Alicia Silverstone's Son Has 'Never Had a Drop of Medicine'
"His body is a super-clean, healthy machine," she wrote in her new book.
APRIL 17, 2014 -- Alicia Silverstone has long been a proponent of attachment parenting.
Now, she has written a book about it. In "The Kind Mama," Silverstone opened up about raising her nearly 3-year-old son, Bear.
"He's never been sick-sick, just feeling a little off from time to time. And he's never had a drop of medicine," Silverstone wrote. "Because his body is a super-clean, healthy machine, it can defend itself against and flush out all the nasty stuff much more quickly than a baby whose diet isn't as kind. He actually never had to deal with the achy ears, gooey eyes or rashy bottom that a lot of other babies experience."
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Silverstone, 37, advocates for a clean, vegan diet, and even includes recipes in her book. She also wades into the vaccination debate a bit ("There is increasing anecdotal evidence from doctors who have gotten distressed phone calls from parents claiming their child was "never the same" after receiving a vaccine," she wrote) and warns parents against overmedicating their children.
"In most cases, those [over-the-counter] meds aren't necessary. Antibiotics should also be used with care," she wrote. "Sometimes they are truly useful and can save lives, but when we over-administer them, we challenge bacteria to grow stronger and more resistant to treatment. ... More often than not, you can make baby well with minimal medical intervention. The key is patience, love, and a few natural remedies to bring her comfort."
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Dr. Richard Besser, chief health and medical editor for ABC News, agreed with Silverstone about antibiotic use, but when it comes to vaccines he said, "I have some concerns that she is lumping vaccines in with overmedication."
"I can't think of anything I do for my patients as a pediatrician that has more proven value than getting them vaccinated fully and on time," he said. "Thanks to our vaccination programs, we no longer see so many of the diseases that plagued our parents' and grandparents' lives."
