“Behoedmiddel” is Afrikaans for a preventive or protective remedy, and it usually refers to something given to a baby to ward off illness. No product under this name appears on the South African medicine register — so what is in your bottle depends entirely on what you have, and with an infant that matters more than with anyone else.
What is Behoedmiddel?
No product called Behoedmiddel appears on the South African Medicine Price Registry, the register of SAHPRA-approved medicines. It is a descriptive Afrikaans word rather than a brand name.
“Behoed” means to guard or protect, so a behoedmiddel is literally a protective agent — something given to prevent trouble rather than to treat it. In practice the word covers a range of things given to babies in South African households:
- Gripe water and similar wind or colic preparations.
- Traditional herbal mixtures, often prepared or supplied locally.
- “Boererate” remedies, passed down within families.
- Purgatives and enemas, given in some traditions to “clean out” a baby.
- Commercial baby tonics sold as supplements.
Because the word describes an intention rather than a product, this page cannot tell you what yours contains. Read the label if there is one, and take it to a pharmacist if there is not.
The honest position on preventive remedies for babies is worth stating plainly. A healthy, feeding, growing baby does not need anything preventive. Breast milk or formula, vaccinations, and vitamin drops where a clinic has advised them are what a baby needs. Nothing else has been shown to prevent illness in an infant, and several traditional preparations have been shown to cause harm.
That is not a dismissal of traditional practice. It reflects a specific and well-documented South African problem: infants have been seriously harmed by remedies given with real care and good intention.
What is Behoedmiddel commonly used for?
Preparations given under this description are typically intended for:
- Colic, wind and crying, by far the commonest reason.
- “Cleaning out” a baby, or clearing the stomach — often with a purgative or enema.
- Teething discomfort.
- Preventing illness generally, or protecting a baby from harm.
- Constipation.
- Sleep, in some preparations.
- Thrush or nappy rash, where applied topically.
What actually helps with each of these is worth setting out, because there are real answers:
Colic and crying. Colic is common, distressing and self-limiting — it peaks around six weeks and usually resolves by three to four months. No remedy has strong evidence, though Lactobacillus reuteri drops have the best of a weak field in breastfed babies. Winding, holding, movement, and white noise all help some babies. The exhaustion is real, and asking for help is a reasonable response — a crying baby with an exhausted parent is a risk factor for shaken baby syndrome, and clinics would far rather help early.
Constipation. In a breastfed baby, infrequent stools are usually normal. Never give a baby a purgative or an enema without medical advice — infants dehydrate very quickly, and enemas have caused deaths in South African infants.
Teething. A chilled teething ring and paediatric paracetamol at the correct weight-based dose. Not clove oil, not teething gels containing benzocaine or salicylates, and not alcohol on the gums.
Nappy rash. Keeping the area clean and dry, frequent nappy changes, and a barrier cream. Persistent rash may be thrush and needs an antifungal.
How Behoedmiddel fits into this medicine category
It is a traditional or informal remedy rather than a registered medicine, which is the most important thing about where it sits:
| Type | How to recognise it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Registered medicine | SAHPRA number; schedule; named ingredients; paediatric dosing | Assessed for safety in the age group |
| Health supplement | No schedule; “complementary medicine” wording | Much lighter regulation |
| Traditional preparation | Often unlabelled, locally prepared or decanted | Contents and strength unknown |
| Topical products | Clomaderm, Canex V | Registered; specific indications |
“Natural” and “traditional” do not mean safe in an infant. A newborn’s liver and kidneys are immature, their body weight is tiny, and a dose that is trivial for an adult can be dangerous. Babies are not small adults, and this is the single most important principle in paediatric medicine.
See the skin and wound care medicines hub.
What to check before using Behoedmiddel
Before giving a baby anything that is not from a clinic or pharmacy, ask a pharmacist or nurse. This is free, takes minutes, and there is no judgement in it — clinic staff deal with this question constantly.
Specifically, check:
- Whether there is a label with named ingredients and a SAHPRA registration number. An unlabelled bottle, or one decanted into another container, cannot be assessed by anyone.
- Whether it contains alcohol. Many traditional tonics and tinctures do, and alcohol is dangerous in an infant — even small amounts can cause low blood sugar and depressed breathing.
- Whether it is a purgative or laxative. These cause dehydration and electrolyte disturbance in babies very quickly.
- Whether it contains aspirin or salicylates. Aspirin must not be given to children because of Reye’s syndrome, which affects the brain and liver.
- Whether it is intended for adults. Adult preparations at adult strengths are a common source of infant poisoning.
- The age it is suitable for. Many products safe at six months are not safe at six weeks.
Do not give anything to a baby under three months without medical advice. At that age, illness presents subtly and deteriorates fast, and a remedy can mask what is happening.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Get emergency help immediately if a baby:
- Is difficult to wake, floppy, or unusually unresponsive.
- Has difficulty breathing, is grunting, or their skin is drawing in between the ribs.
- Has a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass.
- Has a fever in the first three months of life — any fever, at that age, is an emergency.
- Is not feeding, has far fewer wet nappies, or has a sunken fontanelle — signs of dehydration.
- Has persistent vomiting, particularly if green, or blood in the stool.
- Has a seizure.
- Has swallowed something and you do not know what it was. Take the container.
Take a baby to a clinic or doctor promptly for:
- Crying that is inconsolable, unusual, or high-pitched, or that suddenly changes character.
- Poor weight gain.
- Persistent diarrhoea or vomiting.
- A rash that is spreading or not improving.
- Any concern at all. A clinic nurse would far rather see a well baby than miss a sick one, and you are not wasting anyone’s time.
On the parents rather than the baby. Constant crying is genuinely exhausting, and reaching for something — anything — that might help is an understandable response. If you are at the end of your resources, put the baby down somewhere safe and step away for a few minutes. That is the right thing to do, not a failure. Then ask for help — from a clinic, a helpline, or someone who can take over for an hour.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is behoedmiddel used for in babies? The Afrikaans word means a preventive or protective remedy, and it covers a range of things given to babies for colic, wind, teething or general protection. It is not a registered product, so what yours contains depends on what you have.
Is it a registered medicine? No. Nothing under that name appears on the South African Medicine Price Registry. Check your label for ingredients and a SAHPRA number.
Does a healthy baby need anything preventive? No. Breast milk or formula, vaccinations, and any vitamin drops the clinic has advised are what a baby needs.
What helps with colic? Nothing has strong evidence. Lactobacillus reuteri drops have the best of a weak field in breastfed babies. Winding, holding, movement and white noise help some. Colic usually resolves by three to four months.
Can I give my baby an enema or purgative? Not without medical advice. Infants dehydrate very quickly, and these have caused deaths in South African babies.
Does it matter if it contains alcohol? Very much. Alcohol is dangerous in an infant — even small amounts can cause low blood sugar and depressed breathing. Many traditional tonics contain it.
What about teething? A chilled teething ring and paediatric paracetamol at the correct weight-based dose. Not clove oil, not benzocaine gels.
When should I take my baby to a clinic? Any fever under three months, difficulty waking or breathing, a rash that does not fade under pressure, poor feeding, fewer wet nappies, or any concern at all.