Homeopathic treatment of children

Pediatric homeopathy

In this time of overuse of antibiotics and other chemical drugs, more and more parents are choosing homeopathic treatments for their children as a natural therapy without side effects. Parents usually seek alternative help when the classical forms of treatments no longer work, or health problems often recur and become chronic.

Homeopathy is the most suitable form of alternative therapy in these cases, because instead of just treating the medical diagnosis it addresses the roots of the problem. The homeopathic remedies are chosen according to the individual symptoms of each child. The same disease can manifest itself in completely different physical symptoms and mental behaviours in each individual. It is these symptoms which the homeopath deals with in detail during the homeopathic consultation.

Homeopathic consultation takes place in the presence of the parent

In my practice I welcome children of any age from babies to teenagers. The homeopathic consultation is a conversation that takes place in the presence of a parent. The child is asked common questions such as what is their favorite food, toy, friend, etc; what they like to do; what they want to be when they grow up; etc., all in order to get to know the little patient better. Although in the case of babies and younger children the consultation is held with the parent, it is important for the homeopath to see and observe the child’s behavior. Every child behaves differently. Some of them are shy and hide behind their mother, others scream at the entrance and want to go home, others enter shamelessly and throw themselves at the prepared toys, or they start opening my drawers and “disassembling” the practice. These are also symptoms for a homeopath, and they can help in selecting the right remedy. 

When the child is older I often ask the parent to leave the room for a while and leave me with the child alone. Even in older children it is important to observe how the child behaves without the presence of a parent. I once held a consultation with a 10-year-old boy, who was trembling and crying and couldn’t say a word after his mother left the room. I immediately called the mother back and he was helped with the remedy Natrium muriaticum. 

During the online consultation, parents usually send me some videos of their children playing or doing regular activities so I can get a better picture of the child when I can’t see him in person. 

When choosing the right remedy, the homeopath uses the homeopathic repertory in electronic or book version, which narrows down the selection of a suitable remedy. Homeopathy treats each child as a unique individual with the aim of stimulating their own healing ability in order to eliminate the disease on its own and restore the patient to a balance in a natural way. The homeopath selects the most appropriate remedy based on the child’s specific symptoms, behavior and nature.

Addressing the roots of the problem

Diseases can manifest themselves in various ways. While one child will have frequent sinus inflammation, another will have bronchitis, or will suffer from frequent sore throats or ear infections. For example, if problems start at nursery after separation from the mother, the child cries a lot, likes comforting and affection, has frequent infections of the ears and upper respiratory tract with yellow or green discharge, the remedy Pulsatilla may be used. It is good to think of the remedy Calcarea phosphorica when a child is afraid to join a new group, does not know what to expect from a nursery, classmates and new teachers, and physical problems include headaches or growing pains.

The consultation lasts approximately ninety minutes, after which the child leaves with an individual homeopathic remedy

Based on the results of the follow-up consultation the treatment is continued with the selected remedy, or the dosage or potency is adjusted. If necessary, another homeopathic remedy will be chosen and then another follow-up consultation will be arranged in 6 weeks. Ideally, the best scenario is that the small client is helped after the first visit and there is no need to continue with homeopathic treatment anymore. Once I had a 9-year-old boy who suffered from anxiety. His heart was pounding and he was afraid he was going to die. After just one dose of two homeopathic globules dissolved in the mouth in my practice his anxiety did not return.

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Homeopathic remedies could also speed up the cure of acute illness

Homeopathic remedies are also used in acute conditions and in common childhood diseases such as influenza, viruses, teeth dentition, etc. Homeopathic remedies can significantly speed up the course of curing the acute state. Consultation with a homeopath can also take place by a phone, or video chat. The homeopath will enquire about the symptoms and the change in the child’s behavior. They will want to know exactly what hurts, where it hurts, how it hurts, how is the child’s energy, whether they want to sleep or not, how they behave, what they want/don’t want to do, whether they are/aren’t thirsty, and what improves/worsens their acute illness. All of this information is important for choosing the right remedy.

Homeopathy is individualized medicine, so for example, ten children with problematic dentition could be helped by ten different remedies. Each child is unique with a different sensitivity to pain and each behaves and copes differently with it.  The well-known remedy Chamomilla is not the only one suitable remedy for this problem. We have more than 100 remedies to choose from in homeopathic repertory. Chamomilla can help 50% of children with painful dentition, because these children will get into the state of Chamomilla during dentition. This means that they are irritated, cannot sleep, often wake up at the middle of the night, do not weep but scream, and are only calmed by fast carrying.

The other half of children with problematic dentition will be in state of another remedy, because they behave differently, they want to do something else, e.g. they may sob rather than scream, or they may want to be calm and cuddling with their mother. In these cases, the homeopathic remedy Chamomilla will not work. In my practice I often prescribe the remedy Calcarea carbonica when the child is rather calmer and slower, or Magnesium muriaticum, when the child has constipation or has a worse digestion of milk.

There are around 8000 kinds of remedies currently available

Remedies are made from various sources. They consist of minerals, when you imagine a periodic table of elements, there is a homeopathic remedy made from almost each of them. Another large group consists of remedies made from plants. Here we have the largest number of remedies. Remedies are also made from animals, for example, from the milk of mammals and from insects and birds (from the feathers), etc. For every child I look for a homeopathic remedy made from one of these sources. Basic minerals are prescribed mainly to smaller children and babies. If we see several mineral elements in the child’s picture at once and their case is more complicated, a plant-based remedy comes into the picture. Children who respond well to homeopathic remedies made from animals could show signs of more competition, hyperactivity, ADHD and problematic behavior.

Nowadays I most often meet children who need a homeopathic remedy made from elements of lanthanides. Lanthanides as elements can be seen in remedies made from minerals or plants. They were first described by the Dutch homeopath Dr. Jan Scholten in the 1990s. He has brought new systems of choosing the right remedy into homeopathy over the last 30 years. These children often come with autoimmune diseases such as allergies, eczema, arthritis, etc. They are characterized by the need for freedom (babies don’t want to be buckled) and autonomy, obstinacy and going their own way. They know what they want to achieve and they stubbornly follow it.  These children will grow up as self-reflective people who will feel part of the world and responsible for it and they will want to make the world a better place to live for all beings. They may be interested in ecology, political systems and they may love to travel. These children usually come to my practice with their parents who also respond well to lanthanides from the mineral or plant kingdom.

Therefore I do not perceive our future in dark colours as presented to us by the media and politicians, but I see it in our lanthanide children who will change our world for the better.

Why try homeopathy for children?

Because homeopathy is a deep seated therapy. It heals the person as a whole, both physically and mentally. During the treatment we address the roots of the problem which helps lead to a complete healing. At the physical level we see the disease manifesting itself through symptoms as a consequence of an imbalance in the body. At the mental level it is about removing blocks in the psyche. After removing our blocks and loads, we come back to a state of balance and we continue in harmony and full strength on our journey through life. After correctly choosing an individual remedy the child often moves to the next stage of development, for example, they diaper-free within a few days, or begin to talk, their comprehension improves, and so on. 

With equilibrium comes peace and understanding and the child is ready to enjoy life in full energy and strength.

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