as well as for problems with memory and for being stuck and unable to progress in life. It is the main essence for helping children who have ADHD, and it helps treat tics (involuntary movements or sounds) of various kinds.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, most children in the world were separated from their friends, studying via the computer screen. This resulted in deterioration for many who had difficulty learning this way. It’s a good idea to add Chestnut Bud Remedy to the personal formula of children who struggle with learning until their studies improve.

A personal experience

Ten-year-old Dan was diagnosed with a learning disability and trans­ferred to a special class at school, but his academic situation didn’t im­prove; he sat daydreaming in class, was unable to learn to read or write, and constantly postponed doing his lessons both at school and at home.

I prepared a bottle of Bach Flower Remedies for Dan with the fol­lowing formula:

• Chestnut Bud to improve his ability to concentrate and learn.
• Rescue Remedy for calm and general balance.
• Walnut to improve his ability to transition from one situation to another.
• Clematis to address his tendency to daydream while studying.
• Larch to reinforce his self-confidence.
• Hornbeam for his tendency to procrastinate.
• Mimulus for fears that stemmed from his failure in school.

I advised Dan to take the formula four times daily and add it to his personal water bottle. Every time Dan then had difficulty in school, he’d take a sip of water with the Bach Flower Remedy and feel better.

His parents told me that, within a few weeks, there was significant improve­ment in his behavior and learning capability. Today, Dan reads and writes fluently and succeeds in his studies. He loves his Bach Flower Remedy formula and continues to take it daily.

Rescue Remedy

To achieve calm and general balance in any emergency

The Rescue Remedy formula consists of a powerful combination of five different Bach Flower Remedies. Dr Edward Bach created the original formula to help with a wide variety of emergencies. Today, it is famous all over the world and is sold as part of the Bach Flower Remedy Kit, as well as in a separate bottle, to help with difficulty, stress and anxiety.

The Rescue Remedy formula consists of:

• Star of Bethlehem for relieving trauma, mental and physical shock, and numbness.
• Rock Rose to address terror and panic.
• Impatiens to counteract emotional distress, nervousness and stress.
• Cherry Plum to address violent outbursts and hysteria.
• Clematis to help with situations of profound confusion, a sense of bewilderment and/or loss of consciousness.

When preparing a personal formula for a child, you can add the Rescue Remedy to the other remedies you have chosen. In the years I’ve been using and teaching about Bach Flower Remedies, I’ve realized that when Rescue Remedy is included in a young person’s first personal formula, the results are excellent.

The Rescue Remedy formula is a remedy in its own right, so you can choose up to six further remedies to accompany it when preparing a personal formula. I include Rescue Remedy in most of the first personal formulas and decide later whether to include it in follow-up formulas.

Preparing a Bach Flower Remedy formula bottle

Bach Flower Remedies are available at health food stores, pharmacies and online as complete kits, which contain all 38 remedies plus Rescue Remedy, or individually. You can also buy 30 mL Bach Flower Remedies mixing bottles or simply use a 30, 50 or 100 mL glass bottle of your choice.

Use mineral water as the base for your Bach Flow­er formulas. Various studies have shown the won­derful energetic properties of water,¹ and mineral water is the cleanest and best energetic base you can use. If you can’t get mineral water, use filtered water.

Method of preparation

1. Fill your glass bottle with mineral water up to the shoulder of the bottle. Use the same number of drops of each Bach Flow­er Remedy (4–6) no matter the size of the bottle.
2. Select the appropriate Bach Flower Remedies and devise a formula that contains up to seven of them. Add 4–6 drops from each remedy to the bottle and close it tightly with a lid or dropper.
3. On a label, write the name of the child for whom you have made the formula, the date and the formula details, including the names of all the remedies added and how to use it. Stick this onto the bottle.
4. Hold the neck of the bottle in your dominant hand and gently tap the bottom of the bottle on the center of your opposite palm 100 times to charge it with positive, healing energy. While tapping, silently wish the child for whom you have prepared the formula health, success and joy. Perform the energetic charging of the bottle only once, during its initial preparation.
5. Store your prepared bottle of combined remedies in the fridge as far as you can from electrical appliances that emit radiation, such as mobile phones, microwave ovens and televisions.
6. To prepare a “charged” water bottle for the child to sip, fill a suitable bottle with mineral or filtered water and add 6 drops from the glass remedy bottle. Close the lid of the water bottle, hold it by the neck in your dominant hand and gently tap the bottom of the bottle on the center of your non-dominant palm 100 times.

Again, it is advisable to silently wish the child health, success and joy. Af­ter charging, the child may unrestrictedly drink from the bottle. When their personal water bottle is empty, wash it thoroughly, then start the process again.

Using the Bach Flower Remedy formula bottle

The recommended dose for a child is 4–6 drops from the prepared formula bottle four times daily.

• First dose: on waking
• Second dose: toward noon
• Third dose: in the afternoon
• Fourth dose: before going to bed

It’s also possible to take the formula whenever required, such as in stressful situations, before exams or after trauma:

• Add 4–6 drops of the prepared formula to a glass of water and give it to the child to drink four times a day or as required.
• Add 4–6 drops to the child’s bathwater.
• Rub up to 6 drops into the child’s skin.

Adapted from The Power of Bach Flower Remedies for Children, releasing September 14, 2023. Part of the Power of Alternative Medicine Trilogy by Noah Goldhirsh, which also includes The Power of Colors (July 27) and The Power of Animal Messages (Sept. 14). Published by Hammersmith Health Books. See WDDTY Member Offers for a special discount for WDDTY subscribers.